Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to his Statement of 4 November 2023 on Legal Migration, Official Report column 42, what the evidential basis was for setting the income threshold for spouse and family visas at £38,700; and whether he sought (a) advice from the Migration Advisory Committee and (b) other independent advice before setting that threshold.

The government will publish an impact assessment on these changes in due course. The Migration Advisory Committee was not asked to provide further advice related to this change as previous advice and evidence provided by the Migration Advisory Committee was already available and considered.