Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of fees received by the Home Office from people overseas using email to make enquiries about (1) border, (2) immigration, and (3) citizenship services, has been used to fund activities other than providing email responses monthly in 2017 to date.

The £5.48 email charge is levied to fund the commercial contract as the UK government believes it is right that those who use and benefit directly from the UK immigration system make an appropriate contribution towards meeting the costs of the immigration system. Those who use the services are predominantly from outside the UK. Our web site www.gov.uk is the main source of information and advice and is free of charge.

Further details of the financial arrangement in place between the Home Office and SITEL UK Ltd for the provision of Contact Centre Services (UK and International) is not available due to it being commercially sensitive.