Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what costs have been occurred so far in this financial year as a result of any increase in the number of people arriving in the UK by boat in order to claim asylum.

Whilst the numbers of people arriving in the UK by illegally-facilitated small boats have increased this financial year, numbers of those arriving by other illegal means, such as air, have fallen.

The Home Office publishes data regarding its financial accounts on the GOV.UK website as part of its financial reporting procedures, and also as part of the transparency agenda. The latest report can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/home-office-annual-report-and-accounts-2019-to-2020.

We do not routinely publish breakdowns of operational Departmental spending, and are unable to provide this information, as it could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.