Written questions by Lowe.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of full-face coverings on levels of (a) coercion, (b) domestic control and (c) honour-based abuse.

Tackling violence against women and girls, including Coercive or Controlling Behaviour (CCB) and ‘Honour’-Based Abuse (HBA), is a top priority for this Government and our manifesto included a mission to halve violence against women and girls in a decade. We will deliver a cross-government transformative approach, underpinned by a new strategy to be published in the summer.CCB is a particularly insidious form of domestic abuse. As made clear in statutory guidance, it can include isolating a person from friends and family, enforcing rules to humiliate, degrade or dehumanise, physical intimidation or taking control over aspects of the victim’s everyday life, such as by dictating what they can and cannot wear.CCB is an offence in the Serious Crime Act (2015). The statutory definition of domestic abuse, contained within the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, explicitly recognises controlling or coercive behaviour as a form of domestic abuse.HBA is an umbrella term, covering specific crimes such as female genital mutilation (FGM) and forced marriage, but also other forms of abuse that take place in an 'honour' context. HBA is often hidden in nature. We are focused on preventing these crimes from happening, supporting and protecting survivors and those at risk, and bringing perpetrators to justice.In 2023, the Home Office commissioned a feasibility study on producing robust prevalence estimates for FGM and forced marriage. The study concluded in March 2024, and we are currently working on our next steps and will provide an update in due course.Building on the progress made in the Community Advocates Project, which took place in early 2024, we are progressing the HBA Campaign. This is a campaign to raise awareness of issues surrounding HBA and signpost where people can seek help. The Home Office also funds Karma Nirvana to operate the national HBA Helpline which supports victims and survivors and advises professionals to improve awareness of HBA.

How many and what proportion of people granted (a) refugee and (b) asylum status entered full-time employment within five years of arrival in the last ten years.

The requested information is not currently available from published statistics, and could only be collated for the purposes of answering this question at disproportionate cost.

Whether her Department is taking steps to inform (a) law enforcement, (b) border agencies and (c) local authorities of name changes made by people with insecure immigration status.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave him to Question 58407.

What steps she is taking to (a) record and (b) verify name changes made by asylum seekers (i) during and (ii) after the asylum application process.

All asylum claimants are subject to the Home Office’s mandatory security checks to establish and verify their identity, and to link it to their biometric details for the purpose of immigration, security and criminality checks. These checks are critical to the delivery of a safe and secure immigration system.Applicants who seek to change the information they have provided at any stage of the asylum process – including their name – must submit a request to the Home Office to have their records updated. All such changes are closely scrutinised both to prevent fraud, and assess the credibility of the claimant.Any changes must be formally reported and are logged in official case records. And even when an individual does change their name, their previous identity will remain on their casefile, linked to their new name and to their registered biometrics (facial image and fingerprints), mitigating any risks related to fraud or misidentification.The Home Office has published guidance to explain the documentary evidence individuals (including asylum seekers) need to supply when they request a change of name on any digital and physical documents issued by the Home Office.Use and change of names guidance - GOV.UKUKVI identity standards (accessible) - GOV.UKThe Home Office does not centrally hold information relating to the number of requests for name changes, and could only collate such data at disproportionate costs through the manual review of case files held across multiple systems.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of name changes by asylum seekers on (a) national security, (b) immigration enforcement and (c) criminal justice proceedings.

All asylum claimants are subject to the Home Office’s mandatory security checks to establish and verify their identity, and to link it to their biometric details for the purpose of immigration, security and criminality checks. These checks are critical to the delivery of a safe and secure immigration system.Applicants who seek to change the information they have provided at any stage of the asylum process – including their name – must submit a request to the Home Office to have their records updated. All such changes are closely scrutinised both to prevent fraud, and assess the credibility of the claimant.Any changes must be formally reported and are logged in official case records. And even when an individual does change their name, their previous identity will remain on their casefile, linked to their new name and to their registered biometrics (facial image and fingerprints), mitigating any risks related to fraud or misidentification.The Home Office has published guidance to explain the documentary evidence individuals (including asylum seekers) need to supply when they request a change of name on any digital and physical documents issued by the Home Office.Use and change of names guidance - GOV.UKUKVI identity standards (accessible) - GOV.UKThe Home Office does not centrally hold information relating to the number of requests for name changes, and could only collate such data at disproportionate costs through the manual review of case files held across multiple systems.

Whether asylum seekers are required to provide supporting documentation when requesting a legal name change.

All asylum claimants are subject to the Home Office’s mandatory security checks to establish and verify their identity, and to link it to their biometric details for the purpose of immigration, security and criminality checks. These checks are critical to the delivery of a safe and secure immigration system.Applicants who seek to change the information they have provided at any stage of the asylum process – including their name – must submit a request to the Home Office to have their records updated. All such changes are closely scrutinised both to prevent fraud, and assess the credibility of the claimant.Any changes must be formally reported and are logged in official case records. And even when an individual does change their name, their previous identity will remain on their casefile, linked to their new name and to their registered biometrics (facial image and fingerprints), mitigating any risks related to fraud or misidentification.The Home Office has published guidance to explain the documentary evidence individuals (including asylum seekers) need to supply when they request a change of name on any digital and physical documents issued by the Home Office.Use and change of names guidance - GOV.UKUKVI identity standards (accessible) - GOV.UKThe Home Office does not centrally hold information relating to the number of requests for name changes, and could only collate such data at disproportionate costs through the manual review of case files held across multiple systems.

How many asylum seekers have formally changed name since 2015; and how her Department monitors that data.

All asylum claimants are subject to the Home Office’s mandatory security checks to establish and verify their identity, and to link it to their biometric details for the purpose of immigration, security and criminality checks. These checks are critical to the delivery of a safe and secure immigration system.Applicants who seek to change the information they have provided at any stage of the asylum process – including their name – must submit a request to the Home Office to have their records updated. All such changes are closely scrutinised both to prevent fraud, and assess the credibility of the claimant.Any changes must be formally reported and are logged in official case records. And even when an individual does change their name, their previous identity will remain on their casefile, linked to their new name and to their registered biometrics (facial image and fingerprints), mitigating any risks related to fraud or misidentification.The Home Office has published guidance to explain the documentary evidence individuals (including asylum seekers) need to supply when they request a change of name on any digital and physical documents issued by the Home Office.Use and change of names guidance - GOV.UKUKVI identity standards (accessible) - GOV.UKThe Home Office does not centrally hold information relating to the number of requests for name changes, and could only collate such data at disproportionate costs through the manual review of case files held across multiple systems.

If she will make an estimate of the number of (a) asylum seekers and (b) failed asylum claimants that have used multiple identities or aliases while in the UK.

All asylum claimants are subject to the Home Office’s mandatory security checks to establish and verify their identity, and to link it to their biometric details for the purpose of immigration, security and criminality checks. These checks are critical to the delivery of a safe and secure immigration system.Applicants who seek to change the information they have provided at any stage of the asylum process – including their name – must submit a request to the Home Office to have their records updated. All such changes are closely scrutinised both to prevent fraud, and assess the credibility of the claimant.Any changes must be formally reported and are logged in official case records. And even when an individual does change their name, their previous identity will remain on their casefile, linked to their new name and to their registered biometrics (facial image and fingerprints), mitigating any risks related to fraud or misidentification.The Home Office has published guidance to explain the documentary evidence individuals (including asylum seekers) need to supply when they request a change of name on any digital and physical documents issued by the Home Office.Use and change of names guidance - GOV.UKUKVI identity standards (accessible) - GOV.UKThe Home Office does not centrally hold information relating to the number of requests for name changes, and could only collate such data at disproportionate costs through the manual review of case files held across multiple systems.

What discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on producing an estimate of the number of people living in the UK without legal immigration status.

I refer the Honourable Member to the Answer I gave him on 30 January to Question 25047.

What estimate her Department has made of the number of people without lawful immigration status who have come into contact with the police in the last five years.

The information requested is not currently available from published statistics, and the relevant data could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.

How she calculates the number of people without legal immigration status.

I refer the Honourable Member to the Answer I gave him on 30 January to Question 25047.

What estimate her Department has made of the number of people without legal status living in (a) temporary and (b) informal accommodation; and what discussions she has had with local authorities on understanding the scale of irregular migration.

I refer the Honourable Member to the Answer I gave him on 30 January to Question 25047.

What discussions her Department has had with the Office for National Statistics on developing a reliable estimate of the irregular migrant population using available (a) administrative and (b) survey data.

I refer the Honourable Member to the Answer I gave him on 30 January to Question 25047.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the merits of commissioning an independent study to produce an updated estimate of the number of illegal migrants in the UK.

I refer the Honourable Member to the Answer I gave him on 30 January to Question 25047.

How many immigration detention beds are available; and what steps she is taking to increase capacity.

The Home Office currently operates seven Immigration Removal Centres (IRCs) throughout the UK, (six in England and one in Scotland) and three residential Short-Term Holding Facilities (STHFs) (one in Northern Ireland and two in England). Additionally, the Home Office operates one Pre-Departure Accommodation for families (PDA) at Gatwick. As of 1 June, immigration detention capacity is c2,480 beds. The Home Office are increasing detention spaces to support the Government’s priority to increase returns. This includes reopening and adding initially 290 beds across IRCs at Campsfield and Haslar, with further expansions in the future. The Home Office publishes quarterly data on the daily cost of detention. This can be found on the gov.uk website at: Immigration Enforcement data: Q1 2025 - GOV.UK

If she will make an estimate of the average cost to the public purse of each immigration detention bed.

The Home Office currently operates seven Immigration Removal Centres (IRCs) throughout the UK, (six in England and one in Scotland) and three residential Short-Term Holding Facilities (STHFs) (one in Northern Ireland and two in England). Additionally, the Home Office operates one Pre-Departure Accommodation for families (PDA) at Gatwick. As of 1 June, immigration detention capacity is c2,480 beds. The Home Office are increasing detention spaces to support the Government’s priority to increase returns. This includes reopening and adding initially 290 beds across IRCs at Campsfield and Haslar, with further expansions in the future. The Home Office publishes quarterly data on the daily cost of detention. This can be found on the gov.uk website at: Immigration Enforcement data: Q1 2025 - GOV.UK

If she will make an assessment with the Chancellor of the Exchequer of the potential merits of taxing remittances to countries that refuse to accept their returned nationals.

All policy relating to taxation is a matter for the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Whether she plans to increase the annual budget for immigration enforcement in line with projected growth in removals activity.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer presented her Spending Review 2025 to Parliament on Wednesday 11 June 2025.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a public reporting scheme that offers financial rewards for verified reports of illegal migrants.

The Home Office already operates an Immigration Enforcement hotline and provides several other routes for members of the public to report information regarding immigration related crime and/or abuse. Over the past three years we have seen an increase in information received from members of the public – we publish this information on a quarterly basis and it can be found here: Migration transparency data - GOV.UK.

If she will take steps to require data sharing between NHS Digital and her Department to help identify illegal migrants.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave him on 6 May to Question 47960.