Enforcement action consists of many stages in the end-to-end process of resolving a case. It can include policy work, caseworking, inquiries abroad, intelligence work, legal advice, support costs, operations, detention, escorts the cost of charters and other flights used to effect removal, and ministerial and senior officials' time. Such costs are spread across a number of cost centres within the Agency and its predecessor and are not functionally recorded on a case-by-case basis. The information requested could therefore be provided only by the detailed analysis of individual case records at disproportionate cost.
The Border and Immigration Agency's budget allocations are not made or recorded on a detailed activity basis and therefore it is not possible to give a definitive figure for the proportion of budget attributed to activity against individuals involved in identity theft or identity fraud involving document abuse. However, action against such theft or fraud is an important part of our Enforcement Strategy, published in March 2007.
Copies of the document are placed in the Libraries of both Houses. It is available to view at:
http://www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/managingourborders/enforcementstrategy/
Latest published statistics on the total spend in the Home Office are set out in the Home Office report a copy of which has also been placed in both Houses. It is also available to view at:
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/documents/ho-annual-report-07?view=Binary