To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 19 May 2008, Official Report, columns 5-6WS, on the UK Border Agency detention estate, how many illegal working operations have been mounted in each month of 2008. (208719)

The Government are committed to a much tougher approach to enforcing the immigration rules, including targeting illegal migrant working and its harmful social effects.

The number of illegal working operations in each month of 2008 and 2007 (1 January to 30 April each year) are as follows:

The total number of operations carried out in the first four months of 2008 is 2,903. This is an increase of 49 per cent. in comparison with the same period in 2007. The data provided is management information. It may be subject to change and does not represent published national statistics.