Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much (a) HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and (b) other bodies working on behalf of HMRC have spent from the public purse on tackling (i) fraudulent tax credit claims, (ii) benefit fraud, (iii) tax avoidance and (iv) breaches of minimum wage legislation in each year since 2010.

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) carries out a range of activities in these areas. The costs specifically of tackling fraudulent tax credit claims, tax avoidance and breaches of the National Minimum Wage are not held in that format and this information could only be gathered at disproportionate cost. HMRC does not have an enforcement role in respect of benefit fraud.