Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will assess whether the methodology used in his Department's January 2012 study of Nationality at point of National Insurance number registration of DWP benefit claimants to estimate the number of non-UK nationals who claimed for some working age benefits could be used to identify the number of non-UK nationals who claim (a) working tax credit and (b) housing benefit; and if he will undertake such an analysis. [133977]

Mr Hoban, Minister of State: Working tax credits are the responsibility of Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs.

The data to undertake the analysis suggested for housing benefit are not currently available in a suitable format and could be produced only with a new methodology and at disproportionate cost. We have no plans to undertake this work.

Looking forward, the Government will be recording nationality and immigration status of migrants who make a claim to universal credit.

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