HC Deb 12 May 1969 vol 783 cc964-5
48. Mrs. Renée Short

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what instructions are given to officers of his Department when the need to verify the accuracy of claims for supplementary benefits by widows or other women living alone arises.

Mr. Crossman

Officers are expected to use tact and discretion in making any inquiries that may become necessary if there are grounds for thinking that a woman's circumstances may have changed, or that a false statement may have been made in connection with her claim.

Mrs. Short

Is my right hon. Friend aware that there is great concern about the invasion of privacy and the spying that is going on in certain cases when cohabitation is being investigated by some of his officers? Will he again issue instructions to all the officers of his Department to see that this job is done with great tact and decency?

Mr. Crossman

I really do not believe that it is necessary for me to do that. Indeed, to do so would imply a lack of confidence in my investigators, which I do not feel. There is really no reasonable doubt now that in this area there is a degree of abuse of supplementary benefits which must be looked into sensibly. I do not think that my investigators are doing a bad job.