§ 1. Mr. Knoxasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is satisfied that staffing levels in offices dealing with social security benefits are adequate.
§ The Minister for Social Security (Mr. Hugh Rossi)I am satisfied that the national staffing provision matches the national work load though I naturally cannot say that every one of more than 500 local offices has its correct share of those staff at all times.
§ Mr. KnoxAs there has been a great increase in the work load in these offices, does my hon. Friend agree that there is a case for increasing the number of staff to ensure that payments to those in need are made efficiently and speedily?
§ Mr. RossiThere is always a seasonal increase in the work load. This year there has been an increase in the amount of supplementary benefit work required, especially in inner cities, but that is being offset by reductions in work on the contributory benefit side, especially in the number of claims for sickness benefit, which has fallen dramatically. There is a system for deciding the staffing levels in local offices—a system agreed with the trade unions—which aims to match staffing requirements with work loads. There is no hard evidence to show that the system is not working well.
§ Mr. Andrew F. BennettWill the Minister give the House some information about the raids which occurred in Oxford? Will he confirm that the costs to the Department and to public funds were more than £100,000, but that nothing like that amount was saved as a result of the raids? Does the Minister agree that the real problem at Oxford was lack of staff to supervise the system in the first place, and that, if an adequate number of staff had been employed, there would have been no need for those well publicised raids and the great injustice that resulted from them?
§ Mr. RossiI do not accept what the hon. Gentleman said. There is evidence that deliberate fraud was being exercised which is not easily detected by normal processes.