§ Mr. Sproatasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many social security special investigators were at work in Scotland and in the United Kingdom at the latest available date.
§ Mr. Dean:The number of special investigators employed by my Depart- 450W ment on 1st April, 1972, was 286, including 25 employed in Scotland.
§ Mr. Sproatasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the areas of claim most frequently investigated by social security special investigators; and what are the numbers of these claims investigated over the latest available six-month period, area by area, in Scotland, and in England and Wales respectively.
§ Mr. Dean:Areas of claims most frequently investigated are (a) suspicion of working while drawing supplementary benefit (b) undisclosed cohabitation (c) fictitious desertion—i.e. false statements by a wife that her husband has left her. Numbers of cases investigated during the six months ending 31st March, 1972, were:
(a) (b) (c) Working while drawing benefit Undisclosed cohabitation Fictitious desertion Scotland 861 220 50 England 4,687 4,250 1,054 Wales 700 215 54 TOTAL 6,248 4,685 1,158
§ Mr. Sproatasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many claims were investigated in Scotland, and England and Wales, respectively, by social security special investigators during the latest available month; and how many of these claims were proved fraudulent.
§ Mr. Dean:Statistics are collected quarterly and are not available for any shorter period. The figures for supplementary benefit claims investigated by special investigators in the quarter ending 31st March, 1972 were:
Claims Investigated Number in which the allowance was withdrawn or reduced Scotland 589 296 England 4,976 1,954 Wales 524 147 Total 6,089 2,397 An allowance is withdrawn or reduced when on the facts established there is no longer title to benefit, or it remains only at a reduced rate. It does not necessarily follow that there was also evidence of past false statements to support criminal proceedings.