§ Mrs. Chalkerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the cost of special investigations into (a) the supplementary benefits scheme, and (b) the national insurance scheme in 1970 and each subsequent year; and if she will express each figure as a percentage of the amount recovered as a result of their investigations.
§ Mr. O'MalleyInformation in the form requested is not available. Special investigators are employed almost entirely on supplementary benefit fraud, and no record is kept of the amount recovered as a result of their investigations. An estimate of the gross saving from withdrawal or reduction of benefit and of the cost of investigation is given below.
Fraud inquiries relating to national insurance claims are dealt with almost 446W entirely by local office staff and no comparable records are kept.
Estimated Gross Saving Estimated Cost of Special Investigation Cost as percentage of Saving £ £ Per cent. 1970 1,856,000 633,000 34 1971 2,069,000 777,000 38 1972 2,633,000 1,205,000 46 1973 3,023,000 1,318,000 44 1974 3,700,000 1,728,000 47
§ Mrs. Chalkerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the number of special investigators employed in (a) the supplementary benefit scheme, and (b) the national insurance scheme in 1970 and each subsequent year.
§ Mr. O'MalleyThe average number of special investigators employed in each year was
Special investigators are employed almost entirely on supplementary benefit fraud although they do handle some contributory benefit cases which require prolonged or difficult inquiries.
1970 226 1971 259 1972 287 1973 293 1974 326