§ Mr. Kilfedderasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the number of claimants for unemployment and sickness benefits in Northern Ireland who have been investigated for committing fraud; how many were brought to court in 1973, 1974 and 1974; and with what results.
§ Mr. MoyleThe number of people whose claims to unemployment benefit, sickness benefit or supplementary benefit in Northern Ireland were investigated because fraud was suspected was 1,255 in 1973. In that year 416 claimants were prosecuted; 404 were sentenced by the courts, of whom 14 received terms of imprisonment. The comparable figures for 1974 were 1,130; 312; 306; 11. Final figures for 1975 are not yet available. The provisional ones are 1,200: 340; 330; 13.