§ Mr. Sproatasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether it is the practice of officers of his Department to report 885W to the appropriate fuel authority cases where they discover that a reconnection has been made after the authority has cut off electrical supplies because of nonpayment of bills; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. OrmeIt is not the normal policy of the Department to disclose information concerning an individual obtained during the course of administering the social security schemes unless that individual has given his consent to the disclosure. Exceptions are made, however, where disclosure is in the welfare interests of the persons concerned or where disclosure is warranted in the public interest —e.g., to assist prosecution in cases other than trivial crime. Each case of reconnection that comes to notice is, therefore, considered individually on its merits.