§ Mr. Sproatasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) by what percentage the number of successful prosecutions for fraud rose in the South-West Region in 1977 over the 1976 figures;
(2) by what percentage the number of successful prosecutions for fraud of social security benefits has risen in 1977 over 1976 in the Northern Region of his Department; how many cases this involved; and what the total sum of money involved was;
(3) by what percentage the number of successful prosecutions for fraud of social security benefits has risen in 1977 over 1976 in the Yorkshire and Humberside Region of his Department; how many cases this involved; and what the total sum of money involved was;
(4) by what percentage the number of successful prosecutions for fraud of social security benefits has risen in 1977 over 1976 in the East Midlands and East Anglian Region of his Department; how many cases this involved; and what the total sum of money involved was;
(5) by what percentage the number of successful prosecutions for fraud of social security benefits has risen in 1977 over 1976 in the London North Region of his Department; how many cases this involved; and what the total sum of money involved was;
(6) by what percentage the number of successful prosecutions for fraud of social security benefits has risen in 1977 over 1976 in the London South Region of his Department; how many cases this involved; and what the total sum of money involved was;
(7) by what percentage the number of successful prosecutions for fraud of social security benefits has risen in 1977 over 1976 in the London West Region of his Department; how many cases this involved; and what the total sum of money involved was;
(8) by what percentage the number of successful prosecutions for fraud of social security benefits has risen in 1977 over 1976 in the South-Western Region of his 547W Department; how many cases this involved; and what the total sum of money involved was;
(9) by what percentage the number of successful prosecutions for fraud of social security benefit has risen in 1977 over 1976 in the Wales Region of his Department; how many cases this involved; and what the total sum of money involved was; (10) by what percentage the number of successful prosecutions for fraud of social security benefit has risen in 1977 over 1976 in the West Midlands Region of his Department; how many cases this involved; and what the total sum of money involved was;
(11) by what percentage the number of successful prosecutions for fraud of social security benefit has risen in 1977 over 1976 in the Merseyside Region of his Department; how many cases this involved; and what the total sum of money involved was;
(12) by what percentage the number of successful prosecutions for fraud of social security benefit has risen in 1977 over 1976 in the North-Western Region of his Department; how many cases this involved; and what the total sum of money involved was;
(13) by what percentage the number of successful prosecutions for fraud of social security benefit has risen in 1977 over 1976 in the Scotland Region of his Department; how many cases this involved; and what the total sum of money involved was.
§ Mr. OrmeThe information requested by the hon. Member is not available in this form. Prosecutions are recorded by courts, not by regions, and overpayments for prosecution cases are not separately recorded. However, on the basis of the first nine months' figures for the 1977 statistical year, which ends in February 1978, prosecutions for social security fraud on behalf of my Department and the Department of Employment increased by 34 per cent. overall compared with 1976, from 13,068 to 17,555.