HL Deb 25 January 1978 vol 388 cc453-4WA
Lord BANKS

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will list in the Official Report:

  1. (a) the number of suspected cases;
    2. 454
  2. (b) the number of prosecutions; and
  3. (c) the number of successful prosecutions of (i) supplementary benefit and (ii) National Insurance benefit fraud cases for each year since 1970.

Lord WELLS-PESTELL

It is not possible to give the total number of cases in which there was suspicion of fraud. Given below, therefore, are figures relating only to prosecutions and convictions.

The figures are:

Supplementary Benefits Contributory Benefits
Prosecuted Convictions Prosecuted Convictions
1970 4,014 3,901 2,307 2,282
1971 4,993 4,853 3,033 2,983
1972 6,244 6,111 3,315 3,266
1973 6,476 6,332 3,160 3,101
1974 7,447 7,277 3,356 3,308
1975 8,225 8,049 3,830 3,770
1976 9,686 9,497 4,605 4,543

Figures for 1977 are not yet available.