§ Mr. Fieldasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what has been the cost of employing special investigators in his Department for each year since 1978.
§ Mr. RossiThe cost of salaries and necessary incidental expenses of special investigators for each of the last three financial years is estimated to have been as follows:
£ million 1978–79 2.7 1979–80 3.5 1980–81 4.8
§ Mr. Fieldasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many special investigators have been employed in his Department for each year since 1978.
§ Mr. Fieldasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will update the answer given to the hon. Member for Birkenhead on 12 June 1979 on the number and type of cases investigated by special investigators; and if he will set out the outcome of the investigations.
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§ Mr. RossiThe following is the required information about the number and type of cases investigated by special investigators, and the outcome of those investigations:
1979–80 1980–81 Type of offence Completed Investigation Allowances with-drawn or reduced Completed Investigation Allowances with-drawn or reduced Undisclosed income: (a) Earnings of claimant or dependant as employee 15,472 6,063 27,159 19,958 Undisclosed income: (b) Earnings from self-employment 7,323 3,230 2,686 1,087 Undisclosed income: (c) Other income or capital assets 401 153 471 218 (d) Fictitious desertion 2,259 1,115 2,756 1,482 (e) Undisclosed living-together 11,476 4,973 15,166 7,005 (f) Others 387 174 1,097 801 (g) Contributory Benefit Cases 3,105 806 3,605 1,079 TOTAL 40,423 16,514 52,940 22,630