Mr. Jim Callaghanasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many persons have been convicted of fraud following the activities of his Department's fraud squads.
§ Mr. RossiI assume that the hon. Member has in mind the special measures introduced from November 1981 to check the accuracy of certain claims to benefit. Although cases of fraud, where detected, are prosecuted wherever appropriate, the primary purpose of these measures is to safeguard public funds; separate records of any prosecutions are not kept. The total number of all successful prosecutions brought by my Department and the Department of Employment in the year ended February 1981 was 23,236.