HC Deb 08 February 1984 vol 53 cc671-2W
Ms. Harman

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will bring forward measures better to prevent and detect fraud by owners and managers of old people's and nursing homes, who fail to hand over to the claimant money paid by his Department for residents in their homes.

Dr. Boyson

Where a social security claimant is unable to deal with his own affairs, arrangements are made for another person to deal with the benefit claim. Where the claimant is living in a residential home and a relative or friend cannot be appointed, a responsible person at the home may be asked to act and is made aware of the duties involved. Such appointments may be revoked whenever benefit not administered in a satisfactory manner, whether or not fraud is suspected. As a result of provisions for the registration of homes in the Health and Social Services and Social Security Adjudications Act 1983, a working party instituted by the Centre for Policy on Ageing is at present drawing up a code of practice for registered voluntary and privately-run residential care homes. One topic under consideration by the working party is the arrangements for the financial affairs of residents in these homes.

Ms. Harman

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many proprietors or managers of old people's homes registered under the Health and Social Services and Social Security Adjudications Act 1983 or preceding legislation have been prosecuted in each of the last five years for offences related to fraud perpetrated against either his Department or claimants resident in the home.

Dr. Boyson

This information is not available centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Ms Harman

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how much his Department has spent on social security payments to owners of private old people's and nursing homes in each county for each of the last five years.

Dr. Boyson

Social Security benefits are payable to individual residents rather than owners of homes.

The benefit payable to those who are unable to meet the home's charge by other means, is supplementary benefit. Information on the total amount of supplementary benefit paid in such cases is not available in the form requested, but I shall let the hon. Member have such details as are available on the number of residents in private and voluntary homes in receipt of supplementary benefit to meet their charges, and the average amounts of benefit in payment for the period from 1979, as soon as possible.

Mr. Pike

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list by counties in England, social security payments and any other national financial support to private old people's and nursing homes for 1979 and subsequent years.

Dr. Boyson

I shall let the hon. Member have such information as is available as soon as possible.