§ Mr. Gordon Brownasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the powers exercised by his Department's Specialist claims control investigators, particularly the powers to search premises and conduct surveillance, and in each case the authority under which they are exercised.
§ Dr. Boyson[pursuant to his reply, 6 February 1984, c. 506–507]: The powers of specialist claims control officers, in common with other officers of the Department, derive from regulation 8 of the Supplementary Benefit (Claims and Payments) Regulations 1981 (SI 1981 No 1525) and regulation 23 of the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations 1979 (SI 1979 No 628):
Every beneficiary and every person by whom or on whose behalf sums payable by way of benefit are receivable shall furnish in such manner and at such times as the Secretary of State may determine such certificates and other documents and such information of facts affecting the right to benefit, or to its receipt, as the Secretary of State may require …Additional limited powers are afforded to certain staff, including specialist claims control officers, by sections 144 and 145 of the Social Security Act 1975 and section 19 of the Social Security (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1977. Officers are also bound by the Judges' Rules when investigating offences (See Rule 6).Specialist Claims Control officers have no powers of search.