§ Mr. Gordon Brownasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish the guidelines issued to regional benefit investigation teams.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkThe guidelines are contained in internal departmental instructions and are not appropriate for general publication.
§ Mr. Gordon Brownasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many regional benefit investigation teams have now been constituted involving how many people; and on what dates they began their operations.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkThere are nine special regional benefit investigation teams employing a total of 93 staff. Three regional teams started in 1982 and the remainder became fully operational in January 1984.
§ Mr. Gordon Brownasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the areas which regional benefit investigation teams will visit in the coming three months.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkProgrammes of visits are subject to review and change demanded by the nature of the work. I am therefore unable to give this information.
§ Mr. Gordon Brownasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish the estimated benefit savings achieved by regional benefit investigation teams since their inception; and on what basis calculations of benefit savings are made.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkAn estimate of benefit saved and the basis of calculation was given in my reply to the hon. Member for Tyne Bridge (Mr. Cowans) on Monday 12 December c.332–33.
§ Mr. Gordon Brownasked the Secretary of State for Employment whether members of regional benefit investigation teams are to undergo training at police colleges, or in educational institutions; and if he will list the colleges which have been approached, with a view to undertaking training.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkThe training of current members of regional benefit investigation teams has been completed. No police colleges or educational institutions have been involved in the training. Future training arrangements are being discussed and informal contact has so far been made with one police authority and one polytechnic.
§ Mr. Gordon Brownasked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the precise training which members of regional benefit investigation teams will be asked to undergo; and whether it will include lectures on civil liberties and the protection of individual privacy.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkThe training of current members of regional benefit investigation teams has been completed. The training at all times was consistent with the need at all times to respect the rights of the individual. Future training arrangements are under discussion.