§ Mr. Home Robertsonasked the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for East Lothian on Tuesday 20 March, whether a regional benefit investigation team will be operating in East Lothian within the coming three weeks.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkEast Lothian is included in the benefit investigation team's current plan and is likely to be covered within the next three weeks.
§ Mr. Home Robertsonasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list in the Official Report the local exercises conducted by regional benefit investigation teams since the beginning of January 1984, showing the number of claimants investigated, the number of cases of fraud which were discovered, the sums of money involved and the number of prosecutions which have been made as a consequence of those investigations.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkSince the beginning of January 1984, 28 investigation exercises have been completed at the following places:134W
Barnsley St. Helens Wombwell Bedford Goldthorpe Kirkcaldy Rotherham Glenrothes Mexborough Port Glasgow Swindon Greenock Yeovil Dagenham Morriston Blaydon Bridgend Ashington Maesteg Leicester Porthmadog Burton Shotton Washwood Heath Port Talbot Chelmsley Wood Blackburn Thornton Some 3,658 claimants were investigated. Of these, 904 withdrew their claims to benefit before investigations were completed. Consideration is still being given to cases which might result in prosecution.