HC Deb 15 July 1985 vol 83 cc57-8W
Mr. Ron Brown

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when the present specialist claims control exercise in Leith will terminate; how many officers are in the team; how much they are paid; and what expenses they claim on a weekly basis.

Mr. Whitney

The specialist claims control team which is at present in the local office at Edinburgh North, which covers Leith, consists of three officers and the exercise is planned to end on 16 August. The current average salary for an officer in the LOI grade is £8,923. The staff employed on this exercise can claim travelling expenses and day subsistence, where appropriate, in accordance with normal departmental rules.

Mr. Ron Brown

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to the reply of 28 June, Official Report, column 529, how much benefit was saved as a result of adjustments following investigation of the 133 cases involved; and what were the respective savings due to the discovery of fraud or error on behalf of his Department's staff.

Mr. Whitney

The estimated total benefit saving was £36,760 which was all attributable to the discovery of fraud.

Mr. Ron Brown

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how global savings are calculated arising from specialist claims control exercises; what changes there have been in the method of calculation; what steps he has taken to establish the accuracy of the method used to determine savings; and what conclusions he draws as to the extent to which the savings reflect (a) fraud and (b) mismanagement.

Mr. Whitney

I refer the hon. Member to my hon. Friend's reply on 12 June to my hon. Friend the Member for Aberdeen, South (Mr. Malone) at columns482–83 and to the statement and copy report placed in the Library on that date.

Mr. Ron Brown

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to the reply of 28 June, Official Report, column 529, how many of the 133 cases previously investigated represent single parents, unemployed single men, and husbands or wives with dependent children.

Mr. Whitney

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