§ Mr. Nealeasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what information he has as to how many non-British European Economic Community citizens claimed board and lodging allowances during the months of June on the purported grounds that they were looking for employment; and if he will make a statement;
(2) what steps he is taking to prevent non-British EEC citizens from coming to the United Kingdom for the purpose of claiming hoard and lodging benefits; and if he will make a statement;
(3) what records are kept by his Department of the numbers, country of origin and sums paid to non-British EEC citizens in hoard and lodging allowances on the basis of claims purported to be related to the search for jobs; and if he will make a statement.
110W
§ Mr. Newton[pursuant to his reply, 14 July 1986, c. 420]: In June 1986, 90 claims for supplementary benefit from non-United Kingdom European Community nationals were recorded, compared with 116 in June 1985. Centrally collected figures do not identify board and lodging claimants separately within this total. Measures were strengthened last year to ensure that benefit is paid only to those EC claimants who are entitled to receive it. We have also recently stepped up action to combat hotel fraud.