§ Mrs. Anne CampbellTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many prosecutions were instigated by his Department in the financial years 1990–91, 1991–92 and 1992–93 by nature of offence; by the number of convictions; by the number of custodial sentences; and by the financial penalties involved.
§ Mr. HagueThe available information is as follows:
Number of prosecutions 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 Fraud prosecutions instituted by Benefits Agency 7,917 14,385 5,821 Prosecutions instituted by the Contributions Agency 419 233 81 Total 8,330 4,612 5,895 1 Figures for organised fraud prosecutions are not available for this year. Notes:
1. Prosecutions for liable relatives sections, the predecessor of the Child Support Agency, were as follows
- a. 11 people were prosecuted in 1990.
- b. 4 people were prosecuted in 1991.
No figures are available for 1992.
2. We do not record prosecutions by nature of the offence.
In 1992–93, 98 per cent. of benefit fraud prosecutions instigated by the Benefits Agency were successful. No similar record of convictions is held for the years 1990–91 or for 1991–92. No records are held for the Contributions Agency.
The figures for convictions by the liable relatives section are:
- a. 1 person was convicted in 1990:
- b. 4 people were convicted in 1991.
The figures available for custodial sentences are for benefit fraud in 1992–93. There were 33 custodial 168W sentences for benefit fraud prosecutions instituted by the Benefits Agency in this year. Figures are not available for previous years. No records are held for the Contributions Agency or for liable relative sections.
Statistics for financial penalties are not available for 1990–91 or 1991–92. The only statistics available are for Benefits Agency fraud in the year 1992–93:
£ Compensation awarded 1,084,974 Costs 149,183 Fines 230,396