Benefit Fraud

HC Deb 24 October 1994 vol 248 cc424-5W

Mr. Jacques Arnold

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the detection of social security fraud.

Mr. Arbuthnot

The fight against fraud remains a top priority. In 1993–94 Benefits Agency investigators caught 312,000 cheats and a record £654 million of fraud was identified and stopped.

Sir Anthony Durant

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how he is planning to reduce fraud involving order books and giros.

Mr. Arbuthnot

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Worcester (Mr Luff).

Mr. Hendry

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what incentives he is giving to Benefits Agency staff to reduce order book fraud.

Mr. Arbuthnot

Benefits Agency staff are expected to be alert to the possibility of fraud at all times. Last year a record £105.5 million worth of fraudulent and counterfeit order books and girocheques were recovered, and new performance indicators have been set for this year to improve upon this performance.