§ 14. Mr. GallieTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of Operation Spotlight in Edinburgh on social security fraud; and if he will make a statement. [32985]
§ Mr. HealdThe campaign in Edinburgh received strong public support. Savings of £2.6 million have so far been recorded for the four-week period which compares with £5.6 million for the whole of last year. The hotline received over 900 calls, which will result in further savings. National insurance arrears of more than £400,000 were found.
Mr. CartissTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to introduce Operation Spotlight in Great Yarmouth to tackle fraud by social security claimants; and if he will make a statement. [32971]
§ Mr. HealdI announced on Wednesday 19 June that the "Spotlight on Benefit Cheats" campaign would operate in Great Yarmouth from 1 July to 26 July.
The campaign, which began in April this year, has been very successful. By 21 June, 11 separate areas of the country had been targeted, seven of them having completed their operational phase and an estimated £16.5 million of benefit fraud having been stopped.