§ Mrs. Curtis-ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what collaborative projects his Department has undertaken with the Merseyside Police Authority to combat fraudulent activities; and if he will make a statement on the outcome of these projects. [90772]
§ Mr. TimmsThis is a matter for Peter Mathison, the Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to my hon. Friend.
493WLetter from Peter Mathison to Ms Claire Curtis-Thomas, dated 19 July 1999:
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your recent question asking what collaborative projects his Department has undertaken with the Merseyside Police Authority on fraudulent activities; and if he will make a statement on the outcome of these projects.Benefit Fraud in Merseyside is investigated by the Benefits Fraud Investigation Service (BFIS) and Benefit Agency Security Investigation Services (BASIS). Neither are engaged in collaborative projects with Merseyside Police. However, both services do work closely with Merseyside Police on individual cases as operational requirements dictate.Joint projects also exist to tackle abuse in known areas of benefit fraud such as investigations into taxi drivers, small businesses and the manipulation of girocheques and orderbooks. Although no specific statistics are kept on the partnerships, the fact that these operations are regular and ongoing is a testament to their level of success.The Benefits Agency (BA) is negotiating a National Memorandum of Understanding with the Association Of Chief Police Officers. This will improve lines of communication, clarify the responsibilities of the police and BA and provide guidelines for co-operation on operational issues.I hope you find this reply helpful.