§ Mr. WebbTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many housing benefit best value inspections the Benefits Fraud Inspectorate has carried out in the current financial year; and which local authorities were inspected. [140963]
§ Mr. RookerThe Best Value arrangements came into force from April this year requiring local authorities to arrange reviews of their services, including those relating to Housing Benefit. The BFI will be involved in 851W inspections of those Best Value reviews that cover Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit. The BFI has recently received details of those local authorities that are planning reviews over the coming year and is now involved in its first best value inspection.
§ Mr. WillettsTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to alter the appointment process for local authority fraud investigators. [141082]
§ Mr. RookerNone.
§ Mr. WillettsTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate of total benefit fraud has been made by the Benefit Fraud Inspectorate for each of the local authorities which it has inspected. [141084]
§ Mr. RookerThe information requested is available in the reports of the Benefit Fraud Inspectorate for each local authority, which have been placed in the library. The BFI estimates are derived from calculations made in the Department of Social Security's report: National Housing Benefit Accuracy Review 1997–98, published in July 1998.