HC Deb 09 April 2001 vol 366 cc485-6W
Mr. Willetts

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much he expects to pay to organisations who have provided information under the terms of the Social Security Fraud Bill in the first year after the Bill is enacted. [157083]

Mr. Rooker

The costs to the Department of using the powers to obtain information are detailed in paragraphs 20 to 23 of the Regulatory Impact Assessment of the Fraud Bill. The exact amount paid to the information providers will depend upon detailed negotiations after the Bill has received Royal Assent.

Mr. Willetts

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many telephone calls have been made to the National Benefit Fraud Hotline in each month since May 1997. [157075]

Mr. Rooker

The information is in the table.

Number of calls received by the National Benefit Fraud Hotline [NBFH]
Month Number
June 1997 16,272
July 1997 18,808
August 1997 14,755
September 1997 16,236
October 1997 13,202
November 1997 11,770
December 1997 10,829
January 1998 17,206
February 1998 15,780
March 1998 15,345
April 1998 19,007
May 1998 13,149
June 1998 13,692
July 1998 15,512
August 1998 11,104
September 1998 13,694
October 1998 12,805
November 1998 14,285
December 1998 12,160
January 1999 13,925
February 1999 13,798
March 1999 16,901
April 1999 11,996
May 1999 11,303
June 1999 13,415
July 1999 10,491
August 1999 10,336
September 1999 12,971
October 1999 9,291
November 1999 14,683
December 1999 10,906
January 2000 14,272
February 2000 19,285
March 2000 23,118
April 2000 12,815
May 2000 21,674
June 2000 18,212
July 2000 17,440
August 2000 20,289
September 2000 15,851
October 2000 13,980
November 2000 15,243
December 2000 9,073
January 2001 17,340
February 2001 18,191
March 2001 28,093