§ Mr. WebbTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list those local authorities which, in the468W most recent year for which figures are available, received financial rewards under the weekly benefit savings scheme for tackling housing benefit fraud, indicating in each case the amount received. [144362]
§ Angela EagleThe information is in the Library.
§ Mr. WebbTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will provide a breakdown by benefit of his estimated saving of £1 billion in benefit fraud by 2006. [144110]
§ Mr. RookerThe public service agreement target is to reduce fraud and error in income support and jobseeker's allowance by 25 per cent. by March 2004 and halve it by March 2006.
The latest figures from the Government Statistical Service, published on 29 November, show that we have already achieved a significant reduction and are on track to meet our first milestone of reducing fraud and error in these benefits by 10 per cent. by 2002.
§ Mr. WillettsTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security which local authorities have received information from banks and other private firms since 1997 that has facilitated the prosecution of people suspected of benefit fraud; and which of these prosecutions were carried out jointly with the Benefits Agency. [143510]
§ Mr. RookerLocal authorities have the power to make inquiries of employers about their employees to investigate benefit fraud. The Department does not record which local authorities have used these powers or the result of those investigations.
Powers to obtain information from banks and other specified private sector organisations on suspected fraudsters are to be introduced in the new Fraud Bill.