§ Mr. ClappisonTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list the targets set for reducing fraud in respect of each benefit and payment for which his Department has responsibility; and what progress has been made towards meeting such targets in each year since 1997. [7476]
§ Malcolm WicksWe have put in place a comprehensive strategy to reduce fraud across all benefits. We are tightening up the system to make sure that from the very first claim, the right benefits are going to the right people.
We have firm targets for reducing the amount of fraud and error in Income Support and Jobseeker's Allowance. The Department is aiming for a reduction of 25 per cent. by 2004 and 50 per cent. by 2006. We have met our first milestone, which was to achieve a 10 per cent. reduction by March 2002, 18 months ahead of schedule.
This year we have also introduced for the first time a continuous measure of the level of Housing Benefit fraud. We will consider the appropriateness and scope for setting targets for reducing the level of incorrectness in Housing Benefit in the light of the results of this exercise.
We have also introduced an ongoing programme of National Benefit Reviews looking at other benefits. These reviews are providing us with the intelligence we need to focus our efforts where it is needed most.