§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the cost in(a) 2000–01 and (b) 2001–02 of the (i) Integrated Enquiry Service, (ii) Shared Fraud Hotline, (iii) local authority departmental information teams and (iv) overpayment recoveries in respect of housing benefit. [19009]
§ Malcolm WicksThese initiatives made up the housing benefit improvement programme, the purpose of which was to contribute to improving housing benefit and council tax benefit administration. During the life of the programme, strong links were established with local authority managers and staff that will continue to develop as the recommendations from the programme are taken forward. These relationships have contributed to a greater understanding of the local authority information requirements, and the introduction of a standard set of procedures that will help deliver improvements to the recovery of housing benefit and council tax benefit overpayments.
The information on costs is in the table:
Housing benefit improvement programme expenditure £ 2000–011 2001–02 Integrated Enquiry Service 557,000 2309,000 Shared Fraud Hotline 78,000 257,000 Local Authority/Benefits Agency Information Flow Project 24,000 0 Housing Benefit Overpayment Recovery Project 64,000 2819,000 1 Outturn 2 Forecast Note
Figures are rounded to nearest £1,000
Source:
Housing Benefit Improvement Programme budget