§ Mr. Menzies CampbellTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate her Department has made of the cost to its budget since 1 May 1997 of fraud; and if she will make a statement. [27291]
§ Ms HewittCases of fraud and irregularity involving staff and direct contractors are reported annually to the Treasury for inclusion in the Treasury Fraud report which is laid before Parliament. From April 1997 to date the total value of losses reported as due to fraud and irregularities is £197,445. When taken as a proportion of DTI expenditure for the same period this represents a loss of less than 0.002 per cent.
No large organisation is totally free of fraud but we continue to promote an environment of zero tolerance and to act promptly in all suspected cases of impropriety.