HC Deb 28 January 2002 vol 379 cc101-2W
Mr. Menzies Campbell

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 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. [27290]

Estelle Morris

Cases 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 1 April 1997 to date the number of cases reported were as follows:

£
Number Estimated Cost
Internal 17 1,694
Direct contractors 44 16,405,635

The above figures do not include NDPBs or sub-contractors, eg training providers operating under contracts with Training and Enterprise Councils.

The number of training providers investigated by the Department from 1 April 1997 to date was 112 and the estimated cost of the fraud/irregularity was £15 million.

The above figures represent 0.14 per cent. of the relevant expenditure lines, and 0.05 per cent. of total departmental spend over the last four years.

Mr. Bercow

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what her estimate is of the cost of theft and fraud to(a) her Department, (b) its agencies and(c) non-departmental public bodies in each of the last four years. [27973]

Estelle Morris

An estimate of cost to the Department of cases involving potential fraud and irregularity for the last four financial years is as follows:

£000
1997–98 3,816
1998–99 5,716
1999–2000 4,548
2000–01 17,327
Total 31,407

The figure for 2000–01 includes one specific direct contractor fraud valued at £7.9 million.

The figures represent 0.14 per cent. of the relevant expenditure lines, and 0.05 per cent. of total departmental spend over the last four years.

Details of fraud cases reported by the Employment Service are being included in DWP's response to this PQ. Information on NDPBs is not collected centrally.