HC Deb 24 July 2002 vol 389 cc1557-8W
Mr. Weir

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in which locations within Scotland appeals against refusal of benefits are held. [62388]

Maria Eagle

This is a matter for Neil Ward, Chief Executive of the Appeals Service. He will write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Neil Ward to Mr. Weir dated 22 July 2002: The Secretary of State has asked me to respond to your recent parliamentary questions, which asked which locations within Scotland appeals against refusals of benefits are held. The Appeals Service arranges independent hearings for appeals on decisions on Social Security, Child Support, Vaccine Damage, Tax Credit, and Compensation Recovery. Within Scotland, appeals are heard at 24 locations, which are as follows:

Mr. Webb

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many benefit fraud prosecutions there were in each of the last five years; and what proportion were successful. [71777]

Malcolm Wicks

[holding answer 22 July 2002]: In each year since 1997, over 98 per cent. of prosecutions carried out by the Department and its agencies have resulted in convictions. Information on the number of prosecutions is in the table.

The prosecutions shown in the table of local authority investigations were successful prosecutions for housing benefit fraud. Local authorities are not required to inform the Department of prosecutions which are subsequently abandoned or result in an acquittal.

Appeal Locations
Aberdeen Ayr
Campbeltown Dumbarton
Dumfries Dundee
Dunfermline Edinburgh
Elgin Galashiels
Glasgow Greenock
Hamilton Inverness
Irvine Kilmarnock
Kirkcaldy Kirkwall
Lerwick Oban
Stirling Stornoway
Stranraer Wick