§ Mr. Meacherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many special investigators have been employed in his Department, or its predecessors; and how many investigating officers in the Department of Employment and Productivity, for each year between 1960 to 1970, for the purpose of investigating suspected fraudulent claims to benefit.
§ Mr. DeanThe number of special investigators employed in my Department and its predecessors for each year since 1960 is given in the following table:
1960 1961 1962 1963 71 72 73 76 1964 1965 1966 1967 97 107 132 145 1968 1969 1970 163 189 248 The practice in the Department of Employment was described by my hon. Friend, the Minister of State for Employment, in reply to the hon. Member for Nuneaton on Tuesday, 3rd November, 1970. I understand that the numbers of special investigators employed in the Department of Employment for each year since 1960 have been as follows:
1960 1961 1962 1963 — — — 4 1964 1965 1966 1967 4 4 12 12 1968 1969 1970 12 12 30 —[Vol. 805, c. 341.]