§ Mr. Kinseyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement about the extent of abuse of social security benefits.
§ Sir K. JosephIn conjunction with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment and the Supplementary Benefits Commission I am setting up a Committee to look into this problem. The Committee's terms of reference are
Having regard to the Department's obligation to deal promptly and sympathetically with claims to benefit from the public, and to the economical use of available resources, to review the measures taken by the Department of Health and Social Security and the Department of Employment to prevent and detect abuse through wrongful claims to social security benefits (other than War Pensions), and to recommend to the Secretary of State for Social Services, the Secretary of State for Employment, and the Chairman and members of the Supplementary Benefits Commission, any changes in procedure which appear necessary.The Chairman of the Committee will be Sir Henry Fisher, a former Judge of the High Court, and the other members will be:The problems associated with the payment of benefit to strikers' families do not come within the Committee's terms of reference and are being considered separately. The setting up of this Committee is no reflection on the staff of the two Departments who devote sustained and vigorous effort to reconciling quick and sympathetic service with the minimising of abuse.
- Professor B. Abel-Smith, London School of Economics.
- Miss L. Faithfull, Director of Social Services, City of Oxford.
128 - Mr. L. Neil, British Railways Board.
- Mr. S. A. Robinson, National Union of Boot and Shoe Operatives.
- Mrs. B. Shenfield, formerly of Birmingham and London Universities.
- Secretary, Mr. R. J. Forrest, Department of Health and Social Security.