§ Mr. Gouldasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many Giro payments, and to what value, went astray in the post or failed to reach the claimant in the last year for which figures are available; and what course of action is followed in such cases.
§ Mr. OrmeIn 1975 about 150,000 Giro cheques in respect of all benefits were reported as not having been received or as having been lost, stolen or destroyed after receipt. Of these, only about 40 per cent.—0.07 per cent. of the total issued—were replaced where subsequently it was found that the original had been cashed. The losses in such cases amounted to about £1.1 million.
Enquiries are made to establish who is responsible for cashing every Giro cheque reported as lost or not received and subsequently found cashed. Some are cases of genuine error, but where it appears that the Giro cheque has been irregularly cashed a full investigation is undertaken either by the Department or by the police. Where appropriate, criminal proceedings are taken, as was done in over 3,500 cases in 1975.