§ Mr. Sproatasked the Secretary of State for Social Services on how many occasions in each of the last five years, respectively, prosecutions against retirement pensioners for social security benefit frauds have not been instituted although the prima facie evidence would have been considered sufficient by his Department had the claimant concerned not been a retirement pensioner.
§ Mr. OrmeNone. Although age is a factor which may be taken into account—eg, in considering whether a false statement was intentional—the fact that a person thought to have defrauded56W the Department is found to be a retirement pensioner is not of itself reason for deciding not to prosecute.
§ Mr. Sproatasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether it is his Department's policy never to prosecute a retirement pensioner for fraudulently obtaining social security benefits.