§ Mr. Fieldasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many claimants have been investigated for suspected cohabitation; in how many cases the benefit was reduced or withdrawn; and how many claimants have been prosecuted for each year since 1966.
§ Mr. PrenticeThe information requested is not available. The only records of these investigations relate to those carried out by special investigators in relation to supplementary benefit, and for these I would refer the hon. Member to my 209W reply to his Written Question on that subject today. Separate records of prosecutions for this type of offence are not kept, and the information could only be extracted at disproportionate cost.