HC Deb 05 March 1979 vol 963 cc497-8W
Mrs. Chalker

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the Official Report the figures for 1977–78, or as stated, showing (a) public authority expenditure on social security payments, (b) the total amount of irrecoverable overpayments, (c) the amount of known overpayment through fraud, (d) the number of prosecutions by his Department for suspected fraud, (e) the number of successful prosecutions, (f) (e) as a percentage of (d), (g) the number of his Department's special investigators in post for calendar year 1978, (h) the estimated gross savings made as a result of special investigation work in 1977 and 1978, (i) the estimated cost of the special investigators in 1977 and 1978, and (j) the cost (i) as a percentage of the gross savings (h).

Mr. Deakins

The information requested is as follows:

(a) Public expenditure on Social Security payments £12.8 billion
(b) The total amount of irrecoverable overpayments £17,147,550
(c) The amount of known irrecoverable overpayment through fraud £3,924,333
(d) The number of prosecutions by DHSS for suspected fraud 18,842
(e) The number of successful prosecutions 18,467
(f) (e) expressed as a percentage of (d) 98 per cent.
(g) The number of special investigators for the calendar year 1978 435
(h) The estimated gross savings made as a result of special investigators' work in
1977 £8.2 million
1978 Figures not yet available
(i) The estimated cost of special investigators in
1977 £2.7 million
1978 £3.4 million
(j) he cost (i) as a percentage of the gross savings (h)
1977 33 per cent.
1978 Not yet available