§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many investigations by social security officers were undertaken in the years 1978, 1979 and the current year to date; and whether there has been an increase in such investigations since May 1979.
§ Mr. PrenticeFraud statistics are kept on a February to February basis. The latest available figures of the total number of social security fraud investigations, including those undertaken in whole or in part by the police, post office or Department of Employment, are:
Total investigations 1977–78 139,641 1978–79 138,638 Data for the February 1979 to February 1980 year are still being collated and will be available later in the year.
§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many investigations have been undertaken by 501W social security officers into suspected cohabitation in the years 1978, 1979 and the current year to date; and how many of these were ultimately substantiated;
(2) how many successful prosecutions as a result of investigations into cohabitation there have been in 1977, 1978, 1979 and the current year to date.
§ Mr. PrenticeThe current policy is to encourage a claimant who begins to form a husband and wife relationship to consult her local social security office for advice on how her benefit entitlement may be affected. Nowadays local offices have a specially trained officer to deal with this subject.
Fraud investigations are necessary only where it appears that the claimant has deliberately concealed that she is living with a man as his wife.
Data about such fraud investigations are not kept in the precise form requested by the hon. Member. Such data as are available are as follows:—
Fraud investigations Year Contributory benefits N.I. Widow's benefit etc. Supplementary benefit February 1977 to February 1978. Not available 9,916 February 1978 to February 1979 Not available 9,920
Allowance withdrawn or reduced Year Contributory benefit Supplementary benefit February 1977 to February 1978. Not available 3,987 February 1978 to February 1979. Not available 3,936
Prosecutions Year Contributory benefit considered for Prosecution Supplementary benefit authorised for Prosecution February 1977 to February 1978. 213 827 February 1978 to February 1979. 210 814 Data for the year February 1979 to February 1980 are still being collated, and will be available later in the year.