§ Baroness WOOTTON of ABINGERasked Her Majesty's Government:
At what figure they estimate outstanding losses from the Supplementary Benefit and Social Insurance Funds due to fraudulent claims, and how much of this is regarded as irrecoverable.
§ Lord CULLEN of ASHBOURNEDetails of outstanding losses of social security benefit due to fraudulent claims are held in each local office of the Department and the total could not be obtained without disproportionate cost. The loss is recorded centrally when it is regarded as irrecoverable and the amount brought to account in the financial year 1978–79 was £4.372 million.