§ Mr. Lambornasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the total cost to the United Kingdom of the social security fraud investigation branch since May 1979.
§ Mr. RossiDepartment of Health and Social Services does not have a fraud investigation branch as such. The cost of specialist staff working on fraud and abuse in the Department's local offices and at headquarters in 1979–80 was of the order of £23 million and in 1980–81 £29 million; a total of £52 million for the two financial years.
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§ Mr. Ray Powellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the estimated saving to the United Kingdom of the investigations into social service abuse.
§ Mr. RossiAs was indicated in the statement placed in the Library on 4 June 1981—[Vol. 4, c.79–80]—estimated savings in social security benefit payments in 1980–81 resulting from work against fraud and abuse were of the order of £170 million. So far in this financial year savings are running at an approximately similar rate.
§ Mr. Torneyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the percentage increase in the numbers of social security inspectors employed to check upon fraud by claimants since May 1979.
§ Mr. RossiFigures for May 1979 are not readily available, but as was indicated in the statement placed in the Library on 4 June 1981—[Vol. 4, c.79–80]—the equivalent of some 4,400 full-time staff were being used in August 1979 on work against social security fraud and abuse, of which some 1,900 were specifically concerned with the investigation of fraud. During 1980–81 the equivalent of 5,640 full-time staff were used, an increase of 28 per cent. A total of 2,300 of these were specifically concerned with the investigation of fraud, an increase of 21 per cent. The effort to deter fraud and abuse is continuing on approximately the same scale this year.