§ Mr. Hooleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether his Department possesses evidence that single mothers who claim supplementary benefit for more than four months may be making fraudulent claims; and, if so, if he will provide details.
§ Mr. RossiDuring the period February 1980 to February 1981, 794 single mothers claiming supplementary benefit were prosecuted by the Department for fraudulent claims in connection with the "living together" rules. In addition there were a number of cases, though the numbers cannot be separately established, where claimants of this sort were prosecuted for having undisclosed income. And a special inquiry in one region revealed that, during the period February 1980 to February 1981, out of 1,009 cases of single mothers investigated, benefit irregularities—though not necessarily fraud—were found in 507 cases.
None of this evidence, as at present analysed, suggest that single mothers who have been claiming supplementary benefit for more than four months are more likely than others to be making fraudulent claims. However, in deciding what type of claim may merit a more thorough administrative check from the standpoint of fraud detection, the Department has regard to other work which needs to be done—for example, that in securing, during the early months of a claim, that any liable relative is identified and makes a proper contribution towards maintainance.
§ Mr. Hooleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether his Department possesses evidence that single mothers with children of school age may be claiming supplementary benefit fraudulently; and, if so, if he will provide details.
§ Mr. RossiThere is no evidence to suggest that single mothers with children of school age may be claiming supplementary benefit fraudulently. In deciding whether further inquiries are justified into the bona fides of a claim, however, regard is paid to whether the claimant has the opportunity to obtain undisclosed income. Such an opportunity might be provided by the absence from home of children attending school.
§ Mr. Hooleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the powers possessed by his inspectors to investigate for fraud a single mother who is claiming rights under the supplementary benefit Acts.
§ Mr. RossiSection 145 of the Social Security Act 1975 confers powers on the Department's inspectors to ask questions of an employer relating to the earnings of his employees. Regulations 4 and 8 of the Supplementary Benefit (Claims and Payments) Regulations 1980 (S.I. 1980, No. 1579) entitle the Department to make enquiries to establish the facts relating to a claim.