HC Deb 28 February 1984 vol 55 cc164-6W
Mr. Kirkwood

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list in the Official Report all special area campaigns mounted by his Department's special claims control in England and Wales and in Scotland during the past 12 months for which figures are available, showing the number of cases investigated, the number of those cases which resulted in recovery of fraudulently claimed benefit, the total sums recovered, and the number of those cases which resulted in prosecutions for offences relating to the intitial reason for the enquiry.

Dr. Boyson

Exercises have been conducted in the following offices in the last 12 months: the number of cases examined is recorded alongside the office.

Cases
Carmarthen 113
Cardiff Central 125
Cwmbran 101
Port Talbot 107
Portmadoc and Dolgellau 87
Ebbw Vale 120
Swansea 87
Rhyl 92
Barry 110
Aberystwyth 98
Caernarfon 84
Llanelli 107
Morriston 116
Merthyr Tydfil 66
Cardiff East 143
Rhondda West 23
Aberdare 66
Barry 60
Anglesey 94
Neath 102
Caerphilly 104
Newtown 90
Clydebank 65
Motherwell 78
Dunfermline 81
Aberdeen North 74
Dundee East 63
Galashiels 64
Glasgow Provan 70
Glasgow Craigton 68
Edinburgh West 60
East Kilbride 58
Glasgow City 72
Leven 81
Leicester Lower Hill Street 92
Nottingham David Lane 98
Redditch 120
Leamington 198
Skegness 99
Corby 101
Ilkeston 95
Telford 237
Kidderminster 90
Burton 113
Kilmarnoek 70
Elgin 83
Stranraer 86
Peterhead 57
Port Glasgow 82
Stirling 79
Edinburgh South 41
Glasgow Parkhead 64
Glasgow Springburn 75
Perth 59
Ayr 95
Inverness 80
Fylde South 78
Wavertree 210
Kirkby 220
Skelmersdale 155
Northwich 96
Ellesmere Port 145
Oldham 338
Middleton 197
Hyde 163
Openshaw 157
Manchester Central 40
Twickenham 172
Crystal Palace 160
Bognor 156
Bloomsbury 103
Dover 207
Hove 102
Aylesbury 117
Grays 132
Wood Green 90
Harlesden 118

Cases
Plaistow 126
Peterborough 127
Hackney 85
Cambridge 104
Tottenham 84
Great Yarmouth 93
Poplar 77
Colchester 114
Kings Lynn 95
Lowestoft 83
Ipswich 83
Shoreditch 52
Chelmsford 96
St. Albans 83
Ealing 104
Hartlepool 132
Eston 156
Sunderland North 140
Bradford East 87
Newcastle West 106
Harrogate 115
South Shields 117
Walsall West 171
Coventry West 188
Birmingham Ravenshurst 18
Nottingham Station Street 114
Derby London Road 137
Birmingham Perry Barr 97
Wolverhampton North 91
Wolverhampton South 138
Preston South 210
Fylde North 210
Cheetham 167
Wallsend 88
Berwick 47
Hexham 84
Northallerton 165
Newcastle East 146
Bishop Auckland 118
Bridlington 178
Huddersfield 118
Leeds North 96
Sheffield North West 181
Leeds North West 123
Sheffield North East 131
Scarborough 155
Chester le Street 111
York 142
Houghton le Spring 57
Seaham 42

On average benefit was adjusted in 40 per cent. of the cases examined. Statistics relating to the recovery of overpayments and the number of prosecutions resulting from specialist claims control exercises are not maintained centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.