§ Mr. Ashdownasked the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to the reply of 8 May, Official Report, column 447, if he will estimate the approximate proportion of the total number of investigations by staff of his Department, in the year ended 12 February, into cases of actual or suspected fraud by social security claimants that led to reduction or termination of benefit payments; and how his estimate takes account of (a) the cases where prosecution was authorised by his Department and (b) the additional cases where prosecution was brought by the police.
§ Mr. WhitneyIt is estimated that benefit was reduced or terminated in approximately 23 per cent. of the cases investigated by local office staff for suspected benefit fraud. That estimate includes prosecutions brought by the Department and the police.
§ Mr. Ashdownasked the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to the reply of 8 May, Official Report, column 447, if he will estimate the approximate total number of investigations by staff of his Department, in the year ended 12 February, into actual or suspected fraud by social security claimants.
§ Mr. WhitneyApproximately 275,000.
§ Mr. Ashdownasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the organisation of investigations by staff of his Department into cases of actual or suspected fraud by social security claimants; and if he will describe the relationship of work done by special investigation teams to work done by local office staff.
§ Mr. WhitneyThe way in which the Department organises its investigations and the relationship between fraud specialists form part of the instructions and guidance400W set out in the fraud investigators' guide. In this connection, therefore, I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to him on 23 April at column 418.
§ Mr. Ashdownasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether there are arrangements whereby local office staff of his Department, working on investigations into cases of actual or suspected fraud by social security claimants, may refer problems to specialist staff; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. WhitneyYes, guidance is given in the operational instructions issued to all fraud investigators.