§ Mr. McAllionTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the number of full-time equivalent posts dedicated solely or mainly to detect false social security claimants in(a) the Dundee area, (b) Scotland and (c) Great Britain as a whole; and what are the corresponding figures for each year since 1979.
§ Mr. PortilloPrecise figures are not available but it is possible to estimate the numbers of full-time equivalent posts on the basis of records of staff time expended on fraud-related work. The numbers of full-time equivalent posts each year since 1979 have been as follows:
Dundee area Scotland Great Britain 1979–80 — 285 2,311 1980–81 — 244 2,336 1981–82 — 261 2,346 1982–83 12 251 2,185 1983–84 13 246 2,211 1984–85 14 258 2,204 1985–86 13 256 2,285 1986–87 12 238 2,390 1987–88 14 313 2,724 The figures given for the Dundee area relate to the local offices at Dundee, East and Dundee, West. Data for those offices prior to 1982 are not available.
§ Mr. McAllionTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give his estimate of(a) the amount recovered and (b) the amount illegally claimed but not recovered from social security claimants prosecuted in the Dundee area for each year since 1979.
§ Mr. PortilloInformation on which to base an estimate is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.