§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much benefit was fraudulently claimed during each of the last five years; and how much benefit was left unclaimed by persons entitled to it.
§ Mr. Peter LloydI regret that it is not possible to ascertain the total amounts of social security benefits fraudulently claimed or left unclaimed, and no reliable estimates of them are available.
621W
§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will state by year since 1980 to date the number of fraud investigators employed by his Department in the following sections, by region: claimant investigators, sector fraud teams, area fraud teams, special investigators and benefit fraud teams.
§ Mr. Peter LloydI regret that information cannot be provided in the precise form requested. The Department does not employ claimant investigators, sector fraud teams or area fraud teams.
1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 Special Investigator North East 92 96 98 107 118 123 Midlands 68 116 128 114 135 138 London North 62 76 89 74 76 73 London South 67 82 91 90 91 87 Wales and South West 90 106 116 120 122 127 North West 88 96 105 103 108 116 Scotland 54 68 71 61 61 61 Total allocated 521 640 698 669 711 725 1 Known as Specialist Claims Control until 1986–87.
1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 Benefit Fraud Teams North East 28 32 32 68 68 68 Midlands 22 33 33 68 68 68 London North 21 27 27 80 80 80 London South 20 23 23 80 80 80 Wales and South West 33 22 22 65 65 65 North West 37 30 30 68 68 68 Scotland 14 22 22 80 80 80 Total allocated 175 189 189 509 509 509
1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 Fraud Officers North East 194 212 183 244 248 273 Midlands 291 248 197 231 281 302 London North 233 270 225 279 326 349 London South 245 302 258 323 423 331 Wales and South West 203 225 166 198 213 228 North West 205 224 185 239 258 255 Scotland 149 178 148 189 170 183 Total allocated 1,520 1,659 1,362 1,703 1,919 1,921
1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 Board and Lodging Control Staff North East 12 12 12 Midlands 18 18 18 London North 38 38 38 London South 46 46 46 Wales and South West 24 24 24 North West 21 21 21 Scotland 21 21 21 Total allocated 180 180 180
§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether fraud investigators in his Department are given targets to reach; how they liaise with the police, particularly in respect of obtaining details of vehicle owners; whether any further confidential information is sought from the police by his investigators; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Peter LloydThe Department sets an overall annual target of benefit savings to be achieved as a result
622WThe following information relates to the number of posts allocated on the first of April each year, to local social security office fraud officers, board and lodging control teams, special investigators and benefit fraud teams.1 No regional breakdown is available before 1983–84.
The number of staff allocated is as follows:
of fraud investigations. There are no formal arrangements for fraud investigators to liaise with the police in benefit fraud cases involving potential offences under social security legislation. In some cases, however, particularly those involving possible offences under general criminal law, the police may be requested to investigate. Local officers do not obtain information about claimants from police records. On occasions it may be necessary during an investigation for details of the keepership of a vehicle to be obtained from the vehicle licensing centre. Routine clerical arrangements are made for that purpose.