§ Mr. Nicholas BennettTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list by jobcentre the number of people investigated for suspected fraud and the number who subsequently signed off in each year since 1984.
§ Mr. NichollsThe information requested is not available.
§ Mr. Nicholas BennettTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of claimants investigated by officers of his Department are found to be making fraudulent claims; and what estimates he has as to the total number of fraudulent claims which may be being made.
§ Mr. NichollsBased on figures for 1987–88, 20 per cent. of claimants investigated by officers from my Department withdrew their claims to benefit following investigation.
We do not know how many fraudulent claims to benefit are being made.