§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Prime Minister how much money Her Majesty's Government estimate has been lost in each year since 1979 as a result of fraudulent tax claims and of social security claims; and how many persons have been successfully prosecuted in England and Wales.
§ The Prime MinisterReliable estimates are not available of the cost of fraudulent tax or social security claims.
Information about the number of persons successfully prosecuted for benefit fraud in England and Wales by the Department of Health and Social Security is held only in respect of each year since 1984–85, as follows:
Number 1984–85 6,132 1985–86 6,045 1986–87 5,462 1987–88 6,228 The numbers of successful Inland Revenue prosecutions in respect of false accounts or returns and false claims to personal allowances, expenses and repayments in England and Wales are:
Number 1978–79 59 1979–80 58 1980–81 56 1981–82 38 1982–83 20 1983–84 34 1984–85 22 1985–86 23 1986–87 19 1987–88 15