HC Deb 22 February 1989 vol 147 cc653-4W
Mr. Corbyn

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) from what date it is intended to deploy any fraud investigators at the Borough unemployment benefit office;

(2) where are the fraud investigators, to be based at the Borough unemployment benefit office, currently based;

(3) whether fraud investigators to be based at the Borough unemployment benefit office will have access to case files in other local unemployment benefit offices; which other local offices will be visited by the fraud investigators; and for what periods;

(4) when fraud investigators are based at the Borough unemployment benefit office, how cases will be selected for investigation.

Mr. Lee

There is no intention to employ investigators at Borough unemployment benefit office in addition to those already operating there to deal with local fraud cases. As has always been the practice, cases are referred to investigators because evidence of suspected fraud has come to light including through such means as observation on signing days and investigations with employers.

Mr. Corbyn

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many fraud investigators are employed in each regional office covering the Greater London area;

(2) what targets are set by regional offices for individual investigators or teams of investigators.

Mr. Lee

There are 109 investigators and no targets are set for these investigators by regional office.

Mr. Corbyn

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many fraud investigators reporting to the south-east regional office are operating from or are expected to operate from the Borough unemployment benefit office at Keyworth house;

(2) why fraud investigators are employed at a regional level; and what is their relationship with fraud staff employed at an area level.

Mr. Lee

The new inner London fraud team has been set up to investigate the hidden economy in London. It will concentrate on investigating fraud at the place of employment to identify those people who are working and also claiming unemployment benefit. Investigation of individual cases of fraud will be dealt with by existing sector fraud teams who may refer particular cases to the inner London fraud team if, for example, an employer is found to be employing a number of benefit recipients. None of the inner London fraud team will operate from Keyworth house.

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