§ Mr. NellistTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the latest available figures for the cumulative amounts, since 1979, of(a) unclaimed benefits, (b) benefit fraud and (c) expenditure savings, expressed in real terms, at 1989 prices.
§ Mr. ScottIt is not possible to ascertain precisely the total amounts of Social Security benefits fraudulently claimed or left unclaimed. Details of the latest available information on the take up of benefits is contained in paragraphs 27 to 29 on pages 1 5–1 6 of Cm 615. Similarly it is not possible to show the cumulative effects of expenditure savings since 1979. Calculations for the income-related benefits would be impossible in the light of major changes over the past decade. An analysis of the national insurance benefits could be carried out only at disproportionate cost using a range of artificial assumptions, rendering any answer speculative.