Benefit Fraud (Hansard, 20 June 1989)

§ 22. Mr. Roger King
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on investigations carried out by the west midlands employment fraud investigators at the Birmingham convention centre and on Operation Enterprise.

§ Mr. Nicholls
On 10 March 1989, investigators interviewed 450 building workers at the Birmingham convention site. As a result, 128 people withdrew their claims to benefit. The exercise yielded net benefit savings of approximately £98,000. Forty-four cases are being considered for prosecution.
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Operation Enterprise investigated people registered with employment agencies. It commenced in July 1988 and finished in March 1989. Of the 2,350 investigations, 1,100 people withdrew their claims to benefit. The net benefit saving was approximately £800,000. A total of 147 cases are being considered for prosecution.

§ 87. Mr. Fishburn
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on Operation Rag Trade carried out by employment service fraud operators in the east end of London.

§ Mr. Nicholls
Operation Rag Trade, which was carried out between October and November 1988, investigated possible benefit fraud among people engaged in the clothing industry in the east end of London. Over 1,150 investigations were undertaken with 173 people withdrawing their claims to benefit. This resulted in net benefit savings of £275,000 and five potential prosecution cases.

§ 38. Mr. Charles Wardle
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will report progress on tackling fraud among benefit claimants; and if he will make a statement.

§ 71. Mr. Brandon-Bravo
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will report on progress in tackling fraud among benefit claimants; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Nicholls
During the year April 1988 to March 1989, 435,969 investigations were carried out by investigators. This resulted in 86,895 claims to benefit being withdrawn with net benefit savings of £62.55 million. In addition, 4,045 people were prosecuted for social security offences.