§ Mr. MeacherTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 11 June,Official Report, column 53, whether his Department makes any distinction in its treatment of debt collection between moneys owed by (a) current social security beneficiaries and (b) former social security beneficiaries, liable relatives and national insurance contributors.
§ Mrs. Gillian ShephardThe Department undertakes a wide range of debt recovery work and seeks to do so in the most cost-effective way possible. The action taken will depend upon the nature of the debt, the individual circumstances of the debtor and the legal powers available. In the case of current beneficiaries, for example, it is possible to recover sums due by deductions from benefit.