§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what use his Department has made of private detectives in each of the last five years; at what cost; and if he will list the firms involved.
§ Miss WiddecombeThe Department uses one firm of process servers, who are also private detectives, but only in connection with the serving of legal documents. These documents are statutory demands and bankruptcy petitions for unpaid national insurance contributions and overpayments of benefit. The name of the firm used is being withheld for reasons of commercial confidence. Such information as is available is in the table.
Times used Cost £ 1991 2,289 111,837.69 1990 1,555 68,002.97 1989 920 45,115.24