§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 16 March,Official Report, column 214, how many of the cases of social security investigations in (a) England and (b) Yorkshire and Humberside resulted in identified overpayments (i) inclusive of prosecutions for fraud and (ii) exclusive of prosecutions for fraud.
§ Miss WiddecombeThe administration of benefit fraud is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available and a copy will be placed in the Library.
Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. David Hinchliffe, dated 18 May 1993:
I wrote to you on 20 April 1993 about your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking, pursuant to his answer of 16 March 1993, Official Report, column 214, how many of the cases of social security investigations in (a) England and (b) Yorkshire and Humberside resulted in identified overpayments (i) inclusive of prosecutions for fraud and (ii) exclusive of prosecutions for fraud.
189WIn that letter I gave you the figures for the year ending 31 March 1992 but indicated that I would send you the figures for the year ending 31 March 1993 when they became available. I am pleased to inform you that these figures are now to hand.
In the year ending 31 March 1993 a total of 62,193 investigations in England resulted in an identified overpayment. Included in this figure are 8,443 identified overpayments in the Yorkshire and Humberside area.
I hope you will find this information helpful. A copy of this letter will appear in the Official Report and a copy will also be placed in the Library.