§ Ms PrimaroloTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security at what financial threshold the decision is taken on the prosecution of an individual or organisation for social security fraud.
§ Mr. ArbuthnotThe Benefits Agency uses no financial threshold when deciding whether to initiate criminal proceedings. Each case is considered individually and the amount of benefit overpaid is only one of a number of factors taken into account.
§ Ms PrimaroloTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the level of social security fraud.
§ Mr. ArbuthnotIn the year ending March 1994 Benefits Agency fraud investigators identified 312,000 irregularities and saved an estimated £654 million. Although the full extent of social security fraud is not known, we are examining ways of producing a reliable estimate of the sum which might be involved.