§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the secretary of State for Health (1) pursuant to her answer of 21 February,Official Report, column 37, for what reasons her Department does not monitor the progress of fraud investigation in the national health service;
(2) what conditions she considers need to change before she will institute routine monitoring of fraud in the NHS.
§ Mr. SackvilleResponsibility for taking action on suspected fraud lies with the health body concerned. Standing financial instructions of each body should set out responsibilities if fraud is suspected. The Department collects information on completed fraud investigations but it is not necessary or practicable continuously to monitor the status of each inquiry.