§ Ms ShortTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what was the full amount of weekly benefit paid to a constituent of the hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood, details of whom have been supplied to him, during the period 1989 to 1993 when he was registered as living at the Lady Mary hospitality home; if he will include a breakdown of how those payments were made up and how they changed over the period; what were the exact dates he was registered as living at the home; and what payments would have been made to that person if he had been living in accommodation with no care staff, during those periods;
(2) what was the amount of weekly benefit paid to a constituent of the hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood, details of whom have been supplied to him, (a) during 1992 and early 1993 and (b) between late 1993 and February 1994 when he was registered as living at the Lady Mary hospitality home; if he will publish a breakdown of how those payments were made up; and what were the, exact dates he was living at the above home;
(3) what were the exact dates on which the claims of two constituents of the hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood, details of whom have been supplied to him, made in 1990 while they were registered as living at the Lady Mary hospitality home (a) started and (b) finished; what account was taken of the circumstances of the accommodation provided when meeting those claims; what was the full amount of weekly benefit over that period to each of those constituents; and how those payments differed from the amount payable in comparable circumstances except that no personal care was provided.
§ Mr. Roger EvansIt has not been possible to identify the constituent or constituents to whom the hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood refers. However, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency, Michael Bichard, will be happy to look into this matter and respond in writing if the hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood will provide him with further details of the constituents.
§ Ms ShortTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many claims were closed down as a result of each raid at the Lady Mary hospitality home since 1989; when the most recent concern was raised about irregular claims being made from the home; and what action was taken;
(2) how many raids were carried out by the Benefits Agency or others on behalf of his Department at the Lady Mary hospitality home, 13–15 Soho road, Handsworth, Birmingham B19 since 1989; and what were the dates of each raid and the name and grade of the DSS officer conducting each raid;
(3) how may claims were being made from the Lady Mary hospitality home on each occasion it was raided since 1989; and what was the amount of each claim; and 430W in how many of those cases (a) individuals were signing themselves for books or (b) an agent or appointee was being used.
§ Mr. Roger EvansThere have been three investigations of the Lady Mary hospitality home conducted by DSS officers since 1989, all by fraud investigators. The records of the first of these investigations, which took place in 1989, have been destroyed in accordance with normal procedures. The second investigation took place in October 1990 and resulted in the closure of six claims. The third investigation in 1992 resulted in the closure of 11 claims to benefit. The most recent concerns arose in March 1994 and the evidence available was thoroughly examined.
The fraud area manager currently responsible for investigations in this area is Frank Ashford. It is not our policy to divulge the names of individual investigators.
Sixteen claims were in payment at the time of the second investigation; full details of the amounts of each claim are not available. Twenty-eight claims were in payment at the time of the investigation in 1992. All customers were being paid £181.40 per week, the appropriate residential care rate of income support, except for one resident who was receiving £105.47 per week.
Information is not available to indicate in how many cases individuals were signing order books themselves or by agent or appointee.