§ Mr. ChurchillTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps have been taken to prevent individuals illegally acquiring false identities for passport, DSS and other purposes by using official documentation obtained by posing as a deceased person.
§ Mr. Nicholas BakerThe United Kingdom Passport Agency takes great care to prevent the issue of passports in false identities. The passport issuing system incorporates a variety of safeguards to prevent fraud. Special fraud detection teams in each office liaise closely with the police, immigration service and other agencies such as the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys to counter the submission of applications in false identities.
The Department of Social Security's Benefits Agency has developed a security strategy to combat benefit fraud of all kinds. The strategy involves investment in a variety of measures, including improvements to information technology and increased verification of information presented in claims to benefit. It is anticipated that the substantial investment envisaged will achieve a dramatic reduction in benefit fraud, shifting the emphasis away from detection and investigation towards prevention and deterrence.