HC Deb 11 December 1996 vol 287 cc288-9W
Mr. Cohen

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he made of data matching arrangements in other countries in formulating his recent legislative proposals. [7741]

Mr. Heald

The proposals set out in the Social Security Administration (Fraud) Bill for extending checks of relevant data are based on the success of the Department's generalised matching service in identifying fraud. This was developed with the help and expertise of civil servants seconded from the privacy, fraud and control division of the Department of Social Security in Australia, with which there is continuing contact and co-operation.