HC Deb 12 February 1996 vol 271 c467W
Mr. Chris Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list(a) the number and (b) the value of items of equipment and furniture that have been (i) stolen and (ii) are otherwise unaccounted for from (1) DSS offices and (2) executive agency offices in each region, for each of the last five years; and if he will list by name those items valued at £5,000 or more. [13088]

Mr. Burt

The information is not available in the format requested. The Department of Social Security does not separately maintain centralised records of individual items stolen. Losses due to theft, fraud, arson or sabotage are recorded in a single category. The number of individual losses recorded within this category, and the total value for each of the last five years is in the table:

Financial year Number of individual cases Total value £
1990–91 364 89,799
1991–92 411 72,315
1992–93 94 84,500
1993–94 192 222,382
1994–95 360 851,020

The estimated total value of the Department's tangible fixed assets, excluding land and buildings, is approximately £330 million for 1994–95.