§ Mr. MilburnTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost to the NHS of fraud and corruption for each year since 1979. [12451]
§ Mr. HoramThe costs of fraud and corruption in the national health service are not identified separately from other losses in returns to the Department. However, the Audit Commission publication "Ensuring Probity in the NHS" reported in December 1994 that proven fraud was small. It estimated that losses through the misuse of taxpayers' money over a three year period when NHS expenditure totalled £80 billion were £6 million—about one penny for every £100 spent in the NHS.
§ Mr. MilburnTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he will take to monitor fraud in community care provision. [12452]
§ Mr. BowisLocal authority social service departments should build suitable fraud prevention measures into their financial management procedures. Any evidence of fraud should be referred direct to the police who are the appropriate investigating authority for such matters.