§ Mr. PikeTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what information he has collated regarding the results of Operation Speakeasy; and if he will make a statement. [37062]
§ Mr. HealdOperation Speakeasy was a pilot freephone fraud hotline which was in operation between 23 October 1995 and 31 January 1996. The pilot ran in four areas: Hull, Stockport, Blackburn/Burnley and Tunbridge Wells. The freephone line was set up for the public to pass information to the Benefits Agency about benefit fraud.
Over the period of the pilot, 3,131 telephone calls were received. The value of fraud stopped as a result of information received amounted to £920,000.
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