HC Deb 08 March 1999 vol 327 cc47-8W
16. Mr. Love

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to minimise fraud in the administration of housing benefit. [73053]

33. Mr. Burns

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of the progress being made to combat housing benefit fraud. [73070]

Mr. Timms

We are committed to making all benefits secure against fraud and error. We will do this by getting payments right from the outset and by keeping them right for as long as the benefit is payable. For those cases which do go wrong, we will put them right promptly.

We have made substantial progress in applying this approach to Housing Benefit. For example, we have made an extra £100 million available over the next three years for the Verification Framework. This will enable all councils to check Housing Benefit claims more thoroughly.

31. Dr. Julian Lewis

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on his future plans for housing benefit. [73068]

Angela Eagle

We are taking forward a wide-ranging review of housing benefit in consultation with local authorities and other interested parties. The aim of the review is to simplify and improve both the benefit itself and the way in which it is delivered. In the meantime, we have in place several measures to drive forward better delivery of housing benefit including the Benefit Fraud Inspectorate's programme of visits to local authorities, improved communications between the Benefits Agency and local authorities through the use of IT, and extra funding and support for local authorities to operate the verification framework.

Mr. Dalyell

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what conclusions he has reached from his consideration of the case of Stephen Gilhooly of Bathgate in relation to the withdrawal of housing benefit under new regulations relating to attendance on courses for over 25 year olds at technical institutions. [73150]

Angela Eagle

There are no new regulations withdrawing Housing Benefit from over 25 year olds at technical institutions. Most full-time students are excluded from entitlement to Housing Benefit, although certain students in vulnerable groups, such as lone parents, can continue to claim this benefit.

We are fully committed to helping unemployed people obtain the skills they need to improve their employability and, last June, introduced the New Deal for people aged over 25 to help the long-term unemployed undertake full-time education and training.