HC Deb 18 December 2000 vol 360 cc73-4W
26. Mr. Randall

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security he will make a statement on his policy for the detection of Housing Benefit fraud. [141828]

Angela Eagle

We continue to invest to help local authorities root out Housing Benefit fraud. We have provided over £100 million since 1998 so that local authorities can implement the Verification Framework which protects the gateway to benefit by setting out minimum standards for collecting evidence before claims are paid.

Over 350 councils are now using the Royal Mail scheme to stop benefit cheques being re-directed from the address they have been claimed for. Our £2 million programme to make better use of IT has given 404 local authorities on-line access to essential benefit information held on departmental systems, reducing the scope for fraud and error.

We are now building on this through the integrated inquiry service, which will give authorities access to further information to help combat fraud, including the Department's database of National Insurance numbers.

We are working with 10 local authorities to pilot a single fraud hotline from January 2001, allowing the public to report suspected Housing Benefit fraud as well as suspicions of other benefit fraud. Our new anti-fraud incentive scheme is being phased in from next April and will make the gateway to Housing Benefit more secure, putting the focus on prevention as well as detection. The new scheme sets out the anti-fraud activities we expect local authorities to undertake, and it introduces new financial rewards for authorities that act to prevent fraud from happening in the first place.

30. Mr. Grieve

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what measures his Department will take in respect of local authorities which have a poor record for addressing Housing Benefit fraud. [141832]

Angela Eagle

The Benefit Fraud Inspectorate is evaluating councils' performance in delivering Housing Benefit and helping them overcome weaknesses in their administration and in tackling fraud and error. Nearly 80 Inspectorate reports have been published so far. Where the Inspectorate finds evidence of service failings we expect councils to act immediately to put matters right. If they do not, we will use our powers to direct them on the standards they are to achieve, and by when. To date we have made one such direction, to Northampton Borough Council in August 2000.