§ Mr. WillettsTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many claims process errors have been identified by local authorities using the "do not re-direct" postal service for benefit-related envelopes; [131355]
(2) how many local authorities using the "do not re-direct" postal service for benefit-related envelopes have received (a) no returned mail and (b) returned mail, indicating the volume returned in each case; [131386]
(3) how many cases of benefit fraud have been discovered by local authorities as a result of the "do not re-direct" postal service for benefit-related envelopes. [131356]
§ Angela EagleThe information requested is not available. However, from 2000–01, local authorities are asked to provide details of the number of cases where fraud has been established as a result of using the "do not re-direct" service.
The recent Local Authority Omnibus Survey, published in April 2000, showed that of those authorities surveyed and operating "do not re-direct", around three-quarters said that it had enhanced their ability to protect the system against fraud, and more than half believed that it led to the identification of fraudulent activity. The deterrent effect of the scheme is less easy to quantify.
§ Mr. WillettsTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security which local authorities have yet to implement fully the "do not re-direct" postal service for benefit-related envelopes; and what reasons they have given for the delays. [131357]
§ Angela EagleAccording to information we have received from the Royal Mail, there are currently 57 local authorities who have not joined the "do not re-direct" postal service.
The following list shows the authorities that have not joined, or contacted their local Royal Mail sales centre to join, the scheme to date. The Royal Mail, in turn, depends on their local sales centres to keep them informed as authorities join up.
242WSome of these authorities have in place arrangements with their local sorting office which fall outside of the national scheme. Others are proposing to join.
- Argyll and Bute
- Blaenau Gwent
- Bolsover
- Bromley
- Broxbourne
- Caradon
- Charnwood
- Chelmsford
- Dartford
- Daventry
- Derby
- Dumfries and Galloway
- East Ayrshire
- East Dorset
- East Dunbartonshire
- East Hertfordshire
- Easington
- Ellesmere Port and Neston
- Enfield
- Exeter
- Falkirk
- Fenland
- Flintshire
- Gateshead
- Great Yarmouth
- Harborough
- Inverclyde
- Isles of Scilly
- Kettering
- Maidstone
- Malvern
- Mid Devon
- Mid Suffolk
- Milton Keynes
- North Norfolk
- North Somerset
- North Warwickshire
- Newport
- Norwich
- North West Leicestershire
- Perth and Kinross
- South Gloucestershire
- South Holland
- South Kesteven
- Scottish Homes
- Southwark
- Sutton
- Swindon
- Torfaen
- West Dorset
- West Dunbartonshire
- West Somerset
- Wandsworth
- Wansbeck
- Watford
- Westem Isles
- Weymouth and Portland.