§ Mr. Alasdair MorganTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how much was spent in(a) Scotland, (b) Dumfries and Galloway and (c) Galloway and Upper Nithsdale parliamentary constituency in each of the last five years on tackling benefit fraud; [124720]
(2) what estimate he has made of the amount lost to benefit fraud in each of the last five years in (a) Scotland, (b) Dumfries and Galloway and (c) Galloway and Upper Nithsdale parliamentary constituency; [124722]
(3) what estimate he has made of the amount lost to benefit fraud in each of the last five years in (a) Scotland, (b) Dumfries and Galloway and (c) Galloway and Upper Nithsdale parliamentary constituency as a direct result of pensions and benefits being paid via the Post Office. [124721]
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§ Mr. RookerThe information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the table.
Amount allocated in Scotland in each of the last five years to spend on investigating benefit fraud Year £ million 1995–96 8.35 1996–97 9.20 1997–98 19.12 1998–99 18.94 1999–2000 20.27 Notes:
1. Area Benefit Reviews results estimate that the level of fraud in Scotland for 1998–99 was £55 million. This figure does not include all benefits and relates only to Income Support and income-based Jobseeker's Allowance.
2. We are unable to provide details of all Instruments of Payment (IOP) fraudulently encashed through post offices.
3. The estimated level of losses associated with IOPs for 1999–2000 nationally is £106.9 million. It is not possible to provide a geographical breakdown for this figure.
4. Information is not available for anywhere less than the whole of Scotland. It is also not possible to provide the full amount spent in tackling fraud as some aspects of fraud expenditure such as Housing Benefit and organised fraud are controlled centrally.
§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the level of benefit fraud in the Coventry area; and what targets have been set for the relevant anti-fraud teams. [125616]
§ Mr. RookerArea Benefit Reviews provide a continuous measurement of fraud and error in Income Support and Jobseeker's Allowance in each of the Benefits Agency's 13 Area Directorates. The data collected are rolled up to provide a national picture.
We are unable to provide estimates of levels of fraud for specific towns, cities or counties.
Our target is to reduce by 30 per cent. benefit losses from fraud and error in Income Support and Jobseeker's Allowance by March 2007, with at least a 10 per cent. reduction by 2002.
The weekly benefit savings scheme gives local authorities the opportunity to earn a financial reward where they detect Housing Benefit/Council Tax Benefit fraud. Each local authority is set an individual threshold and can begin to earn additional payments of subsidy where they exceed this. Coventry's threshold for 2000–01 is £848,413.