Benefit Fraud

HC Deb 15 June 2000 vol 351 cc710-1W

Mr. Fraser

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will make a statement on the role of the National Intelligence Unit in tackling benefit fraud in Dorset; [125724]

(2) what recent discussions he has had with the Benefits Agency about tackling benefit fraud in Dorset. [125730]

Mr. Rooker

The purpose of the National Intelligence Unit (NIU) is to provide "information for action" or anti-fraud intelligence that facilitates better informed decision making at managerial and operational levels. The NIU is located over five sites and consists primarily of data collection sections and teams of analysts. Once analysed, all intelligence which can be used to help combat benefit fraud is referred to relevant sections of the Benefits Agency. No information is available on the role of the NIU in tackling benefit fraud in specific towns, cities or counties as the unit operates on a national level. Although we have held no recent discussions with the Benefits Agency about tackling benefit fraud specifically in Dorset, national policy on combating fraud applies throughout Great Britain. We set out the strategy for tackling fraud in the White Paper "Safeguarding Social Security" presented to Parliament in March 1999.

The four key principles are; getting it right—benefit payments should be correct from day one; keeping it right—ensuring payments are adjusted as circumstances change; putting it right—detecting when payments go wrong and taking prompt action to correct them with appropriate penalties to prevent a recurrence; and making sure our strategy works—by monitoring progress, evaluating the strength of our defences and adjusting them in the light of experience.

Mr. Webb

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the value of additional detected fraud and overpayments if the National Fraud Initiative scheme was extended to all councils in the UK. [125283]

Mr. Rooker

The estimates requested are not available. However, we welcome the recently published National Fraud Initiative report which, like this Departments' Housing Benefit Matching Service, is a good example of what can be achieved by well targeted data matching.