§ Mr. ClappisonTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in how many of the cases of fraud investigated by the Benefits Agency and dealt with by way of caution and administrative penalty since 1997 the person concerned has been previously subject to(a) caution and administrative penalty, (b) caution and administrative penalty within the preceding three years, 45W (c) prosecution leading to conviction and (d) prosecution leading to conviction within the preceding three years. [23235]
§ Malcolm WicksThe information requested is not available. However, our research suggests that approximately 5 per cent. of prosecutions involve a person with a previous conviction for benefit fraud. We are putting in place mechanisms to identify second and further convictions.
§ Mr. WillettsTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Govan (Mr. Sarwar) of 30 November 2001,Official Report, column 1166W, for what reasons the estimated cost of benefit fraud is different from the estimate offered by the Lord Chancellor in his answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Buckingham (Mr. Bercow) on 26 November 2001, Official Report, column 987W. [24238]
§ Malcolm WicksOur most recent estimate is that £2 billion is lost annually through benefit fraud in Great Britain. The figure quoted by my right hon. and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor in the answer to which the hon. Member refers is an estimate of the cost of fraud plus estimates for the cost of work related to fraud incurred by the Department, other Government Departments and local authorities.