HC Deb 10 July 2002 vol 388 c1032W
Mr. Willetts

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many tax credit applications have been identified as appropriate for further investigation; how many have been investigated; how many of these investigations have proved fraudulent or non-compliant activity; how many penalties have been levied as a result; how many unsuccessful prosecutions have occurred; how many successful prosecutions have occurred; and how many custodial sentences have been passed in each of the last three years for the(a) WFTC and (b) DPTC. [58767]

Dawn Primarolo

The information requested is given in the table.

1999–20001 2000–01 2001–02
Cases identified for investigation2 (a) 14,162 (a) 28,898 (a) 23,123
(b) 251 (b) 808 (b) 824
Cases investigated3 (a) 4,022 (a) 30,543 (a) 21,816
(b) 110 (b) 644 (b) 801
Cases found to be non compliant 4250 45,213 48,108
Penalties imposed (a) 3 (a) 235 (a) 512
(b) 0 (b) 2 (b)12
Unsuccessful prosecutions5 (a) 0 (a) 0 (a) 0
(b) 0 (b) 0 (b) 0
Successful prosecutions5 (a) 0 (a) 2 (a) 29
(b) 0 (b) 0 (b) 0
Custodial sentences imposed (a) 0 (a) 0 (a) 7
(b) 0 (b) 0 (b) 0
1Six months
2Awards selected for inquiry with applicants in the period
3Inquiries completed in the period
4Separate figures are not available for WFTC and DPTC
5Prosecutions completed in each period