HC Deb 19 July 2002 vol 389 cc595-6W
Mr. Frank Field

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many prosecutions for fraud were undertaken by staff employed by his Department and its agencies in(a) 1997–98, (b) 1998–99, (c) 1999–2000 and (d) 2000–01; and how many of these were successful. [69858]

Malcolm Wicks

[holding answer 15 July 20021: In each year since 1997, over 98 per cent of prosecutions carried out by the Department and its agencies have resulted in convictions. Information on the number of prosecutions is in the table.

Department for Work and Pensions investigations
Year Prosecutions Cautions and penalties as an alternative to prosecution Total
1997–98 11,700 — 11,700
1998–99 10,238 2,835 13,073
1999–2000 9,124 11,029 20,153
2000–01 11,403 15,555 26,958

Source:

Benefit Fraud Investigation Service and Benefits Agency Security Investigation Service

Notes:

(1) The data on cautions and penalties for 1998–99 is derived from the database preceding the current database and there may be some overlap with 1999–2000.

(2) Administrative penalties, as an alternative to prosecution, were introduced by the Social Security Administration (Fraud) Act (1997) with effect from December 1998.

(3) From 1 April 2002, the Benefit Fraud Investigation Service became the Counter Fraud Investigation Service and the Benefits Agency Security Investigation Service became the Counter Fraud Investigation Division Operations.

Mr. Clappison

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many cases of benefit fraud were established as a result of investigations carried out by the Benefits Agency in each year since 1997; and how many of these resulted in prosecutions. [45329]

Malcolm Wicks

For the number of cases of benefit fraud established as a result of investigations carried out by the Benefits Agency in each year since 1997 I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Bognor Regis and Littlehampton (Mr. Nick Gibb) on 16 July 2002,Official Report, column 88W.

For the number of prosecutions, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Bognor Regis and Littlehampton (Mr. Nick Gibb) on 9 January 2002, Official Report, column 923W.