§ 19. Mr. FrancoisTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what targets his Department has set local authorities for benefit fraud prosecutions for 2001–02. [36345]
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§ Malcolm WicksWe have not set a target for the number of local authority prosecutions for 2001–02. Our policy is to ensure local authorities improve their performance in combating fraud across the board, from the outset of a claim and throughout its life.
Our new incentive scheme is designed to give clear rewards to local authorities who punish fraudsters with the full range of available penalties, including prosecutions.