§ Tim LoughtonTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many(a) local authority staff and(b) members of the public were found to have been involved in fraudulent activities against local authorities in each year since 1997; and at what financial cost. [83270]
§ Mr. LeslieAuditors appointed by the Audit Commission have been instructed to report to the commission all cases of fraud over £ 1,000 in value. Benefit frauds of up to £ 5,000 can be reported jointly, but those over £ 5,000 are reported individually. The number of fraud cases arising from staff actions (some of which involved more than one member of staff) were:
Year Number of cases Total value (£) Including number of benefits cases Value of benefits cases (£) 1997–98 1,372 5,093,871 729 1,126,680 1998–99 936 3,409,833 369 809,039 1999–2000 877 4,212,967 405 762,907 2000–01 1,304 4,378,461 722 1,838,833 Totals 4,489 17,095,132 2,225 4,537,459 Figures on the exact number of members of the public involved in fraudulent activities against local authorities 254W are not held centrally. The number of fraud cases arising from actions outside of local authorities (for example members of the public, suppliers etc.) were:
Year Number of cases Total value (£) Value of benefits cases (£) 1997–98 231,540 83,605,802 76,792,355 1998–99 229,826 100,985,614 93,891,266 1999–2000 145,302 96,258,275 91,683,235 2000–01 111,890 100,005,357 92,948,383 Totals 718,558 380,855,048 355,315,239