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31 Mar 2003 : Column 588W—continued

Benefit Fraud

Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many staff in his Department and its agencies have been (a) disciplined, (b) suspended, (c) dismissed, (d) prosecuted and (e) convicted for

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matters relating to benefit fraud in the current year and each of the previous three years; how much was (i) defrauded and (ii) recovered in each case, broken down by type of benefit; at what level in his Department and its agencies the decision is made on whether (A) to take no action, (B) to take internal disciplinary action or (C) to prosecute; what the policy of his Department and its agencies on the prosecution of staff suspected of benefit fraud is; and if he will make a statement. [88474]

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Malcolm Wicks: Information is not available in the exact form requested. Such information that is available is shown in the tables. The tables show value of fraud, the outcome of investigation activity and the benefit subjected to the fraud. Information on amounts recovered is not routinely captured centrally. It is normal practice to recover wrongly paid sums. This can either be through the courts following prosecution or through departmental action.

Staff Involvement in benefit fraud

Case numberValue of fraud (£)Outcome(69)Benefit type
1999–2000
1210,000Prosecution resulting in custodial sentence Income support
230,000Prosecution Income support
375.80Officer dismissed Income support
41,753.00Prosecution resulting in probation and community serviceIncome support
54,462.97Information no longer availableIncome support/jobseekers allowance
68,820.77Prosecution resulting in custodial sentenceJobseekers allowance
7144.20Officer resignedIncapacity benefit
8134.41Officer resignedIncapacity benefit
94,224.28Officer resignedIncapacity benefit/disability living allowance
10957.56Prosecution resulting in fineFamily credit
1117,880.80Prosecution resulting in 150 hours community service orderFamily credit
121,947.08Information no longer availableFamily credit
133,690.80Officer dismissedInvalid care allowance
143,255.54Officer dismissedHousing benefit
153,186.00Officer resignedHousing benefit
Total290,533.21
2000–01
13,963.00Disciplinary action not yet completed Income support
24,272.33Officer resignedIncome support
3218.57No disciplinary action takenIncome support
4887.18 Prosecuted, conditional discharge officer resignedJobseekers allowance
5426.14Formal reprimand for five yearsFamily credit
61,807.10Downgraded, formal reprimand and promotion barFamily credit
73,697.06Information no longer availableHousing benefit
82,820.18Prosecuted by Police resulting in community service and order to repayHousing benefit
97,631.37Prosecuted resulting in probation and community serviceHousing benefit
102,140.00Information no longer availableHousing benefit
119,535.84Prosecution resulting in community service and probationIncapacity benefit
Total 37,398.77
2001–02
12,346.00Written reprimand valid for 5 years Income support
22,660.72Officer dismissedHousing benefit council tax benefit
35,000.00Officer resigned Income support/incapacity benefit
42,904.00Officer resignedIncome support
53,005.00Officer dismissedIncome support working families tax credit
6180,000Prosecution resulting in custodial sentenceIncapacity benefit
Total195,915.72
2002–032
11,807.00Formal reprimand, downgraded, promotion ban for 2 years Family credit
25,300.00Officer dismissed Incapacity benefit
Total to date7,107.00

(69) Following prosecution, disciplinary action is taken and may lead to dismissal.

(70) There are limited details available for the current financial year, as a number of potential cases of benefit fraud involving staff have not been concluded.


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Departmental Policy on prosecution in benefit fraud cases.

For any cases of staff suspected of benefit fraud the decision maker would be at least a Deputy District Manager (Grade 7 or SMPB2) and they would decide whether or not to take any internal disciplinary action.

The Department's policy on prosecution in relation to benefit fraud considers various factors. However, where the person involved was in a position of trust such as a member of staff, prosecution would always be considered.

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his estimate is of the total amount of fraud by each category of benefit in (a) the latest year available and (b) 1996–97; and if he will make a statement on the Government's strategy to reduce benefit fraud. [101515]

Malcolm Wicks: Our estimates of levels of fraud and error in income support and jobseeker's allowance are published in the series of reports "Fraud and Error in Claims for Income Support and Jobseeker's Allowance" which are placed in the Library.

In April 2001 we also set up the housing benefit review which will deliver an on-going measurement of fraud and error in housing benefit. Fraud in other benefits is examined in our programme of National Benefit Reviews.

Our current estimate is that £2 billion is lost annually through all benefit fraud. We do not break this figure into separate benefit categories nor hold figures for previous years.

We are taking positive action to reduce fraud by making it harder to commit fraud, improving detection of fraud, and deterring those who might be thinking of committing fraud.

We have made excellent progress in the fight against fraud and error. By March 2002 we had reduced fraud and error in income support and jobseeker's allowance by 24 per cent., significantly outperforming our target of 10 per cent.

Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to his answer of 9 December 2002, Official Report, column135W, how many custodial and non-custodial punishments were imposed in (a) 2001–02, and (b) each of the previous three years, broken down by type of disposal; and in how many cases in each year the offender was ordered to pay compensation. [89918]

Malcolm Wicks: The information requested is not available. Pursuant to the answer given to the hon. Member on 9 December 2002, Official Report, column 135W, corrected figures are shown in the tables.

Targeting Fraud Website (launched May 2000)
PeriodInvestigations completedSuccessful prosecutions
May 2000 to March 20011840
April 2001 to March 20026734
April 2002 to December 200282814

Source of information:

Fraud Information By Sector system

(71)


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National Benefit Fraud Hotline(73)

PeriodInvestigations completedSuccessful prosecutions
1999–200028,582335
2000–0133,134492
2001–0232,943703
April–December 200225,081546

Source of information:

National Benefit Fraud Hotline

(72) The fraud database shows completed cases commenced in the relevant period. Due to the elapsed time between commencement of an investigation and completion of a prosecution there are cases that are inserted into previously completed data for earlier periods. All totals are therefore correct at the time when quoted but subject to adjustment at a later date.

(73) Full information on the number of investigations and successful prosecutions resulting from calls to the National Benefit Fraud Hotline is available only from April 1999.


Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many persons have been gaoled for benefit fraud since 1997. [101551]

Malcolm Wicks: The information is in the table.

Custodial sentences(74)following investigations by Departmental Investigators

Number
1997–98551
1998–99643
1999–2000636
2000–01653
2001–02646

(74) Imprisonment, Young Offenders Institute or custodial and fine.

Source:

Fraud Information By Sector and data from Counter-Fraud Investigation Division (Operations)

(75)

(76) The fraud database shows completed cases commenced in the relevant period. Due to the elapsed time between commencement of an investigation and completion of a prosecution there are cases that are inserted into previously completed data for earlier periods. All totals are therefore correct at the time when quoted but subject to adjustment at a later date.


Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his estimate is of the amount of benefit fraud in each year from 1990–91 to 2002–03 (estimated) (a) in total and (b) broken down by (i) housing benefit, (ii) council tax benefit, (iii) disability benefit, (iv) pensions and (v) jobseeker's allowance; and if he will make a statement. [97354]

Malcolm Wicks: Our most recent estimate is that £2 billion is lost annually through benefit fraud in Great Britain.

We have in place systems to provide an on-going measurement of loss in the three main income-related benefits Income support, jobseeker's allowance and housing benefit that between them account for about two-thirds of the fraud loss. The levels of fraud and error in income support and jobseeker's allowance are published in the "Area Benefit Review and the Quality Support Team reports on Fraud and Error in Claims for Income Support and Jobseeker's Allowance", copies of which are in the Library. The first publication of findings from the housing benefit review is expected in autumn 2003. Our programme of National Benefit Reviews provides snapshot estimates of the level of

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fraud in other benefits, most recently covering incapacity benefit in 2000 and has been placed in the Library.


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