Written question asked by James Clappison (Conservative) on Tuesday, 13 May 2008, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 15 May 2008. It was answered by James Plaskitt (Labour) on Monday, 16 June 2008 on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.

Social Security Benefits: Fraud

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people were (a) convicted and (b) received a custodial sentence in respect of an offence of benefit fraud in (i) each of the last two years and (ii) each quarter of each of the last two years; and how many were dealt with by way of caution in the same period.

Answer

The available information is in the following table. The information for 2007-08 is not yet complete.

Numbers of convictions, custodial sentences and cautions for benefit fraud in Great Britain
2006-07	Convicted	Custodial	Cautions
Q1	1,972	222	3,282
Q2	1,790	146	3,221
Q3	1,408	137	2,970
Q4	1,708	108	2,503
Total	6,878	613	11,976
Source:
2006-07 figures are FIBS (Fraud Information by Sector) only.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 477 c741W; 206260
Session: 2007-08
Related items: Social Security Benefits: Fraud
Monday, 21 July 2008
Written questions
House of Commons
Subjects: Fraud Social security benefits
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk