Written question asked by James Clappison (Conservative) on Monday, 15 April 2002, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 30 April 2002. It was answered by Malcolm Wicks (Labour) on Tuesday, 30 April 2002 on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.

Dept for Work and Pensions

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his assessment is of (a) the incidence of fraud in Social Fund applications and (b) the cost of such fraud in the last 12 months for which figures are available; how many applications for Social Fund payment have been investigated as a result of suspected fraud in each year since 1997; how many of them have resulted in (a) prosecutions and (b) convictions; and if he will break down the figures by the sentences imposed in cases which resulted in convictions. - Information requested is not available. (Holding answer 18 April 2002).

Secondary information