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Dept for Work and Pensions

Answer

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the cost in (a) 2000-01 and (b) 2001-02 of the (i) Integrated Enquiry Service, (ii) Shared Fraud Hotline, (iii) local authority departmental information teams and (iv) overpayment recoveries in respect of housing benefit. [19009] Malcolm Wicks: These initiatives made up the housing benefit improvement programme, the purpose of which was to contribute to improving housing benefit and council tax benefit administration. During the life of the programme, strong links were established with local authority managers and staff that will continue to develop as the recommendations from the programme are taken forward. These relationships have contributed to a greater understanding of the local authority information requirements, and the introduction of a standard set of procedures that will help deliver improvements to the recovery of housing benefit and council tax benefit overpayments. The information on costs is in the table: Housing benefit improvement programme expenditure £ _________________________________________________________________________________________________. 2000-01{ 1} 2001-02 Integrated Enquiry Service 557,000 {2}309,000 Shared Fraud Hotline 78,000 {2}57,000 Local Authority/Benefits Agency Information 24,000 0 Flow Project Housing Benefit Overpayment Recovery Project 64,000 {2}819,000 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. {1} Outturn {2} Forecast Note: Figures are rounded to nearest £1,000 Source: Housing Benefit Improvement Programme budget

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

19009; 378 c507W;378 c503W

Session

2001-02

Subjects

Databases Administration Software Costs Computers Housing benefit Fraud Local government Overpayments Telephone services

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk