Written question asked by John Barrett (Liberal Democrat) on Thursday, 12 June 2003, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 24 June 2003. It was answered by Malcolm Wicks (Labour) on Tuesday, 24 June 2003 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, pursuant to his Answer to the honourable Member for Croydon South of 9th June, Official Report, columns 702-3W, on housing benefit fraud, if he will list the local authorities in Scotland which have signed up for the Verification Framework. - Includes list.

Answer: John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Croydon, South (Richard Ottaway) of 9 June 2000, Official Report, columns 702-3W, on housing benefit fraud, if he will list the local authorities in Scotland which have signed up for the Verification Framework. [119730] Malcolm Wicks: The following 25 local authorities in Scotland, out of a total of 32, have signed up for the Verification Framework and are compliant in one or more of the three modules: Aberdeenshire Angus Argyll and Bute Clackmannanshire Dumfries and Galloway East Dunbartonshire East Lothian East Renfrewshire Falkirk Fife Highland Inverclyde Midlothian Moray North Lanarkshire Orkney Perthshire and Kinross Scottish Borders Shetland South Ayrshire South Lanarkshire Stirling West Dunbartonshire West Lothian Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar (Western Isles) We are encouraging the remaining local authorities to become compliant with the Verification Framework.

Secondary information