My Lords, it is always a pleasure to follow the noble Baroness, Lady Kramer, who I think was rather underplaying her expertise in her comments. There is a certain level of déjà vu about this Bill, as has been mentioned. Many of us spent a lot of time debating its...

My Lords, it is always a pleasure to follow the noble Baroness, Lady Kramer, who I think was rather underplaying her expertise in her comments. There is a certain level of déjà vu about this Bill, as has been mentioned. Many of us spent a lot of time debating its...

My Lords, I am very glad to see the name of the noble Baroness, Lady Spielman, on the speakers’ list for this debate; I look forward to her maiden speech and her future contributions to this House.

We all need to acknowledge the understandable frustration, felt from government downwards, about waste...

My Lords, I am very glad to see the name of the noble Baroness, Lady Spielman, on the speakers’ list for this debate; I look forward to her maiden speech and her future contributions to this House.

We all need to acknowledge the understandable frustration, felt from government downwards, about waste...

My Lords, I too look forward to the maiden speech of the noble Baroness, Lady Spielman, and I congratulate her on her having a debate to herself in that regard.

My antecedents rather precede me: I am a Scot, and we worry about money. I am a Presbyterian Scot, and we...

My Lords, I too look forward to the maiden speech of the noble Baroness, Lady Spielman, and I congratulate her on her having a debate to herself in that regard.

My antecedents rather precede me: I am a Scot, and we worry about money. I am a Presbyterian Scot, and we...

My Lords, it is a pleasure to follow the noble Baroness. I hope I match some of her enthusiasm, but she may be disappointed.

I begin by drawing attention to my practice at the Bar, which includes acting for and against the Serious Fraud Office. It additionally involves advising on civil...

My Lords, it is a pleasure to follow the noble Baroness. I hope I match some of her enthusiasm, but she may be disappointed.

I begin by drawing attention to my practice at the Bar, which includes acting for and against the Serious Fraud Office. It additionally involves advising on civil...

My Lords, I support the Bill and thank my noble friend Lady Anderson for her opening remarks. I am grateful also to other noble Lords for the sizeable support for the urgency of our situation and the aspirations of the measures in the Bill. I also look forward to the...

My Lords, I support the Bill and thank my noble friend Lady Anderson for her opening remarks. I am grateful also to other noble Lords for the sizeable support for the urgency of our situation and the aspirations of the measures in the Bill. I also look forward to the...

My Lords, I am sympathetic to the Government’s aspirations to tackle fraud and to reclaim money, in effect, ripped off from the public purse. Whether it is those grants for fake

community schemes mentioned by the noble Baroness, Lady Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent, at the beginning or the more mundane benefits...

My Lords, I am sympathetic to the Government’s aspirations to tackle fraud and to reclaim money, in effect, ripped off from the public purse. Whether it is those grants for fake

community schemes mentioned by the noble Baroness, Lady Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent, at the beginning or the more mundane benefits...

My Lords, like so many who have stood up here for the first time, I am profoundly aware of the privilege it is to speak here and of the importance of using that privilege responsibly and well, for the public good. I have much to learn from all noble Lords.

I...

My Lords, like so many who have stood up here for the first time, I am profoundly aware of the privilege it is to speak here and of the importance of using that privilege responsibly and well, for the public good. I have much to learn from all noble Lords.

I...

My Lords, it is a huge privilege to follow my noble friend Lady Spielman after her exceptionally thoughtful, insightful speech to the House, indicating very clearly the experience she will bring.

It is no surprise that somebody obviously very bright who did a mathematics degree at Cambridge University became a chartered...

My Lords, it is a huge privilege to follow my noble friend Lady Spielman after her exceptionally thoughtful, insightful speech to the House, indicating very clearly the experience she will bring.

It is no surprise that somebody obviously very bright who did a mathematics degree at Cambridge University became a chartered...

My Lords, it is a pleasure to follow the noble Baroness, Lady Coffey, and I take this opportunity to congratulate the noble Baroness, Lady Spielman, on her splendid and insightful maiden speech. I look forward to hearing more from her in this House.

A focus on fraud detection, prevention and recovery...

My Lords, it is a pleasure to follow the noble Baroness, Lady Coffey, and I take this opportunity to congratulate the noble Baroness, Lady Spielman, on her splendid and insightful maiden speech. I look forward to hearing more from her in this House.

A focus on fraud detection, prevention and recovery...

First, I welcome the noble Baroness, Lady Spielman, to the House, particularly as a fellow spreadsheet lover. The Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill—can I call it PAFERB?—has significant implications for privacy, justice and the rights of vulnerable individuals. I welcome parts of the Bill, but there are significant...

First, I welcome the noble Baroness, Lady Spielman, to the House, particularly as a fellow spreadsheet lover. The Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill—can I call it PAFERB?—has significant implications for privacy, justice and the rights of vulnerable individuals. I welcome parts of the Bill, but there are significant...

My Lords, I congratulate the noble Baroness, Lady Spielman, on her maiden speech, and we welcome her to the House.

I rise as a Liberal Democrat to speak in firm opposition to the Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill. While we all share a goal of preventing fraud and ensuring...

My Lords, I congratulate the noble Baroness, Lady Spielman, on her maiden speech, and we welcome her to the House.

I rise as a Liberal Democrat to speak in firm opposition to the Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill. While we all share a goal of preventing fraud and ensuring...

My Lords, I thank the Minister for her opening speech in outlining the purpose of and some of the details contained within the Bill, and for all the engagement from her and the noble Baroness, Lady Sherlock, who I think is in the running for a new job, closely followed...

My Lords, I thank the Minister for her opening speech in outlining the purpose of and some of the details contained within the Bill, and for all the engagement from her and the noble Baroness, Lady Sherlock, who I think is in the running for a new job, closely followed...

My Lords, I thank all noble Lords who have contributed to today’s thoughtful and decidedly not-at-all dull debate. Committee will be some fun indeed. It was a particular pleasure to hear the maiden speech of the noble Baroness, Lady Spielman, whom I welcome to the spreadsheet fan club. Frankly, I...

My Lords, I thank all noble Lords who have contributed to today’s thoughtful and decidedly not-at-all dull debate. Committee will be some fun indeed. It was a particular pleasure to hear the maiden speech of the noble Baroness, Lady Spielman, whom I welcome to the spreadsheet fan club. Frankly, I...

My Lords, is that the number of cases that were identified because there was enough evidence and people were arrested, or does she believe that that is an estimate of the total amount of organised fraud in the system?

My Lords, is that the number of cases that were identified because there was enough evidence and people were arrested, or does she believe that that is an estimate of the total amount of organised fraud in the system?

It is a percentage of the amount of fraud that was recognised. Clearly, we do not have figures for the amount of fraud of any kind that has not been identified or recognised. That was the figure for the amount we have on our books as organised fraud.

The reality is...

It is a percentage of the amount of fraud that was recognised. Clearly, we do not have figures for the amount of fraud of any kind that has not been identified or recognised. That was the figure for the amount we have on our books as organised fraud.

The reality is...

It is clear that the DWP does not want to see that data, but it will be telling the banks to trawl for the data. The Minister says that they already have the data, and that they would not be trawling for a government-mandated outcome before the DWP told them...

It is clear that the DWP does not want to see that data, but it will be telling the banks to trawl for the data. The Minister says that they already have the data, and that they would not be trawling for a government-mandated outcome before the DWP told them...

I have heard accounts of people saying that disabled people will worry that DWP will know that they go to Pret and therefore cannot really need the money, et cetera, so it is important to make it clear that DWP will not have access to their bank accounts through this...

I have heard accounts of people saying that disabled people will worry that DWP will know that they go to Pret and therefore cannot really need the money, et cetera, so it is important to make it clear that DWP will not have access to their bank accounts through this...

My noble friend referred to an acceptable reason. Who ultimately decides what constitutes acceptability?

My noble friend referred to an acceptable reason. Who ultimately decides what constitutes acceptability?

This may be a matter that we might more usefully explore in Committee, but I shall give my noble friend a simple example. There are certain compensation payments that are not taken into account in terms of eligibility for benefits. They are excluded from the capital limits. So it may...

This may be a matter that we might more usefully explore in Committee, but I shall give my noble friend a simple example. There are certain compensation payments that are not taken into account in terms of eligibility for benefits. They are excluded from the capital limits. So it may...

Since my noble friend mentioned me, I think I am honour-bound to ask her a couple of questions. Will she confirm that foreign bank accounts will not be covered by any of the measures in the Bill?

Since my noble friend mentioned me, I think I am honour-bound to ask her a couple of questions. Will she confirm that foreign bank accounts will not be covered by any of the measures in the Bill?