Clause 33 - Offence of fraud
Tax Credits
10:15 am
Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere, Conservative)
Indeed. Can the Minister tell us how many times information has been received on the benefits anti-fraud hotline about tax credit fraud, how many cases of suspected improper claims for child care costs have been reported to the child care tax credit hotline, and what is being done to inform the public of the hotline's existence? I was unaware of it until I received the written answer from the Paymaster General, and not every member of the public pays the great attention to parliamentary written answers that we do.
Public co-operation is important, but so too is co-operation between central Government and other bodies involved with the problem of fraud. Will the Minister tell us about the Government's plans for sharing information with local government and with the private sector? That reflects recommendations in the Scampion report.
I appreciate that I have asked the Minister a series of detailed questions. If he does not have the answers at his fingertips, I should be grateful if he would write to me.
It being half-past Ten o'clock, The Chairman adjourned the Committee without Question put pursuant to the resolution of the Committee [22 January].
Adjourned till this day at Two o'clock.