Clause 33 - Offence of fraud
Tax Credits
10:00 am
Professor Steve Webb (Northavon, Liberal Democrat)
I understand what I hesitate to call the hon. Gentleman's convictions about the matter, and his desire to signal his party's perfectly legitimate concerns about fraud. However, does he really think that someone considering fraud of the order that might give rise to a seven-year sentence is going to sit down and think, ''I'd risk seven years in the slammer, but now it's 10 years, I certainly won't touch it''? Is that realistic?