Clause 33 - Offence of fraud
Tax Credits
10:00 am
Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere, Conservative)
The Government certainly seem to think so. Their series of television advertisements about benefit fraud feature a man sitting in a cell and ask whether it is worth getting away with benefit fraud. There are very few prosecutions for such fraud. The Minister referred to a selective policy, and it is a very selective policy that generates only 22 prosecutions. The chance of being prosecuted at all for tax credit fraud let alone receiving a substantial sentence is very low.