asked the Secretary of State for Social Services in the light of his Written Answer of 15th November to the Question of the hon. Member for Louth concerning the shortfall in the number of social security fraud inspectors, if he will specify what steps are being taken to bring their number up to strength.
Although the shortfall represents no more than normal wastage, special arrangements are being made to recruit and train volunteers as far as possible in advance of vacancies occurring. Since the hon. Member's Question of 20th October, the gap between complement and staff in post has been narrowed from 40 to 29.—[Vol. 917, c. 483.]
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will use private detective agencies to assist his Department's efforts to reduce the number of people making fraudulent claims on social security benefits.
No. The recommendation of the Fisher Committee that the Department should not use private detective agencies was accepted by the then Administration and I agree with its decision.