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Benefit Fraud

Volume 270: debated on Monday 29 January 1996

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To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proposals he has to improve the sharing of information and promotion of best practice by Government agencies and Departments in tackling organised benefit fraud. [9980]

Where more than one investigative body is engaged in the detection of organised fraud offences being perpetrated by the same offenders, it is our practice that those bodies work together where it is the most effective way of pursuing an investigation. In this context, information is shared whenever it is appropriate to do so.Benefits Agency organised fraud investigators employed exclusively to tackle organised fraud are involved with Home Office initiatives such as the joint action group and the National Criminal Investigation Service which have been specifically set up to share information about serious fraud and discuss the best way of combatting this threat across different agencies. This multi-agency approach ensures that the most efficient and effective use of resources is employed, and best practices adopted.