To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the conclusions were of the Taskforce on Benefit Fraud announced in the 1999 Pre-Budget Report; what the recommended plan of action consisted of; and what progress has been made with its implementation. (84819)

I have been asked to reply

In 1999, Lord Grabiner QC, was asked to chair a task force bringing together the Treasury, the Inland Revenue, Customs and Excise, the Department of Social Security and the Employment Service to conduct an investigation into the informal or hidden economy. His report, "The Informal Economy—A Report by Lord Grabiner QC", was published in March 2000 and is available in the Library. DWP has successfully acted on all the key recommendations applicable to this Department.