Hansard

Benefit Fraud

Volume 456: debated on Wednesday 7 February 2007

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Mr. Ruffley

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the budget was of the Benefit Fraud Inspectorate and its predecessor for each year since 1997; how many staff it employed in each year; and what its national targets were in each year. (116587)

Mr. Plaskitt

The available information is in the following table.

Financial Year

Expenditure (£ million)

Staff employed

1997-981

3.44

86

1998-99

5.8

133

1999-2000

5.64

138

2000-01

5.88

149

2001-02

5.55

137

2002-032

7.11

136

2003-04

7.71

139

2004-05

7.86

154

2005-06

7.1

147

2006-073

5.6

127

Notes:

1 The Benefit Fraud Inspectorate was launched in November 1997 so expenditure represents November 1997 to March 1998.

2 Includes recruitment for Comprehensive Performance Assessment work and Performance Improvement Action Team (funded by Treasury Invest to Save Money).

3 Expenditure represents April 2006 to December 2006.

The BFI contributes towards the Department for Work and Pensions Public Service Agreement targets and objectives. These targets and objectives are in the Departmental report, which is available in the Library.