Contributions
592 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDPublic Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill (Eleventh sitting)It is very much the case that the power is a last resort. Where there are additional costs, we will be able to recover them. It is important to recognise the steps, as I outlined…13 Mar 2025HANSARDPublic Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill (Eleventh sitting)The clause amends sections 111A and 112 of the Social Security Administration Act 1992 to include non-benefit payments. This will enable the DWP to charge a person with an offence…13 Mar 2025HANSARDPublic Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill (Eleventh sitting)Clause 94 inserts proposed new section 80F into the Social Security Administration Act 1992 and relates to the recovery of costs from debtors. The clause simplifies existing…13 Mar 2025HANSARDPublic Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill (Eleventh sitting)I am a little perplexed by the suggestion that somebody would be found not guilty or be charged. We are talking about debt recovery, so it is a slightly separate matter. It is not…13 Mar 2025HANSARDPublic Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill (Eleventh sitting)I think the hon. Gentleman is referring to situations in which the court determines that the debt is not recoverable. I imagine that at that point we would bear the cost…13 Mar 2025HANSARDPublic Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill (Eleventh sitting)I beg to move amendment 36, in clause 98, page 61, line 21, leave out from “(a)” to end of line and insert “— (i) omit the words from ‘section 115A’ to ‘or’, and (ii) for the…13 Mar 2025HANSARDPublic Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill (Eleventh sitting)Where proportionality kicks in is already established in the Department. We have trained investigators who ascertain whether we are looking at deliberate fraud, its severity, and…13 Mar 2025HANSARDPublic Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill (Eleventh sitting)On when a penalty will be considered more appropriate, there are clearly thresholds for our investigators’ interpretation of when somebody has committed fraud and at what level we…13 Mar 2025HANSARDPublic Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill (Tenth sitting)Not quite. We would not be contacting banks to establish whether fraud had been committed under the amendment. We would already have established that a debt is owed, so that…11 Mar 2025HANSARDPublic Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill (Ninth sitting)Clearly, in individual cases, if someone were to request contact by post, we would want to bear that in mind, but without wishing, as the Minister for transformation, to sound…11 Mar 2025HANSARDPublic Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill (Ninth sitting)Clause 87 introduces an important safeguard by providing that all the criminal investigation powers in the Bill are independently inspected. As the Committee would expect, the DWP…11 Mar 2025HANSARDPublic Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill (Ninth sitting)There were a number of questions there—I was scribbling at pace—so if I miss anything, please intervene. In terms of when and how often investigations will happen, it is expected…11 Mar 2025HANSARDPublic Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill (Ninth sitting)That is a reasonable question. Clearly, if there are incidents such as those that would bring into scope the IOPC powers, that would attract significant attention and it would be…11 Mar 2025HANSARDPublic Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill (Ninth sitting)Clause 88 sets out the details of how an overpayment of a non-benefit payment, such as under the kickstart scheme that was used after the pandemic, will be made recoverable. This…11 Mar 2025HANSARDPublic Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill (Ninth sitting)On whether notices will be sent in the post, it will be a mixture, as in the case for benefits rather than grants. The means of communication may be electronic or by post—there is…11 Mar 2025HANSARDPublic Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill (Tenth sitting)I would not put a specific value on it, but my hon. Friend may well be right with the sort of figures that he suggests. Yes, there would be additional costs from the preparation…11 Mar 2025HANSARDPublic Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill (Tenth sitting)I will spend a moment setting out the process around the establishment of communications prior to deduction from a bank account and the affordability considerations that we…11 Mar 2025HANSARDPublic Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill (Tenth sitting)Clause 90 inserts proposed new section 80B into the Social Security Administration Act 1992, adding the direct deduction order power to recover public money owed to the DWP…11 Mar 2025HANSARDPublic Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill (Tenth sitting)We have not considered the seizure of assets under this Bill; nor are we are looking at forcing the sale of a home. We want to ensure that the powers we take are proportionate. We…11 Mar 2025HANSARDPublic Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill (Tenth sitting)This amendment seeks to remove unnecessary repetition in the Bill, specifically removing part of paragraph 18 of proposed new schedule 3ZA to the Social Security Administration…11 Mar 2025