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1240/(1837)
QUESTIONS TO BE ASKED OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE HOUSING COMMITTEE ON TUESDAY, 1st APRIL 2003 BY DEPUTY G.P. SOUTHERN OF ST. HELIER
Question 1
Paragraph 3.7.2 of the Housing Committee's Strategic Policy Report 2002-2006, (P.2/2002), regarding the vigorous pursuit of fraud investigation states that –
th e C ommittee is satisfied that the cost of resources for fraud investigation is more than recovered by the
savings made on the payment of subsidy.
Will the President inform members -
( a ) how many alleged or suspected cases of fraud were brought to the attention of the Department in 2002? ( b ) of these, what proportion were reported to the Department anonymously by members of the public?
( c ) what proportion of the total cases suspected were followed with investigation by a fraud officer?
( d ) how many cases resulted in recovery of funds and what was the total recovered?
( e ) in how many cases of fraud were eviction proceedings pursued?
Answer
- A pproximately125 alleged orsuspectedcasesof fraud werebroughtto the attention of the Department in 2002, ofwhich76 were actually investigated.
- A p proximately one out of four caseswas reported anonymously.
- A pproximatelythreeout of five of the total casessuspectedwere followed with investigation by a fraud officer.
- 21 cases resulted inrecovery of funds. During2002,therewasbackdatedrecoveryofnearly£18,000and,by year end,ongoingweekly savings of £1,313 arising from adjusted subsidy payments.
- Eviction proceedings were pursued inone case. Question 2
Will the President outline for members what procedures or guidelines, if any, are in place to protect tenants should unfounded allegations arise against them?
Answer
If it cannot be shown without investigation that an allegation is unfounded then an investigation will usually be pursued. This policy to some extent protects tenants by not allowing unfounded allegations to remain unanswered. However there are no specific guidelines which protect tenants from unfounded allegations - in many cases, unless investigated, the Department cannot determine whether or not the allegations are without foundation.