Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reason his department has withdrawn its published guidance on the benefits fraud investigation process.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The “Fraud Investigations: Staff Guide May 2019” was withdrawn from the Gov.uk website because the guide was no longer in use.

The Department continually reviews its operational guidance and processes to ensure they remain effective and up to date, making changes where necessary to reflect emerging risks, operational learning, and opportunities for improvement.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 14 July 2026 to Question 17298 on Members: Correspondence, when he plans to respond to the correspondence referred in that answer.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

A response was issued to the Honourable Member very recently. The Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade aims to respond to correspondence in 15 working days. Regrettably, due to an administrative error the Honourable Member’s correspondence was not processed within this timeframe. I apologise to the Honourable Member for this delay, which falls short of the standard expected.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how BCP Council failed to sufficiently strengthen collective ownership, governance, capability and partnership working in its reform of SEND delivery; and against what criteria judgment will be made on whether progress is sufficient to qualify for further support for the Council's High Needs Stability Grant.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole’s Local special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) Reform Plan was approved by the department on 2 October 2026. The outcome letter recognised the partnership’s progress in strengthening local leadership, relationships and governance, as well as positive momentum in collective working across education, health and care, as reflected in its latest Ofsted and Care Quality Commission inspection.

As the local area partnership remains subject to an improvement notice, it continues to receive monitoring, support and challenge under those arrangements, as set out in update provided to local members of Parliament.

The department will continue to review progress against the improvement notice. In light of the partnership’s improvements and the approval of its Local SEND Reform Plan, the department will consider whether the notice should remain in place.

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole’s Council has also qualified for the 2026/27 High Needs Stability Grant. Arrangements for further support relating to deficits arising in 2026/27 and 2027/28 will be confirmed in due course.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the cost to her Department was of AC-2026-LON-003445, Mark Facer v Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; how much was paid for the Defendant's costs; and what the cost was of her Department's legal representation.

Answered by Jenny Riddell-Carpenter - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The costs associated with AC-2026-LON-003445, Mark Facer v Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, have not yet been finalised. The Department is currently undertaking the necessary process to establish the final costs, including those associated with the proceedings and its legal representation.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many reports of benefit fraud were made to his Department in each of the last six months for which information is available.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

In accordance with Departmental records management practices and in line with General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Data Protection Act (DPA) principles, we do not retain Fraud Referral Forms where no fraud is identified. These forms are appropriately deleted after three months in line with retention policies.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she plans to respond to the letter of 8 September 2026 from the hon. Member for Christchurch about pollution in Christchurch harbour.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

A reply to the hon. Member is being prepared and will be issued as soon as possible.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what testing for the presence of campylo bacteria the Environment Agency carries out in (a) river and (b) sea water in Christchurch; and when the last positive test was.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Environment Agency (EA) routinely tests for E. coli and intestinal enterococci as indicators of faecal pollution in designated bathing waters under the Bathing Water Regulations but does not test for Campylobacter.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many allegations of disability benefit fraud have been investigated in the last year for which information is available and how many resulted in prosecution.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

Where there is evidence of serious or organised fraud, the Department will take firm action, including pursuing criminal investigation and prosecution where appropriate. There is rightly a high bar for prosecution. The Department is increasingly focused on preventing fraud and error from entering the welfare system in the first place, identifying issues earlier, correcting claims where needed, and recovering public money where overpayments occur.

Between 01/04/2025 and 31/03/2026, 2,656 allegations of disability benefit fraud relating to Disability Benefits and Personal Independence Payment (PIP) were received by the DWP and appropriate action was taken. It should be noted that only suitable allegations will have been allocated to a criminal investigator to commence a criminal investigation.

Between 01/04/2025 and 31/03/2026, 116 cases were referred to the CPS for prosecution.

It should be noted that the 116 cases may have been investigated during different reporting periods, reflecting the time required to complete individual investigations and that no direct correlation is possible.

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Bill Esterson (Chair); Sir Christopher Chope; Lizzi Collinge; Torcuil