Oral Answers to Questions

Edward Leigh Excerpts
Monday 5th November 2012

(12 years ago)

Commons Chamber
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Mark Hoban Portrait Mr Hoban
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I think we all believe that it is important that where lone parents can work, they should work, because that helps to boost their income and that of their family. Guidance is given to personal advisers on jobseeker’s allowance to ensure that the sanctions regime is applied appropriately to lone parents, as in the case of all jobseekers.

Edward Leigh Portrait Mr Edward Leigh (Gainsborough) (Con)
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What, hitherto, has been the fraud and error rate in child benefit?

Iain Duncan Smith Portrait Mr Duncan Smith
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It would be pretty negligible because it is paid to everybody, and it would therefore be impossible to figure it out. Across the board in the Department for Work and Pensions, we are beginning to see a downward pressure on fraud and error. My hon. Friend will be pleased to see that over the next few years we will be saving considerable amounts of money.