Benefit Fraud/MPs & MLAs

Max Power made this Freedom of Information request to Department for Social Development (Northern Ireland)

The request was refused by Department for Social Development (Northern Ireland).

From: Max Power

16 April 2009

Dear Sir or Madam,

Could you please provide me with the total number of benefit fraud
investigations carried out by your Department initiated against any
MP or MLA elected in Northern Ireland for each year in the past
five years.

If it is possible please provide also provide the following details
number of cases carried out by your Department initiated against
any MP or MLA elected in Northern Ireland that resulted in
administrative penalty agreements for each year in the past five
years; number of cases carried out by your Department initiated
against any MP or MLA elected in Northern Ireland brought to court
and of the cases taken to court the number that resulted in a
conviction for each year in the past five years.

Please note that I am not requesting any personal details, but
merely the number of cases.

Please note that replies which involve attachments in proprietary
file formats (such as PDFs, Word Documents and others) are not
acceptable. A reply which is not in plain text format will be
deemed to be a refusal to answer.

Yours faithfully,

M Power

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From: Reynolds Paul NISSA BELFAST YORK HOUSE

21 April 2009

Dear Mr Power

Thank you for your request for information about the total number of
benefit fraud investigations carried out by our Department initiated
against any MP or MLA elected in Northern Ireland for each year in the
past five years. Your request was received on 16 April 2009 and I am
dealing with it under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

In some circumstances a fee may be payable but if that is the case I will
let you know the likely charges before proceeding.

If you have any queries about this letter, please contact Sharon Piddock,
Local Information Manager on 02890 556829 or email
[email address]. Please remember to quote the reference
number above in any future communications.

Paul Reynolds
BSS, Support Services
Lesley Exchange 1
EXT. 75812
Tel. 028 9055 6812
Email: [email address]

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Communications via the GSi may be automatically logged, monitored and/or
recorded for legal purposes.

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From: Reynolds Paul NISSA BELFAST YORK HOUSE

28 April 2009

Dear Mr Power

With regards to your request for information made on 16th April 2009 it
is not possible to confirm the total number of benefit fraud
investigations carried out by our Department initiated against any MP or
MLA elected in Northern Ireland for each year in the past five years as
the branch does not hold this information. However the Branch is aware
of the following:

There have been two benefit fraud investigations carried out by our
Department initiated against any MP or MLA elected in Northern Ireland
in the last five years.

None of these cases have resulted in Administrative Penalty agreements.

One case has been taken to court.

None have resulted in a conviction.

If you feel that the information we have provided does not fully meet
your request please contact us at 02890 556829 in the first instance.
You have the right to request a formal review by the Department within
two calendar months of the date of this letter. If you wish to do so,
please write to:

The FOI Team, Records Management Branch, Department for Social
Development, Ground Floor, Lighthouse Building, 1 Cromac Place, Gasworks
Business Park, Ormeau Rd, Belfast BT7 2JB.

If after such an internal review you are still dissatisfied with the
response, you have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner
at Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF, who will
undertake an independent review.

If you have any queries about this reply, please contact Sharon Piddock,
Local Information Manager on 02890 556829 or email
[email address]. Please remember to quote the reference
number above in any future communications.

Yours Sincerely,

Paul Reynolds.

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From: Max Power

28 April 2009

Dear Reynolds Paul NISSA BELFAST YORK HOUSE,

Please conduct an internal review into this request.

I find it hard to believe it is beyond the Department's capability
to produce a list of all 108 MLAs, the 18 MPs then use this list of
names to check your computer systems for any benefit fraud cases
entered, or that it wouldn't retain this information for some
future reference.

I would understand if this volume of work was beyond the £450
limit, depending of the complexity of checking said computer
system, or if current records did not extend as far back as five
years but in that event I should have the option of paying or
narrowing the parameters of my request.

Yours sincerely,

Max Power

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From: Reynolds Paul NISSA BELFAST YORK HOUSE

8 May 2009

Dear Mr Power

Thank you for your email seeking an internal review of the recent decision regarding your request for information.

Your request was received on 28 April 2009 and we are dealing with it under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. You should expect a full reply within 20 working days. We will contact you again when the internal review has been completed - in the case of this request, a reply should be issued to you by 27 May 2009.

In the meantime if you have any queries regarding this letter please contact Sharon Piddock, Local Information Manager on 02890 556829 or email [email address]. Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future communications.

Yours sincerely

Paul Reynolds.

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From: Nevin, John
Department for Social Development (Northern Ireland)

20 May 2009

Dear Mr Power
Thank you for your email of 28 April 2009 requesting an internal review.
I have conducted this review and concluded that the original decision was
correct. Your suggestion that we check a list of all MLA's and MP's
against our computer system for any benefit fraud cases is not a Freedom
of Information request as public authorities are not required to create
information.

If you are dissatisfied with this response, you have the right to appeal
to the Information Commissioner. If you wish to do so, please write to:

The Information Commissioner
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
WILMSLOW
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
who will undertake an independent review.
Please contact Sharon Piddock, Local Information Manager on 02890 556829
or email [email address] if you have any queries about
this letter, remembering to quote the reference number above in any future
communications.

Yours sincerely

John Nevin

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From: Max Power

20 May 2009

Dear Nevin, John,

Thank you for your prompt reply - however unworthy and meagre it
is. I expected a much greater readiness to make available
information from your department.

I will consider your suggestion of contacting the Information
Commissioner's Office, or alternatively rephrasing and submitting a
request again, whichever I feel would result in the quickest and
most comprehensive reply.

I request that you also forward this email onto Sharon Piddock as
the email address you cite in your email has been filtered out and
I cannot access it.

Hopefully your department will show greater willingness to be open
and accountable in the future.

Yours sincerely,

Max Power

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From: Piddock Sharon NISSA BELFAST LESLEY EXCHANGE

29 March 2010

Attachment Letter to Max Power March 2010.doc
60K Download View as HTML

Max Power

Please find attached correspondance regarding your request for information
from the Department of Social Development dated 27th April 2009.

I am sending you this letter on behalf of the Head of Benefit Security
Services.

<<Letter to Max Power March 2010.doc>>

Sharon Piddock
BSS Support Services
Lesley Exchange
Ext 75829
Tel 02890556829
E-mail: [email address]

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Things to do with this request

Anyone:
Department for Social Development (Northern Ireland) only: