Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Welfare Fraud

Monday 1 September 2025 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • John Cooper questioned the Government about adopting a zero-tolerance approach to welfare fraud, contrasting it with Scotland's policy decision.
  • Chris Kane criticized the opposing party for past issues with poverty, benefit delays, and fraud, while noting their current concern about tackling fraud.
  • The Minister affirmed the Government's commitment to combating fraud and tax evasion, mentioning the hiring of 5,000 additional investigators.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 John Cooper Con Dumfries and Galloway
Benefits & Welfare
Context

The issue of welfare fraud is highlighted as a major concern for taxpayers, with recent reports indicating £36 million in benefit payments being non-recoverable in Scotland.

Question

I think we can all agree that fraud strikes at the heart of the system, kicking away its underpinnings. I hope that the Government will undertake a zero-tolerance approach, unlike in Scotland, where we recently heard that £36 million of benefit money paid out in error is now not to be recovered. Does the Minister agree that that is deeply unfair to taxpayers?

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Andrew Western)

The hon. Gentleman tempts me to encroach on what are legitimately policy questions for the Scottish Government. The policy of this Government is clear and set out in the Bill, but I am grateful to the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice for continuing to work with me constructively to make the Bill as workable as possible, with alignment where possible.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The Minister avoided directly addressing the zero-tolerance approach question by referencing Scottish Government policy instead of providing a direct answer.

How: Encroach On What Are Legitimately Policy Questions For The Scottish Government

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Q2 Chris Kane Lab Stirling and Strathallan
Taxation Benefits & Welfare
Context

The Labour Party highlights the issue of tax avoidance and evasion, which has been recently highlighted by the Public Accounts Committee as a significant concern.

Question

Does the Minister share my surprise that a Member of the party responsible for more than a decade of rising poverty, record benefit delays, and billions lost to fraud and error is now suddenly concerned about tackling that? Across the House, while we recognise the need to tackle fraud in our welfare system, we should also recognise the huge issue with tax avoidance and evasion—as recently highlighted by the Public Accounts Committee—which requires significant attention.

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Andrew Western)

I very much agree with my hon. Friend. This Government are determined to bear down on tax evasion with 5,000 additional investigators. Wherever we see people ripping off the public purse, whether that is defrauding the Department for Work and Pensions or abusing the tax system, we are determined to bear down on them, and that is what we will do.

Answered
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