Member

Similarly, amendment 11 from my hon. Friend the Member for Poole (Neil Duncan-Jordan) seeks to restrict the eligibility verification power for use only when there is a suspicion of fraud. That would undermine the measure entirely, as there are existing information gathering powers sufficient to deal with such cases. We require the power because it will enable better data sharing between the private and public sector to help check that claimants are meeting the criteria for their benefit and to detect incorrect payments at an earlier stage before any suspicion of wrongdoing has arisen. It is not a power to be used to respond to suspected fraud. Information will not be shared with the DWP under the assumption that a claimant is guilty of any wrongdoing. The DWP must look into why the account has been flagged by the bank and ascertain whether an incorrect payment has been made. That is why, following receipt of the information from banks, the DWP will make further inquiries to determine whether a benefit has been incorrectly paid and whether that is due to fraud or error. It would be impossible for the DWP to suspect fraud before it has even established that a benefit has been incorrectly paid.