729.On 23 March 1999, the Government published its strategy and plans for reducing fraud and error A new contract for welfare: Safeguarding Social Security (CM 4276). The need to make effective use of inspectors’powers is an important part of successfully investigating, detecting and punishing fraud. Fraud officers’ effectiveness could be jeopardised by employers and the Data Protection Registrar continuing to express uncertainty about what the powers allow, as their uncertainties are resulting in some employers refusing to comply with this legislation.
730.Discussions on the broad thrust of these measures have been held with business organisations, the TUC, local authority associations, the Office of the Data Protection Registrar and Liberty. All agreed that there was a need for clearer powers and business organisations in particular supported moves to modernise the legislation – for example, allowing more use of information technology such as e-mail.
Part III: Social Security Administration Investigation Powers Recent developments