Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the Government's policy is on the prosecution of people who perpetrate criminal fraud; and what advice her Department has given to chief constables in England on the priority to be accorded to such crime.

The full force of the law should be used to pursue, and prosecute individuals who choose to commit fraud. Whilst it is down to Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners to set local priorities for their force area, I recognise that driving up the law enforcement response to fraud at national, regional and local levels must be a priority. Through the Joint Fraud Taskforce, we are working with the City of London Police, the national lead force for fraud, to establish a consistent and transparent approach to fraud across all police forces.