Ms Helen Faughnan:

Yes. That one parent is in receipt of rent supplement does not automatically debar the other person from receiving rent supplement. Each case is decided on its merits.

Fraud was mentioned. Control is an integral part of all of our schemes' maintenance, including rent supplement. Generally, we conduct a biannual review of all rent supplement claims and maintain ongoing contact within the Department to ensure that the correct amounts are being paid.

We are carrying out a fraud and error survey of the rent supplement scheme to try to identify the risk category into which the scheme falls. The previous survey was carried out in 2007 and the results indicated that the rent supplement scheme fell into the low to medium risk category, while the overall fraud rate was identified as low, at 2.4%. We are carrying out that fraud and error survey to see if there are any areas on which we need to focus.