News from The Labour Party

More Mandatory Work Activity could be a fraudsters charter

Liam Byrne MP, Labour’s Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, responding to reports that the Government is set to extend Mandatory Work Activity, said:

“More Mandatory Work Activity will only affect a fraction of the people David Cameron’s Government has put on the dole.

“For all the fanfare, this won’t make a shred of difference to the vast majority of Britain’s unemployed.

“Crucially, we want assurances this is not a fraudsters charter. Ministers are extending a programme that the National Audit Office has slammed for having no systematic independent anti-fraud checks. Yet, the DWP has been forced to admit that Iain Duncan Smith has slashed fraud staff by 30 per cent.

“Ministers must urgently explain what new checks they are putting in place to protect public money from fraud.”

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