OFFENCES

Clause 17

Time Limit for Proceedings in Scotland

Background

186.     Part VI (Inspection and Offences) of the Social Security Administration Act 1992 makes provisions for enforcement, and contains a number of specific offences relating to benefit fraud. Section 111A of the Social Security Administration Act 1992 (dishonest representations for obtaining benefit) was inserted by section 13 of the Social Security Administration (Fraud) Act 1997. At the same time, paragraph 5 of Schedule 1 to the 1997 Act amended section 116 of the Social Security Administration Act 1992 (legal proceedings) to disapply provisions concerning limitation for the purposes of prosecutions under section 111A of the Social Security Administration Act 1992.

187.     Subsection (2) of section 116 provides that proceedings for an offence under the Social Security Administration Act 1992 may be begun at any time within a period of three months from the date on which evidence sufficient to justify a prosecution for the offence comes to the Secretary of State's knowledge (or that of the relevant authority in the case of Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit cases), or within a period of 12 months from the commission of the offence, whichever is the later date. The Social Security Administration (Fraud) Act 1997 modified this general rule by inserting subsection (2A) which provides that subsection (2) shall not be taken to impose any restriction on the time when proceedings may be begun for an offence under section 111A above.

188.     Subsection (7) of section 116 of the Social Security Administration Act 1992 modifies the application of that section as it applies to Scotland, and remained unamended by the Social Security Administration (Fraud) Act 1997. It provides limitations as to the time in which a prosecution must be brought in relation to proceedings under the Social Security Administration Act 1992.

189.     No provision equivalent to subsection (2A) of section 116 was made in the 1997 Act for the purposes of prosecutions in Scotland.

The measures in the Act

190.     This measure corrects the omission by disapplying the time limitations specified in subsection (7) of section 116 of the Social Security Administration Act 1992 in relation to prosecutions under section 111A of that Act in Scotland.

COMMENTARY ON CLAUSE 17

191.     The clause amends section 116 (7) of the Social Security Administration Act 1992 which provides time limits for the commencement of proceedings in Scotland. The effect of the amendment is to prevent those time limits from applying in relation to offences under section 111A of that Act.

COMMENCEMENT

192.     All provisions are to come into force by commencement orders.

HANSARD REFERENCES

Stage	Date	Hansard references
HOUSE OF LORDS
Introduction	18 December 2000	Vol 620, col 574
Second Reading	16 January 2001	vol. 620, col 1037-1091
Committee	1 February and 6 February 2001(2 sittings)	Vol.621, col 810-865 and vol 621, col 1049 - 1120
Report	27 February 2001	vol 622, col 1082- 1157
Third Reading	8 March 2001	vol 623, col 316 - 340
HOUSE OF COMMONS
Introduction	12 March 2001
Second Reading	27 March 2001	vol 365, col 857930
Committee	3 April 2001, 5 April 2001 and 9 April 2001	Standing Committee A
Third Reading and Report	1 May 2001	vol 367, col 760 - 814
ROYAL ASSENT	11 May 2001	House of Commons vol 368, col 406 House of Lords vol 620, col 573 -574