Grayling: Spending habits info is publicly available

Employment relations minister Chris Grayling makes the case for using private sector firms to tackle benefit fraudsters on the Today programme:

“The whole point is we are introducing across a number of government activities the principle of payment by results. This is simply another area where we’re saying government should pay people, outside organisations when they get the job done and not simply by being there.

“If you’re a major retailer, you can get access to extensive consumer data on the market that will tell you your spending patterns. Why should government not use the same tools that are available to independent organisations? This is data that’s publicly available, that’s publicly on sale, that is available… to set out spending patterns, what loans you’ve taken out, what your overall patterns of spending in your life are.

“If there is a huge mismatch between the way you’re living your life and the amount of money you’re supposed to be receiving from the state and benefits, surely it’s right and proper we should be saying how’s that happening?”