Probably a pointless post but I just want to put my niggles down about recent instructions.

Mother and son respective DWP and LA fraud officers in a joint investigation - never come across that before. I assume it's acceptable but it's a bit like "cheese CAKE" - just not reet!

Client's had overpayment decisions from both JCP and LA before they'd even been interviewed under caution - another new one on me.

So what was the point of the IUC then?

Rather reminds me of the Government Minister (quite a few years ago - I think it was Conservative then) who answered a question by saying "I'm quite prepared to listen to anything that supports the conclusion to which I've come."!

creepy, isn't it? you don't suppose there's a secret breeding programme...?

Is that like the DWP's version of McMillan and Wife. For anyone under 40 just look up the 1970's.

I would prefer to think of them as the father and son characters in Hot Fuzz, don't know why other than i keeping getting these surreal thoughts about it.

What the hell is Hot Fuzz? Or dare I ask?

"What the hell is Hot Fuzz? Or dare I ask?"

A Film, paul, very good apparently...

Thanks Claire. Thats something of a relief. I was starting to get a bit overheated there; my imagination starting to run away with me.

I can see this going along similar lines as Mike's stiff man post

Paul, Hot Fuzz is a surreal comedy giving a great insight into rural policing, neighbourhood watch schemes, and Cake culture, made by the same people who made Shawn of the Dead (watch that too) and Space(d) a Channel 4 comedy from a few years ago.

Apparently it appeals to 30/40/50 something slackers/ex festival types, outdoor/warehouse party types from bygone times, graphic designers, animators, muso's,gardening types, social care types, alternative healy types, dodgy car sales wotsits,Travellers and Gypy worker oh and welfs too according to a simple straw poll we've conducted.

On a serious note, I think it's unwise to use close relatives as co-investigators. If nothing else it has an appearance of bias which might undermine the credibility of their evidence.

The DWP's internal Code of Conduct and Good Practice for Investigators (which I obtained using FoI Act) states (at para 9) that investigators "...must declare any circumstances or interests that may affect their ability to conduct an investigation objectively, including but not limited to any relationship to or with a suspect, witness or informant or any personal interest in the outcome of an investigation or other civil or criminal proceedings".

I think this is broad enough to mean that parents and children should not jointly investigate cases.

It would be worth making further enquiries about whether such a declaration of interest was made and to seek disclosure of records concerning it.

I'll go along those lines Neil - and thank you for your input. If it's ok I'll have to get back to you about it as I hold my hands up that I wouldn't know what to do next apart from flag it up at appeal.