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Benefit Claims

Mr. Hinchliffe: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what guidance has been issued to agents of his Department when assessing benefit claims for (a) myalgic encephalomyelitis and (b) fibromyalgia sufferers. [15748]

Mr. Burt: This is a matter for Peter Mathison, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. David Hinchliffe, dated 21 February 1996:

The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what guidance has been issued to agents of his Department when assessing benefit claims for (a) Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) and (b) fibromyalgia sufferers.
The Benefits Agency (BA) employs doctors through the BA Medical Services, who are trained in all physical, sensory and mental conditions including ME and fibromyalgia. Entitlement to benefit is decided by independent adjudication officers, who can seek the opinion of these doctors.
Various publications containing procedural guidance on the processing of claims are available to BA staff. These include Background Information on Incapacity for Work and the Disability Handbook which provide information on specific disabilities including ME and fibromyalgia, additionally they advise staff when to seek guidance from BAMS. The Disability Handbook is currently being redrafted following discussions with the ME Association. The Short Term Benefits Guide also provides procedural guidance regarding ME and fibromyalgia for BA staff.
I hope you find this reply helpful.

22 Feb 1996 : Column: 292

Incapacity Benefit

Mr. Chris Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many of those failing to attend the medical examination for incapacity benefit applied on the basis of mental health problems; and what percentage of the total this represents; [15867]

(2) how many of those failing to return the incapacity benefit questionnaire are applying on the basis of mental health problems; and what percentage of the total this represents. [15866]

(3) how many of those appealing against the result of the all-work test for incapacity benefit applied for the benefit on the basis of mental health problems; and what percentage of the total this represents. [15865]

Mr. Burt: The information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Long-term Sick and Disabled People

Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Bradford, North (Mr. Rooney) on 12 February 1996, Official Report, column 476, if he will represent the data in real terms, and to what extent the increase in the number of long-term sick and disabled is due to (a) the number of claimants to existing schemes, (b) new claimants to new benefits and (c) an increase in the real value of benefits. [15828]

Mr. Burt: The information is set out in the table.

22 Feb 1996 : Column: 291

£ million

Year	1978-79	1985-86	1989-90	1994-95
Long-term sick and disabled(35)	1,770	5,220	8,420	19,600
Long-term sick and disabled(36)	5,162	8,095	10,544	19,600

(35) Figures are in cash prices.

(36) Figures are in real-terms (1994-95 prices).

22 Feb 1996 : Column: 291

An explanation of increases in expenditure is not available in the format requested. The increases are due to increasing caseloads and average amounts. Individuals may also be entitled to receive more than one benefit from within this group.

In 1992 disability living allowance and disability working allowance were introduced, which added £3,129 million to expenditure in 1994-95. The increase in the real value of benefits from 1978-79 to 1994-95 accounts for a further £3,392 million.

22 Feb 1996 : Column: 292

Fraud, Northumberland

Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Blyth Valley (Mr. Campbell) on 12 February 1996, Official Report, column 471, if he will give (a) equivalent figures for Newcastle upon Tyne and (b) the sums of benefit subject to recovery. [16150]

Mr. Heald: The information is in the table. Figures for organised fraud investigations are not available locally.

22 Feb 1996 : Column: 291

	Number of cases where fraud established	Benefit savings	Prosecutions	Overpayments
1994-95	2,345	£4,324,451	149	£58,309
1995-31 January 1996	1,518	£4,402,524	104	£124,201

22 Feb 1996 : Column: 291

Bronchitis and Emphysema Report

Mr. Tipping: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he received the report from the industrial injuries advisory Council on chronic bronchitis and emphysema; if he will place a copy in the Library; when he expects to respond to the advisory Council's report; and if he will make a statement. [15749]

22 Feb 1996 : Column: 292

Mr. Roger Evans: The report has not yet been received. I understand that the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council expects to submit it within the next few weeks. A copy will be placed in the Library when the report is published, normally within three months of receipt.

The Government will consider carefully any recommendations the council may make.

22 Feb 1996 : Column: 293

Housing Benefit

Mr. Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what has been (a) the total level of housing benefit paid out and (b) the number of recipients in each London borough for each of the past five years. [15931]

Mr. Roger Evans: The available information is set out in the tables:

Table 1: Average number of housing benefit recipients in London boroughs

	1989-90	1990-91	1991-92	1992-93	1993-94
Barking and Dagenham	8,500	14,300	14,600	15,400	16,400
Barnet	8,500	13,200	14,800	16,900	19,000
Bexley	5,300	8,300	8,900	9,900	10,000
Brent	14,200	18,500	22,200	27,200	32,000
Bromley	7,800	12,400	13,500	14,600	15,600
Camden	16,300	23,400	25,900	30,800	32,600
City of London	700	900	600	1,100	1,100
Croydon	10,700	16,800	20,000	22,100	23,700
Ealing	12,400	18,600	16,900	20,400	24,300
Enfield	9,000	14,200	15,500	17,300	18,000
Greenwich	12,700	18,800	21,000	23,900	25,500
Hackney	21,200	25,900	32,300	35,500	37,500
Hammersmith and Fulham	12,600	17,200	18,700	20,500	22,500
Haringey	16,900	31,100	35,800	37,500	38,500
Harrow	4,100	6,900	7,800	9,100	10,000
Havering	5,800	9,900	10,400	10,800	13,900
Hillingdon	5,600	10,100	11,500	13,400	14,800
Hounslow	7,000	10,600	10,500	12,000	16,700
Islington	16,000	23,900	27,300	27,100	30,100
Kensington and Chelsea	9,500	11,400	13,200	15,500	17,600
Kingston upon Thames	3,100	6,000	6,300	6,800	7,400
Lambeth	22,400	29,600	34,700	37,900	42,800
Lewisham	19,600	31,400	34,100	33,000	36,100
Merton	5,400	9,900	10,900	11,600	12,100
Newham	15,800	27,500	29,600	34,800	35,800
Redbridge	6,300	10,300	11,100	12,300	13,500
Richmond upon Thames	4,500	8,000	8,100	8,700	9,600
Southwark	20,600	26,500	30,200	35,300	40,600
Sutton	4,700	8,200	8,900	9,600	10,300
Tower Hamlets	19,800	26,500	28,600	30,400	32,100
Waltham Forest	11,600	15,700	17,600	19,400	19,300
Wandsworth	16,300	24,800	26,300	29,500	29,700
Westminster	11,200	16,500	18,600	20,200	22,400

Source:

Housing Benefit Management Information System.

Figures given are an average of four quarters in each year.

Table 2: Housing benefit expenditure in London boroughs£ millions

	1989-90	1990-91	1991-92	1992-93	1993-94
Barking and Dagenham	10.300	12.600	17.200	21,600	28.000
Barnet	19.500	24.500	32.100	44.100	59.500
Bexley	8.900	10.800	14.100	20.100	26.900
Brent	42.600	50.900	63.500	85.700	110.100
Bromley	17.400	21.000	27.600	34.000	41.600
Camden	41.200	53.900	67.100	87.300	104.700
City of London	1.400	1.700	2.000	2.400	2.800
Croydon	21.200	29.900	46.700	58.200	73.900
Ealing	36.000	41.600	56.600	78.900	104.800
Enfield	21.900	27.000	37.100	45.800	52.400
Greenwich	27.200	30.900	44.000	55.700	67.300
Hackney	40.000	58.200	89.000	114.500	144.200
Hammersmith and Fulham	33.600	36.600	48.200	57.300	69.900
Haringey	53.000	41.300	105.400	117.300	131.400
Harrow	10.200	13.100	19.500	26.300	33.900
Havering	11.000	14.000	16.100	20.100	24.900
Hillingdon	11.900	15.300	23.900	35.000	45.900
Hounslow	13.900	15.800	23.100	33.700	44.700
Islington	33.300	42.100	66.500	75.400	94.300
Kensington and Chelsea	21.300	24.100	34.700	48.700	64.600
Kingston upon Thames	8.000	10.200	14.400	18.500	23.700
Lambeth	40.400	47.600	66.900	90.600	114.300
Lewisham	33.300	41.900	54.800	68.000	86.000
Merton	12.500	18.100	24.700	29.700	34.500
Newham	33.300	47.600	64.100	81.100	105.300
Redbridge	17.200	25.100	35.500	44.400	50.300
Richmond upon Thames	9.700	12.300	16.600	21.400	26.100
Southwark	42.900	97.400	70.000	92.600	108.200
Sutton	9.800	11.700	16.600	21.000	25.400
Tower Hamlets	44.200	50.100	70.000	70.000	70.300
Waltham Forest	20.000	24.900	36.100	45.300	54.000
Wandsworth	38.800	46.800	62.800	79.300	98.100
Westminster	35.700	43.200	61.600	88.700	114.200

Sources:

Audited accounts provided to the Departments of Social Security and Environment.

Audited accounts for 1994-95 are not yet available.

22 Feb 1996 : Column: 294

Mr. Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the total cost of administration of housing benefit for each London borough in the last financial year; and what proportion of this was borne by central Government for each borough. [15932]

Mr. Evans: The latest available information is set out in the table.

£ thousand

London borough	Administration costs
Barking and Dagenham	643
Barnet	2,411
Bexley	510
Brent	3,149
Bromley	1,466
Camden	4,722
City	205
Croydon	1,784
Ealing	2,946
Enfield	2,383
Greenwich	2,923
Hackney	2,872
Hammersmith and Fulham	3,192
Haringey	2,561
Harrow	885
Havering	453
Hillingdon	1,724
Hounslow	2,264
Islington	3,111
Kensington and Chelsea	2,971
Kingston upon Thames	596
Lambeth	3,694
Lewisham	3,618
Merton	612
Newham	3,698
Redbridge	1,330
Richmond upon Thames	737
Southwark	2,543
Sutton	774
Tower Hamlets	2,039
Waltham Forest	1,903
Wandsworth	1,815
Westminster	5,224

Note:

No figures are available for the proportion of Housing Benefit administration costs met by Central Government. This is because half of the subsidy is distributed by the Department for the Environment, via the Revenue Support Grant. This does not specify the exact amount attributable to Housing Benefit.

Source:

Department for the Environment return 'RO4 Housing Benefit, Sports and Other' 1994-95.

22 Feb 1996 : Column: 295

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