| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Benefits Agency Medical Service
Mr. Alan Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many (a) full-time doctors, (b) part-time doctors and (c) civil servants are expected to be employed by the successful bidders for the Benefits Agency medical service; [36912]
- (2) how many (a) adjudication officers and (b) clerical officers are expected to (i) be relocated within the Benefits Agency, (ii) be employed by the contractor and (iii) be made redundant, as a result of the contractorisation of the Benefits Agency medical service. [36900]
16 Jul 1996 : Column: 509
Mr. Burt: During the course of the contractorisation of the Benefits Agency medical service, all permanent administrative civil servants will have to indicate whether they wish to transfer to the private sector or wish to be redeployed within the Department of Social Security. This options exercise is due to take place towards the end of the year, and until the results are known it is impossible to give definitive numbers of staff who will be either redeployed, relocated or transferred to the private sector.
All doctors, whether full or part-time, and all administrative staff employed on a casual basis or on fixed-term appointments, are expected to transfer to the successful bidder or bidders.
No staff will be made redundant as a result of the contractorisation.
Mr. Howarth:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what performance indicators are to be included in the tender for the Benefits Agency medical service. [36906]
Mr. Burt:
Targets and performance indicators for the private sector contractors have not yet been specified.
Mr. Howarth:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if the successful contractor for the Benefits Agency medical service will be responsible for (a) employing doctors on a full-time basis and (b) paying a fee to part-time doctors; and what is the expected administration cost in each case. [36909]
Mr. Burt:
It is expected that the successful contractor or contractors will be responsible for employing full and part-time doctors. It is not possible to detail any future administrative costs, but experience of similar exercises within the Department has identified that efficiencies will be gained in all cost areas of the contract or contracts.
Mr. Howarth:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if the contractorisation of the Benefits Agency medical service includes (a) medical advice and scrutiny, (b) contact with general practitioners for further information about a claimant, (c) medical assessment and examination, (d) disablement questions currently assessed by adjudicating medical authorities and (e) assessment of war pensions. [36901]
Mr. Burt:
The current scope of the undertaking to contractorise the Benefits Agency medical service includes medical advice and scrutiny, contact with general practitioners for further information about a claimant, medical assessment and examination, but does not include disablement questions currently assessed by adjudicating medical authorities, or assessment of war pensions.
16 Jul 1996 : Column: 510
Mr. Alfred Morris:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has received from the Disablement Income Group in regard to the planned closure of the Benefits Agency freeline; what reply he is sending; what action he is taking; and if he will make a statement. [35516]
Mr. Roger Evans:
This is a matter for Peter Mathison, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the right hon. Member.
Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. Alfred Morris, dated 15 July 1996:
Mr. Roger Evans:
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Milton Keynes, North-East (Mr. Butler) on 21 June, Official Report, column 629.
Mr. Dunn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the annual cost in the payment of unemployment benefit for each year since 1989, adjusted for inflation; and what is the predicted figure for the years 1996-97, 1997-98 and 1998-99. [36925]
Mr. Roger Evans:
The information is set out in the tables.
16 Jul 1996 : Column: 509
Mr. Pickthall:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the future of the DSS freeline service. [37407]
The Secretary of State for social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what representations he has received from the Disablement Income Group in regard to the planned closure of the Benefits Agency Freeline; what reply he is sending; what action he is taking; and if he will make a statement.
The BA has received two letters from the Disablement Income Group (DIG) concerning the closure of the BA Freeline, one of which was addressed to the Secretary of State for Social Security and passed to me for reply. I have replied to a letter dated 27 June a copy of which is attached. The second letter was received from DIG in Scotland and has been passed to the Director of Operations with responsibility for Scotland, Mr John Lutton for reply.
The Benefit Enquiry Line for people with disabilities is not affected by the decision to close Freeline. The BA recognises that people with disabilities have special needs and may have difficulties contacting their local office.
The closure of Freeline will allow resources to be refocused so that the customer is in touch with the staff who administer their claims or who can directly link the benefits available with the specific personal details of the customer.
I hope you find this reply helpful.
| Benefit | 1988-89 | 1989-90 | 1990-91 | 1991-92 | 1992-93 | 1993-94 | 1994-95 | 1995-96 | 1996-97 | 1997-98 | 1998-99 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment benefit | 1,107 | 733 | 870 | 1,604 | 1,760 | 1,652 | 1,279 | 1,096 | -- | -- | -- |
| Income support | 3,041 | 2,631 | 2,940 | 4,200 | 5,379 | 5,737 | 5,183 | 5,088 | -- | -- | -- |
| Jobseeker's allowance--contributory based | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1,011 | 652 | 662 |
| Jobseeker's allowance--income based | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 4,670 | 4,900 | 4,956 |
| Social fund | 40 | 25 | 24 | 30 | 31 | 48 | 44 | 51 | 46 | 47 | 46 |
| Housing benefit and council tax benefit | 1,211 | 1,127 | 1,489 | 1,744 | 2,187 | 2,332 | 2,640 | 2,794 | 2,892 | 3,035 | 3,227 |
| Total | 5,399 | 4,516 | 5,323 | 7,578 | 9,357 | 9,769 | 9,146 | 9,029 | 8,618 | 8,634 | 8,892 |
| Benefit | 1988-89 | 1989-90 | 1990-91 | 1991-92 | 1992-93 | 1993-94 | 1994-95 | 1995-96 | 1996-97 | 1997-98 | 1998-99 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment benefit | 1,565 | 970 | 1,065 | 1,848 | 1,948 | 1,777 | 1,350 | 1,126 | -- | -- | -- |
| Income support | 4,302 | 3,478 | 3,599 | 4,838 | 5,955 | 6,171 | 5,472 | 5,228 | -- | -- | -- |
| Jobseeker's allowance-- contributory based | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1,011 | 636 | 632 |
| Jobseeker's allowance--income based | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 4,670 | 4,781 | 4,729 |
| Social fund | 57 | 33 | 29 | 34 | 34 | 52 | 46 | 52 | 46 | 45 | 44 |
| Housing benefit and council tax benefit | 1,713 | 1,490 | 1,822 | 2,009 | 2,421 | 2,508 | 2,787 | 2,870 | 2,892 | 2,961 | 3,079 |
| Total | 7,637 | 5,971 | 6,515 | 8,730 | 10,358 | 10,508 | 9,656 | 9,277 | 8,618 | 8,423 | 8,484 |
16 Jul 1996 : Column: 511
16 Jul 1996 : Column: 511
Industrial Injuries Benefit
Mr. Pickthall: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the future of industrial injuries benefit paid to recipients after retirement age. [37405]
Mr. Roger Evans: There are no plans to change existing arrangements. Industrial injuries benefits are paid to recipients over pensionable age.
Executive Agencies
Lady Olga Maitland: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he will make available the 1995-96 annual reports and accounts for each of his next steps agencies. [37871]
Mr. Lilley: I have today laid before Parliament the 1995-96 annual reports and accounts for the Benefits, Child Support, Contributions, Information Technology Services and War Pensions Agencies. Copies of these, and the Resettlement Agency's final annual report, have been placed in the Library.
Housing Benefit
Mr. Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of (a) the annual value of housing benefit savings, (b) the proportion of this which he expects local authority social services departments to replace and (c) the number of claimants affected by the implementation of the draft Housing Benefit (General) Amendment (No. 2) Regulations 1996. [34113]
Mr. Roger Evans [holding answer 24 June 1996]: The intention behind the proposed amending legislation was to confirm the policy intention, and the effect of existing housing benefit case law, regarding the extent to which housing benefit should meet service charges. This would have only clarified, rather than changed, our policy on the inclusion of service charges in the rent paid by housing benefits.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |