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Day Care Services
Mr. Mallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many elderly people attended the statutory day care facilities at (i) Loanda house, Newry and (ii) Millview, Bessbrook, prior to their closure; of these, how many have been assessed as needing day care services; how many have been offered alternative facilities; of these, how many have been unable to avail themselves of the alternative facilities; and for what reasons. [1774]
Mr. Moss: The information requested is as follows:
- Loanda House
Twelve elderly people attended Loanda house before it closed. All were assessed as needing day care services and offered alternative services. Two of the 12 have been unable to avail themselves of the offer due to failing health.
Millview (Bessbrook)
Eighteen elderly people attended Millview prior to its closure. Eight were assessed as needing day care services and offered alternative services in Newry. Five refused the offer due to the extra travel involved, one accepted the offer and two have not indicated their decision as yet.
Disability Living Allowance
Mr. Mallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people in receipt of disability living allowance have had their awards terminated following an examining medical practitioner's report in each of the past 24 months. [1775]
Mr. Moss: Responsibility for the subject has been delegated to the Social Security Agency under its chief executive, Mr. Alec Wylie. I have asked him to arrange for a response to be given.
Letter from Gerry Keenan to Mr. Seamus Mallon, dated 1 November 1996:
6 Nov 1996 : Column: 564
Records only indicate the number of disallowances where an EMP report was considered to be the main evidence on which the decision was based. Other evidence such as GP reports etc. could have been held also.
Your recent Parliamentary Question on Disability Living Allowance has been passed to Mr Wylie, Chief Executive of the Social Security Agency for reply. As Mr Wylie is on leave, I am replying on his behalf.
You asked how many people in receipt of Disability Living Allowance have had their awards terminated following an Examining Medical Practitioner's (EMP) report in each of the past 24 months. Specific records are not maintained on the actual number of claims which were terminated where an Examining Medical Practitioner's report had been requested. However I can supply information on the number of claims disallowed on review or at renewal stage where an Examining Medical Practitioner's report was considered to be the main evidence on which the decision was based and this is illustrated in the attached table.
I hope this explains the position to you and I would be happy to provide you with any further information you require.
Mr. Mallon:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many appeals against disability living allowance decisions have been heard in each of the past 24 months; and of these how many were (i) allowed, (ii) disallowed and (iii) deferred. [1776]
Month Number of EMP visits Number of claims disallowed on review Number of claims disallowed at renewal stage Total disallowed October 1994 1,804 120 32 152
November 1994 2,177 177 59 236
December 1994 1,481 66 41 107
January 1995 1,890 161 65 226
February 1995 1,894 168 75 243
March 1995 2,024 139 54 193
April 1995 1,581 68 36 104
May 1995 1,655 108 48 156
June 1995 1,598 128 65 193
July 1995 1,079 86 42 128
August 1995 1,551 95 41 136
September 1995 1,831 140 61 201
October 1995 1,861 152 83 235
November 1995 1,616 119 66 185
December 1995 1,161 58 41 99
January 1996 1,397 146 48 194
February 1996 1,089 106 43 149
March 1996 972 77 43 120
April 1996 998 77 25 102
May 1996 1,186 68 26 94
June 1996 953 58 27 85
July 1996 723 66 23 89
August 1996 910 85 29 114
September 1996 793 55 32 87
Total 34,260 2,523 1,105 3,628
Mr. Moss: Responsibility for the subject has been delegated to the Social Security Agency under its chief executive, Mr. Alex Wylie. I have asked him to arrange for a response to be given.
Letter from Gerry Keenan to Mr. Seamus Mallon, dated 1 November 1996:
Your recent Parliamentary Question on Disability Living Allowance has been passed to the Chief Executive of the Social Security Agency, Mr. Wylie for reply. As he is on leave, I am replying on his behalf.
6 Nov 1996 : Column: 565
Mr. Mallon:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what financial assistance is available for visits to prisoners by their immediate relatives in respect of (i) travel, (ii) accommodation, (iii) subsistence and (iv) other costs; and if he will give the rates for that assistance where the prison is situated in (a) Scotland and (b) England or Wales. [1777]
6 Nov 1996 : Column: 566
Sir John Wheeler:
Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Northern Ireland Prison Service under its chief executive, Mr. Alan Shannon. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Alan Shannon to Mr. Seamus Mallon, dated 6 November 1996:
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to the Parliamentary Question which you tabled about the availability of financial assistance for visits to prisoners by their immediate relatives, where the prison is situated in Scotland or England and Wales.
Mr. Mallon:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations he has received in relation to the use of the Northern Ireland partnership database by a support group of the Ulster Unionist party. [1779]
Mr. Ancram:
I have not received any representation from a support group of the Ulster Unionist party regarding the use of the Northern Ireland partnership database.
6 Nov 1996 : Column: 567
Mr. Cohen:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much money was paid to general practitioners through payments for ensuring the provision of maternity care for the years 1992-93, 1993-94 and 1994-95 by (i) trust, (ii) region and (iii) health authority; and if he will make a statement. [132]
Mr. Malone:
Details of the amounts paid by the former family health services authorities to general practitioners for providing maternity medical services in 1992-93, 1993-94 and 1994-95 will be placed in the Library.
You asked how many appeals against Disability Living Allowance decisions have been heard in each of the past 24 months; and of these how many were allowed, disallowed or deferred. The information is set out on the attached table. I should point out that the decisions of the Appeal Tribunal are not normally notified to Disability Living Allowance Branch in the month that they are heard. Therefore the figures in column one of the table refer to the month in which the decision was received in the Branch and this is how our statistics are maintained.
I hope this explains the position to you and I would be happy to provide any further information you require.
Month decisions notified to DLA Branch Number of tribunal decisions Number disallowed Number allowed Number adjourned November 1994 174 97 70 7
December 1994 198 114 84 --
January 1995 247 153 82 12
February 1995 178 102 63 13
March 1995 232 121 94 17
April 1995 243 136 94 13
May 1995 251 136 89 26
June 1995 190 109 69 12
July 1995 227 133 82 12
August 1995 139 87 42 10
September 1995 389 259 124 6
October 1995 257 164 83 10
November 1995 389 252 132 5
December 1995 249 156 88 5
January 1996 345 227 108 10
February 1996 411 258 149 4
March 1996 307 192 104 11
April 1996 279 166 105 8
May 1996 221 136 81 4
June 1996 221 132 77 12
July 1996 214 114 89 11
August 1996 238 170 63 5
September 1996 260 184 69 7
October 1996 176 115 55 6
Total 6,035 3,713 2,096 226
Close relatives of prisoners, who qualify for assistance under Social Security regulations, receive the return fare to the prison by the cheapest route for 2 visits every 4 weeks. Payments are made on behalf of the Northern Ireland Prison Service by the Social Security Agency through the claimant's local Social Security Office by means of a giro cheque and travel warrant. Travel is normally by bus, train and ferry; in exceptional circumstances the cost of travel by taxi or air may be met.
In addition to meet the cost of travel, where overnight accommodation and main meals are necessary, the following rates apply:
Bed and breakfast accommodation
£15.00 per night (adult rate)
£10.00 per night (child rate)
Accommodation only
£12.40 per night (adult rate)
£7.40 per night (child rate)
Main meals
£2.60 per meal (adult and child rate)
I hope this is helpful.
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