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SOCIAL SECURITY
Child Support Agency
Mr. Pawsey: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of the recent findings contained in the fourth report (HC 380, Session 1995-96) of the Select Committee on the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration in respect of the adequacy of the £100 compensation payment offered by the Child Support Agency for distress and inconvenience caused to alleged absent parents who have been erroneously identified; and what plans he has to raise the level of compensation. [4757]
Mr. Andrew Mitchell: The Government are currently considering the report by the Select Committee on the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration which was published on 29 October 1996, and their response will be published in due course.
Disablement Benefit
Mr. Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will provide data on the number of claims for disablement benefit which are adjudicated upon within 33 days and 66 days in respect of (a) industrial accident claims, (b) prescribed diseases and (c) respiratory diseases, (i) nationally, (ii) for the east midlands region, (iii) for (1) North Derbyshire, (2) North Nottinghamshire, (3) Mid Derbyshire and (4) South Derbyshire benefit offices; and if he will list the waiting times in respect of assessments for disablement benefit for each of the above categories. [5044]
Mr. Roger Evans: The administration of industrial injuries disablement benefit 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. Tony Benn, dated 26 November 1996:
Figures are provisional and subject to change.
East Midlands has been taken to include the following Benefit Agency Districts: Central Derbyshire, Central Staffordshire, Chesterfield and Worksop, North Leicestershire, North Nottinghamshire, North Staffordshire, Nottingham Trentside, South Derbyshire, South Humberside, South Leicestershire, Wash Coast and West Lincolnshire.
North Derbyshire comprises the Chesterfield and Worksop District.
North Nottinghamshire comprises the North Nottinghamshire District.
Mid Derbyshire comprises the Central Derbyshire District.
South Derbyshire comprises the South Derbyshire District.
27 Nov 1996 : Column: 313
27 Nov 1996 : Column: 313
The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking if he will provide data on the number of claims for Disablement Benefit which are adjudicated upon within 33 days and 66 days in respect of (a) industrial accident claims, (b) prescribed diseases and (c) respiratory diseases, (i) nationally, (ii) for the East Midlands Region, (iii) for (1) North Derbyshire, (2) North Nottinghamshire, (3) Mid Derbyshire and (4) South Derbyshire benefit offices; and if he will list the waiting times in respect of assessments for Disablement Benefit for each of the above categories.
The information is not available in the format requested. The current targets for clearance of Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit claims are 60% within 85 days and 90% within 175 days. Statistics are kept for Benefits Agency Districts, not by geographical regions. Information on respiratory diseases and waiting times in respect of assessments is not available separately.
The information available is shown in the attached table.
I hope you find this reply helpful.
National East Midlands North Derbyshire North Nottinghamshire Mid Derbyshire South Derbyshire Industrial accident
Number cleared within 85 days 14,015 1,394 169 136 102 88
(percentage) (70.3) (57.2) (51.5) (50.7) (49.8) (57.1)
Number cleared within 175 days 19,009 2,258 297 243 177 141
(percentage) (95.3) (92.2) (90.5) (90.7) (86.3) (91.6)
Prescribed diseases Number cleared within 85 days 16,568 1,247 206 289 59 61
(percentage) (60.9) (57.1) (54.2) (53.7) (53.2) (62.2)
Number cleared within 175 days 28,124 2,083 362 507 102 88
(percentage) (96.0) (92.3) (95.3) (94.2) (91.9) (89.8)
Freephone Services (Wales)
Mr. Donald Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many officials in Wales are employed (a) on the freeline service and (b) on the benefit fraud hotline. [5112]
Mr. Roger Evans: No staff are employed on the freeline service in Wales. The freeline closed on 12 July 1996.
The national benefit fraud hotline is operated from one call centre in Preston. It is staffed by an equivalent of 33 full-time staff with a total of 55 lines.
Benefits Agency Offices (Wales)
Mr. Donald Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Pendle (Mr. Prentice) of 12 November, Official Report, column 207, what proposals he has to ensure the dissemination of advice and information following the proposed closure of local district information offices and public caller offices in Wales. [5123]
Mr. Roger Evans: This is an operational matter for Peter Mathison, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. Donald Anderson, dated 26 November 1996:
The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking pursuant to his Answer to the honourable Member for Pendle of 12 November, Official Report, column 207, what proposals he has to ensure the dissemination of advice and information following the proposed closure of local district information offices and public caller offices in Wales.
27 Nov 1996 : Column: 314
Mr. Chris Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to the answer of 11 November, Official Report, column 85, what further discussions he has held in respect of the proposal to close the Benefits Agency out of hours service; and what assessment he has made of the impact the closure will have on the health of recipients. [5468]
Mr. Roger Evans:
The administration of income support 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. Chris Smith, dated 26 November 1996:
Mr. Donald Anderson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many visiting officers are employed on residual visiting duties excluding targeting review visits in Wales at the latest available date. [5114]
27 Nov 1996 : Column: 315
Mr. Roger Evans:
This is an operational matter for Peter Mathison, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. Donald Anderson, dated 26 November 1996:
Mr. Jim Cunningham:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the cost to his Department of Benefits Agency participation in the Spotlight on Benefit Cheats campaign. [5859]
Mr. Heald:
The total cost of the first phase of Spotlight on Benefit Cheats campaigns, which ran between April and September 1996, was approximately £5 million. The campaigns were led by the Benefits Agency, and funds were met from the BA security and control programme. The BA's operational costs were approximately £3 million.
The total cost of the second phase of Spotlight on Benefit Cheats campaigns, which is running during November 1996, will be approximately £3 million. The campaigns are led by the BA and funds were met from the BA security and control programme. The BA operational costs will be approximately £2 million.
Mr. Cunningham:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what funding his Department provided to the police to take part in the Spotlight on Benefit Cheats campaign. [5860]
Mr. Heald:
The Department provided no funding for the police to take part in the Spotlight on Benefit Cheats campaign.
Mr. Cunningham:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the cost to his Department of the Contributions Agency participation in the Spotlight on Benefit Cheats campaign. [5861]
Mr. Heald:
The Contributions Agency's involvement in the first phase of the Spotlight on Benefit Cheats campaign cost £200,000.
It is estimated that the Contributions Agency's involvement in the second phase of Spotlight will cost £180,000.
27 Nov 1996 : Column: 316
Mr. Cunningham:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what funding his Department offered Coventry council to take part in the Spotlight on Benefit Cheats campaign. [5862]
Mr. Heald:
Coventry council was not offered any funding to participate in the Spotlight on Benefit Cheats campaign other than via the normal subsidy regime.
The Benefits Agency in Wales is looking carefully at the most efficient and effective way of providing advice services. Proposals focus on an improved telephone service and caller appointment facility, backed up by home visits in appropriate cases.
I hope you find this reply helpful.
The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking pursuant to his reply of 11th November, Official Report, column 86, what further discussions he has held in respect of the proposal to close the Benefits Agency out-of-hours service; and what assessment he has made of the impact the closure will have on the health of recipients.
The meeting with the Department of Health and the Scottish Office took place on 6 November. The Department of Environment were not represented. The financial implications of the proposed closure of Out-of-Hours Service were fully discussed and the Department of Health and the Scottish Office took the issues away for further analysis. We are currently awaiting their written response.
All relevant factors and information will be considered before the decision on the future level of the service is made.
I hope you find this reply helpful.
The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many visiting officers since the inception of the Benefits Agency are employed on residual visiting duties excluding targeting review visits in Wales at the latest available date.
As at 19 November, the Benefits Agency in Wales employed the equivalent of 18.25 full time posts on any necessary residual visiting duties. This does not include home visits connected with the Security Strategy.
I hope you find this reply helpful.
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