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Information Technology (Euro)

Mrs. Anne Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what tenders his Department has put out to convert its information technology systems to be euro-compliant; what are the cost and person hours required to convert the systems to handle the euro; and when he expects his Department's systems to be fully economic and monetary union compliant. [9456]

Mr. Burt: This Department and its agencies will need to assess the impact which a single currency, assumed to be starting on 1 January 1999, would have on their information systems, whether or not the United Kingdom decides to participate in the third stage of economic and monetary union.

18 Dec 1996 : Column: 767

Staff

Mr. Hain: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many (a) permanent and (b) non-permanent staff there have been in (i) his Department and (ii) executive agencies of his Department in each year since 1992. [9627]

Mr. Burt: The information is in the tables.

18 Dec 1996 : Column: 768

	Permanent	Non-permanent
1 April 1992	78,277	2,985
1 April 1993	84,825	4,782
1 April 1994	87,134	5,536
1 April 1995	89,496	4,929
1 April 1996	91,536	4,501

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	Benefits agency		Contributions agency		Child support agency		Information technology services agency		Resettlement agency		War pensions agency
	Permanent	Non- permanent	Permanent	Non- permanent	Permanent	Non- permanent	Permanent	Non- permanent	Permanent	Non- permanent	Permanent	Non- permanent
1 April 1992	62,764	2,453	8,307	195	--	--	4,072	219	462	22	--	--
1 April 1993	64,056	3,562	9,370	331	2,937	42	4,069	501	359	23	--	--
1 April 1994	63,897	3,922	9,821	209	4,752	495	3,998	611	276	48	1,495	146
1 April 1995	66,687	3,473	8,889	491	5,974	205	3,540	387	133	5	1,295	263
1 April 1996	71,627	3,097	7,463	569	6,528	277	1,954	361	--	--	1,226	72

1. Staff on a fixed term appointment are included as permanent staff. 2. Numbers of staff are expressed as full-time equivalents.

3. Child Support Agency was launched on 1 April 1993.

4. War Pensions Agency was launched on 1 April 1994.

5. Resettlement Agency ceased to exist on 31 March 1996.

18 Dec 1996 : Column: 767

Benefits Inquiry Line

Mr. Steinberg: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proposals he has to reinstate the benefits inquiry line. [8074]

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. Gerry Steinberg, dated 16 December 1996:

The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what proposals he as to re-instate the Benefits Enquiry Line.

I assume your question refers to the Benefits Agency Freeline which closed in July of this year. There are currently no plans to re-instate this service. However, the Benefit Enquiry Line (BEL) for people with disabilities remains open and continues to operate as normal.

BEL is a confidential advice line providing general information about all Social Security benefits to people with disabilities, their carers and representatives. Help can also be given to complete some disability benefit claim forms.

Customers who require help or advice can contact BEL by telephoning 0800 882200. Deaf or hearing impaired customers who have access to a textphone can call on 0800 243355.

I hope you find this reply helpful.

Child Benefit

Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 2 December, Official Report, column 501, how many new awards there were in each year since 1980 for (a) child benefit and (b) one-parent benefit; and what data are kept by his Department on the number of claims for these benefits which do not result in an award of benefit. [8192]

Mr. Andrew Mitchell [holding answer 10 December 1996]: The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the tables.

18 Dec 1996 : Column: 768

New awards of CHB 1980-1995: number of children

	Thousands
1980	1,093
1981	968
1982	1,020
1983	1,009
1985	1,003
1986	1,022
1987	1,033
1988	1,041
1989	997
1990	1,062
1991	1,063
1992	1,025
1993	1,000
1994	992
1995	981

1. Data is not available for 1984 due to industrial action in that year.

2. The figures include claims made on the birth of a child, claims from families entering Great Britain and repeat claims following a period of disentitlement.

3. Figures based on a 4 per cent. sample to and including March 1994, thereafter a 1 per cent. sample.

4. There are no reliable data on the numbers of claims which do not result in award, and no information on the reasons for such disallowances.

New awards of OPB 1988-1995: number of families

	Thousands
1988	136
1989	139
1990	155
1991	153
1992	156
1993	152
1994	146
1995	176

1. Figures based on a 4 per cent. sample to and including March 1994, thereafter a 1 per cent. sample.

2. Data on one-parent benefit awards is not available before 1988.

3. There are no reliable data on the numbers of claims which do not result in an award, and no information on the reasons for such disallowances.

18 Dec 1996 : Column: 769

Income Support Computer System

Mr. Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what information is conveyed to claimants about their claim by the income support computer system used by the Benefits Agency; [9036]

(2) what information is provided to claimants who are notified of a mortgage interest direct overpayment in respect of (i) why the overpayment occurred, (ii) how much was overpaid and (iii) when and how recovery will be effected; [9038]

(3) on whose responsibility changes are made to the income support computer system; what plans there are for such changes; and, in each case, what is their priority. [9037]

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. Andrew Smith, dated 16 December 1996:

The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions asking what information is conveyed to claimants about their claim by the Income Support Computer System (ISCS) used by the BA; what information is provided to claimants who are notified of a mortgage interest direct overpayment in respect of (i) why the overpayment occurred, (ii) how much was overpaid and (iii) when and how recovery will be effected; on whose responsibility changes are made to the ISCS; what plans there are for such changes; and in each case, what is their priority.

The ISCS issues award notifications following an initial claim for benefit and on relevant changes of circumstances. These notifications inform the customer of the Adjudication Officer's decision, explain how the award has been calculated, the method of payment and their right of appeal.

18 Dec 1996 : Column: 770

The ISCS also notifies a customer when, on behalf of the Secretary of State, Income Support housing costs are to be deducted from the award, for direct payment to the mortgage lender, mortgage interest direct (MID).

In the event of a MID overpayment of £25.00 or less the amount is recovered from the Lender by adjusting the subsequent MID payments. The ISCS automatically issues notifications to the customer and the lender. The customer notification details how the overpayment has occurred, the amount overpaid and how recovery will be made, example at Annex A. Procedural guidance is available in the Income Support Guide for Housing Costs. I have arranged for a copy to be placed in the Library.

Overpayments of more than £25.00 are repaid by the lender in a lump sum. In these circumstances clerical notifications are issued to both the customer and the lender. Again, the customer notification details how the overpayment has occurred, the amount overpaid and how recovery will be made, example at Annex B.

Decisions on whether to commission changes to the BA computer systems are my responsibility and that of my management team. These decisions are based on the business requirement and analysis of alternative solutions within the capacity available. Priority is normally given to enhancements in respect of legislative changes and other unavoidable and essential work.

The ISCS work programme to the end of 1997 includes enhancements to allow payments of the new Child Maintenance Bonus; to transfer records of unemployed customers to the Jobseeker's Allowance Payment System; to introduce a payment card facility; to improve accounting data and to implement changes to One Parent Benefit and the Lone Parent Premium announced in the recent Budget. All these changes are regarded as essential.

I hope you find this reply helpful.

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