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Benefit Fraud
Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the cost of benefit fraud in the most recent year for which figures are available; and what estimate he has made of the likely savings which will accrue from the initiative "Spotlight on Benefit Cheats". [14696]
Mr. Heald: The overall annual level of detected and undetected benefit fraud is currently estimated at approximately £4 billion.
Phase I of the spotlight campaigns, which ran from April to September 1996, generated more than £44 million in benefit savings. Phase II, which ran during November 1996, has generated £40.4 million. Phase III began on 3 February 1997.
Earnings Top-up
Mr. Alan Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the cost of the earnings top-up during its piloting stage; and if he will estimate the annual costs of a national scheme. [15073]
Mr. Roger Evans: The earnings top-up pilot is expected to cost a total of £65 million over three years. Two benefit rates--scheme A and scheme B--will test how different amounts of earnings top-up influence the decision to take up and remain in work. Present estimates indicate that the annual cost of a national scheme will be £265 million--scheme A--and £595 million--scheme B--at 1996-97 prices. These estimates would be subject to review as information on the effects of the benefit are collected and analysed during the pilot.
Earnings Disregards
Mr. Alan Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of (a) the numbers gaining and (b) the cost of assessing, earnings and earnings limits over a quarterly period in respect of (i) the weekly disregards in income-related benefits, and (ii) the weekly earnings limits applicable to contributory and non-contributory benefits. [15076]
Mr. Roger Evans: The information requested is not available.
Student Loans
Mr. Alan Howarth:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of (a) the numbers gaining and (b) the cost of treating a student loan as capital in claims for (i) income support and (ii) jobseeker's allowance. [15080]
18 Feb 1997 : Column: 507
Mr. Roger Evans:
The information is not available.
Ms Lynne:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security for what reasons the Child Support Agency has reduced the range of statistical information it makes available. [15120]
Mr. Andrew Mitchell:
The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive, Miss Ann Chant CB. She will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Miss Ann Chant to Miss Liz Lynne, dated 17 February 1997:
Ms Lynne:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what procedures are in place at the Child Support Agency to ensure that all complaints by clients are counted; and what instructions are given to staff regarding the definition, recognition, registration and counting of complaints. [15086]
Mr. Mitchell:
The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive, Miss Ann Chant CB. She will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Miss Ann Chant to Miss Liz Lynne, dated 17 February 1997:
18 Feb 1997 : Column: 508
Mr. Alan Howarth:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his latest estimate of annual social security expenditure on each benefit. [15074]
Mr. Burt:
Detailed breakdowns of total expenditure figures are made available in the Social Security departmental report. This will be published in March 1997.
Mr. Alan Howarth:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of (a) the number gaining and (b) the cost of extending payments of income support to those under age 19 years who qualify by virtue of being in relevant education to a period beyond their 19th birthday which is (i) the date of the end of the course and (ii) the terminal date. [15078]
Mr. Roger Evans:
The information is not available.
Mrs. Beckett:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people have lost entitlement to income support benefit as a result of child maintenance payments to them resulting from action taken by the Child Support Agency as recorded by form 646 during the months of October, November and December 1996; and if he will make a statement. [15942]
Mr. Andrew Mitchell:
The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive, Miss Ann Chant CB. She will write to the right hon. Member.
Letter from Miss Ann Chant to Mrs. Margaret Beckett, dated 17 February 1997:
18 Feb 1997 : Column: 509
Mr. Alfred Morris:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, (1) pursuant to his answer of 5 February, Official Report, columns 635-36, what steps he has taken to investigate the reasons for his Department's medical advisers' delay in providing advice relating to the additive nature of age-related hearing loss; and when sensorineural hearing loss was introduced for war pension purposes;[15857]
Mr. Heald:
The war pensions scheme has no list of prescribed conditions. It has always been possible for a claim to be made for any disablement, including noise-induced sensorineural hearing loss.
Prior to 1996, the assessment of noise-induced hearing loss claims was based on advice from departmental medical officers given in December 1992. The approach taken following that advice was investigated during 1995 and 1996. The medical adviser who undertook the investigation concluded that, from 1 March 1996, there could no longer be any doubt that the general medical opinion was that age and noise-related hearing loss were no more than additive.
The 1995-96 investigation did not include an examination of whether the advice given by previous medical advisers in 1992 was reasonable at the time it was given. This question was investigated following the statement by the Royal National Institute for the Deaf's and the Royal British Legion's medical experts that the fact that noise and age-related hearing loss were no more than additive had been known for 30 years. That investigation has revealed that the advice given in 1992 was not scientifically based.
Mr. Morris:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what medical conditions, in respect of which war pensions are payable, are not recompensed for deterioration; and what assessment he has made of the methods of evaluation of deterioration in respect of each such condition. [15858]
Mr. Heald:
A war pension may be awarded for any condition which is attributable to or aggravated by service. Any subsequent deterioration of that condition may also be compensated, providing the deterioration is due to service. Deterioration wholly unconnected with service cannot be compensated for under the war pensions scheme. Each case is considered on its individual circumstances and merits.
Mr. Morris:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the changes in medical opinion of which his Department's advisers informed Ministers relating to noise-induced hearing loss in the last five years. [15859]
18 Feb 1997 : Column: 510
Mr. Heald:
The only occasion in the past five years on which Ministers have been advised of a change in medical opinion on noise-induced sensorineural hearing loss was in October 1996 when Ministers were advised that it had been shown beyond reasonable doubt that the effects of noise and age-related hearing loss were no more than additive.
Mr. Morris:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 5 February, Official Report, column 635, on the open letter sent to the Minister of State, Lord Mackay of Ardbrecknish, on sensorineural hearing loss and war pensions, what reply he has sent to the letter; if he will publish that reply; and if he will make a statement. [15861]
Mr. Heald:
In response to the letter from Professors Lutman and Davies, my right hon. and noble Friend Lord Mackay of Ardbrecknish the Minister of State, has arranged to meet the Royal British Legion and its medical advisors on 12 March to discuss any remaining differences.
I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about the provision by the Child Support Agency of statistical information.
I am unclear why you should have the impression that the range of statistical information available has been reduced. If anything, the reverse is true, with more statistical information on the Agency's work now available than was previously the case, and with enhancements to the Child Support Computer System making more specific data available.
Although now published quarterly rather than monthly, the House of Commons Library Report produced by the Agency carries the same data as before, The Quarterly Statistical Summary produced by the Analytical Services Department now draws information from a larger sample, thereby improving the quality of the results, and contains more information than earlier editions. Monthly statistics on the Agency's performance against Charter Standards are to be displayed in our offices.
As you will be aware, the Government has published a code of practice on access to Government information. The Agency is committed to the principles of this code, and will make information readily available whenever this is possible.
I hope this is helpful.
I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about complaints tot he Child Support Agency.
The new CSA Charter advises clients how to complain if they are dissatisfied with the service they have received from the Agency. Each of our offices has a Customer Service Manager to whom clients can speak or write to about a complaint.
Systems are in place for defining, recording, recognising, registering and counting client's complaints across the Agency and the information is collated and monitored on a monthly basis. Where there have been vexatious complaint campaigns orchestrated by organisations who oppose the implementation of Child Support legislation, staff have been instructed not to register these as bona fide complaints.
Improving the handling of client's complaints is one of the key priorities for the Child Support Agency. During 1996, the Agency set up a review of its internal procedures for dealing with complaints in order to bring them into line with the Citizen's Charter Complaints Taskforce recommendations.
As a result, a number of improvements have been identified including the revision of training for all staff involved in dealing with client's complaints and the introduction of a new Complaints Guide which sets out the Agency's policy and procedures for the speedy and effective handling of client's complaints. The revised arrangements are currently being piloted in one of our Agency business units and will be fully evaluated prior to adoption Agency-Wide.
I hope this is helpful.
I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security regarding cessation of Income Support as a result of Child Support Agency action on form 646.
The form used to notify the Benefits Agency of the amount and the commencement date of regular child maintenance is form CSA 676(A). This form has a tear-off facility to allow the Benefits Agency to inform the Child Support Agency of the outcome of the reassessment of Income Support, including cases where Income Support ceases.
In such cases, where the absent parent is to make payments of maintenance via the Child Support Agency, the Benefits Agency contacts the Agency to ensure that maintenance payments have started before payments of Income Support cease. In cases where the absent parent is to pay maintenance directly to the parent with care any failure to pay the agreed amount of maintenance is reported to the Benefits Agency and the Child Support Agency.
The number of cases where the Benefits Agency has notified the Agency that Income Support has ceased is as follows:
October 1996: 147
November 1996: 153
December 1996: 95
I hope this is helpful.
(2) on what date the medical opinion on which his Department based its policy relating to sensorineural hearing loss for the purposes of war pensions prior to March 1996 was received; and from whom. [15862]
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