| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
SOCIAL SECURITY
Benefit Fraud
Ms Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will list by individual benefit the total amount of money his Department estimates has been saved by detecting fraud in each of the last five years;[14578]
- (2) what were the estimated total savings to public funds accruing from the detection of fraud in each of the last five years. [14581]
19 Feb 1997 : Column: 590
Mr. Heald: The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the table.
| Year | Savings recorded by DSS | Savings recorded by Local Authorities(35) | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | £ | |
| 1991-92 | 447m | n/a | 447m |
| 1992-93 | 558m | n/a | 558m |
| 1993-94 | 654m | 92m | 746m |
| 1994-95 | 717m | 171m | 888m |
| 1995-96 | 1.2bn(36) | 224m | 1.4bn |
Notes:
(35) No central records are kept of any local authority savings achieved prior to April 1993.
(36) Includes savings from initiatives in the Security and Control Programme.
1. Figures have been rounded to the nearest £1 million when under £1 billion and to the nearest £100 million when over.
2. The information is given in terms of Weekly Benefit Savings deriving from activity in the given year, not public expenditure savings which could be accounted for in that year.
Child Support
Ms Lynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many cases there were in the most recent year for which figures are available in which benefits were reduced in respect of a parent with care on income support as a result of a pre-Child Support Agency child maintenance agreement. [15609]
Mr. Andrew Mitchell: The information is not available as maintenance which is in payment as a result of a pre-child support arrangement cannot be separately identified.
Severe Disablement Allowance
Mr. Alan Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claimants of severe disablement allowance there are who are aged under 19 years are in education for (a) less than 21 hours per week and (b) more than 21 hours where the extra hours are not suitable for a non-disabled person. [15867]
Mr. Andrew Mitchell: The information is not available.
Housing Benefit
Mr. Alan Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 9 December 1996, Official Report, column 66, when information about extended payments of housing benefit will be available. [15872]
Mr. Roger Evans: The figures are currently being processed and will be published in the "Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Summary Statistics--Update Number 2" in March. A copy will be placed in the Library.
Benefits Agency Medical Services
Mr. Alan Howarth:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what customer service standards are
19 Feb 1997 : Column: 591
being discussed with the private sector companies shortlisted for the running of the Benefits Agency medical services. [16498]
Mr. Burt:
The contract will specify the customer service standards expected of the service supplier. The successful contractor(s) will have a mandatory requirement to meet, as a minimum, the current agency/departmental service standards and any changes which occur to those standards during the life of the contract.
Mr. Howarth:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 10 February, Official Report, column 75, if he will place in the Library a copy of the guidance sent to the private companies shortlisted to run the Benefits Agency medical services. [16495]
Mr. Burt:
The information has been placed in the Library.
Mr. Howarth:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what arrangements he proposes to make for independent inspection of the quality standards to be operated by the private companies running the Benefits Agency medical services. [16499]
Mr. Burt:
The post contract management arrangements set in place by the Department will allow for the involvement of a medical surveillance group which will comprise external experts and acknowledged specialists. The group will participate in monitoring the quality of the medical service provided.
In addition, the successful contractor(s) will have a mandatory contractual requirement to allow the National Audit Office appropriate access to it(s) records.
Computer Systems (Millennium)
21. Mr. David Atkinson: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the awareness of business of the millennium compliance of computer systems. [15043]
Mr. Ian Taylor: Those organisations responding to PA Consulting's recent survey appear to have an increased level of awareness of the problem among their senior managers, now at 93 per cent., but only 65 per cent. have carried out a partial audit of their systems and the proportion having completed their audit is 9 per cent.
Firms (South-east)
22. Mr. Dunn: To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many firms are located in the south-east region. [15044]
Mr. Ian Taylor: The south-east--excluding London--had 238,618 VAT-based enterprises at the end of 1995 as compared with 239,763 at the end of 1994 and 239,838 for 1993.
Business Links (Norfolk)
23. Mr. Patrick Thompson:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on business links in Norfolk. [15045]
19 Feb 1997 : Column: 592
Mr. Page:
Business Link Norfolk and Waveney opened in November 1995 with a hub in Norwich and satellites in King's Lynn and Lowestoft and it has made significant progress in serving the local community. Since November 1995, the BL has handled nearly 20,000 inquiries and its personal business advisers are helping nearly 300 businesses.
24. Mr. Matthew Taylor:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement regarding business support in rural areas. [15046]
Mr. Page:
Business support in both rural and urban areas is available through the network of business links in England and equivalent organisations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
26. Mr. Michael Brown:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment his Department has made of the diversity of suppliers of telecommunication services. [15048]
Mr. Ian Taylor:
The Government's policy of progressive liberalisation has led to substantial and growing level of competition in the provision of telecommunications infrastructure, and increased innovation in telecommunication services. As well as having a greater choice than ever before, consumers are also benefiting from better quality of service and lower prices.
27. Mr. Nicholas Winterton:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what new initiatives he has in respect of deregulation. [15049]
Mr. Page:
My Department is taking a number of new initiatives. For example, we have recently laid two deregulation orders, bringing the total to 10. Seven of these orders have already become law. We have a further six orders in the pipeline and will continue to bring other candidates forward when we can.
We are striving to remove unnecessary burdens on business through a review of business licences. Consultation is under way on proposals designed to reduce the number of classes of radiocommunication licence from 50 to around 35.
We have four consultation exercises under way on measures which will ease burdens on business. A further 10 such consultations are complete and the results are being considered.
When considering deregulation, it is vital to listen to business. Last year, therefore, I wrote to 130 major trade associations for their views on further measures DTI should take. Over 50 per cent. responded and we are now considering the responses in detail.
28. Mr. Congdon:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what proposals there are for future legislation
19 Feb 1997 : Column: 593
under the social chapter; and what assessment he has made of the impact which this legislation would have on businesses in the United Kingdom. [15050]
Mr. Page:
Issues under discussion include rights for part-time and temporary workers, information and consultation in companies at national level and the reversal of the burden of proof in sex discrimination cases. The Commission is considering future action in other areas, including individual dismissals and sick pay. All these measures would be likely to impose damaging, job-destroying burdens on business if we gave up our opt-out from the social chapter.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |