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Abergavenny Slaughterhouse
Mr. Edwards:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received about the proposed closure of the Abergavenny slaughterhouse; and if he will make a statement. [2377]
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Mr. Win Griffiths:
We have received several representations about the future of the Abergavenny slaughterhouse and whether it will participate in the Over Thirty Months Scheme, which allows for the purchase, slaughter and ultimate destruction of cattle over 30 months of age. The Intervention Board Executive Agency will announce the successful bidders soon.
Disability Benefits
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what assessment she has made of the impact of the Benefits Integrity Programme on the (a) staffing and (b) delivery of the ordinary claiming process for disability benefits; [2442]
- (2) what procedures Benefit Agency staff will be expected to follow in relation to claimants who are revealed as claiming a lower level of disability living allowance than they are eligible for under the Benefit Integrity Programme; [2443]
(3) what training and over what average length of time will be provided to Benefits Agency staff who will be visiting claimants of disability living allowance from July onwards under the Benefits Integrity Programme. [2444]
Mr. Denham: One of our key aims is rebuilding integrity in, and public support for, the Social Security system and the way in which public money is spent. Research by the Department indicates that we may be paying £0.5 billion a year to people who are not entitled to receive it. We need to focus on those who are properly entitled to benefit.
This is why we have set up the Benefit Integrity Project. However, we do regard it as essential that disabled people are treated fairly and with respect, and in an unthreatening way. The administration of this programme is a matter for Peter Mathison, Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with further details.
Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. Paul Burstow, dated 10 June 1997:
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Mr. Winnick:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to the letter of 12 May, ref. YM631037C, why the hon. Member for Walsall, North has not received a full reply from the Disability Benefits Directorate over the case of a constituent; and why the direct line 01253 337792 was unobtainable on 5 June.[2840]
Mr. Denham:
One of our key aims is to improve the service provided to claimants and other customers. Queries on Benefits Agency operational matters are the responsibility of Peter Mathison, its Chief Executive. He will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. David Winnick, dated 10 June 1997:
The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning a reply from the Disability Benefits Directorate over the case of a constituent and why the direct line 01253-337792 was unobtainable on 5 June.
Mrs. Gillan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will make it an offence to (a) conceal assets from the Child Support Agency and (b) try to reduce income in order to avoid paying maintenance. [1118]
Mr. Bradley:
The Child Support Agency already has wide powers to obtain and verify information required to assess child support maintenance. Also, where clients believe that income or assets have been misrepresented they can seek a departure from the formula assessment. However, we will be looking closely at this and other areas of the Agency's operations over the coming months to consider whether improvements can be made.
Mr. Wigley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will list (a) the terms of the moratorium which will apply to the Benefits Agency (Wales)
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Blueprint for the Future and (b) the mechanism for undertaking a review of this and other Benefits Agency change proposals. [1727]
Mr. Field:
The "Benefits Agency Wales - Blueprint for the Future" consultation document was published on 15 November 1996 and the period of public consultation was extended to 28 February 1997, to ensure that Benefits Agency customers and their representatives were able to make the representations that they wished on the consultation document.
These representations will be considered by Ministers in due course, and announcements will be made in the light of these considerations.
We will be assessing our proposals in the light of this document, and also each of the proposed Benefits Agency initiatives which are part of the Department's current programme of changes to ensure that they will provide the improved services, better security and value for money that we want to see in a modernised Social Security system. Announcements will be made in due course.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage and how many documents in 1996 she estimates were (a) passed on to the Public Record Office intact, (b) passed on to the Public Record Office in censored form, (c) retained by her Department in full, (d) retained by her Department in part, (e) destroyed, (f) otherwise disposed of and (g) otherwise unaccounted for. [2522]
Mr. Field:
In 1996 the Department of Social Security did not transfer any documents to the Public Record Office. However, during that year 17,935 files were reviewed of which 1,392 were selected for permanent preservation and transferred to the Public Records Office in March 1997. None of the files was censored. No applications were made to the Lord Chancellor to retain documents in full or in part. A total of 15,957 files were destroyed, no files were otherwise disposed of or unaccounted for.
5. Mr. Savidge:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans she has to improve education standards in Northern Ireland. [1382]
27. Mrs. Humble:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans she has to improve education standards in Northern Ireland. [1404]
28. Miss Melanie Johnson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans she has to improve education standards in Northern Ireland. [1405]
Mr. Worthington:
The Government is committed to raising standards across all sectors. In working up plans for Northern Ireland, I will be giving particular attention to the provision for pupils at pre-school and early primary school; and to laying secure foundations in literacy and numeracy. We will be developing provision for vocational education and strengthening the linkage between
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secondary schools, Further Education and Training. Improving school discipline and teaching quality, and in particular promoting strong leadership from headteachers, will also be given priority.
The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions about the Benefit Integrity Programme.
The Benefit Integrity Project was set up in response to the recent Benefit Review of DLA. Over the next two years, specially trained staff will make enquiries by postal questionnaire or home visit in around 425,000 cases to establish whether Disability Living Allowance (DLA) is being paid correctly.
The Benefit Integrity Project is a completely separate operation from the processing of new claims to DLA and as such, will have no effect on the staffing and delivery of the normal claims process.
The Benefit Integrity Project is intended to confirm that the correct rate of benefit is in payment. Where it appears that the incorrect rate is in payment, the case will be passed to an independent Adjudication Officer to consider a review of the existing decision. Any new decision will be based on all the available evidence and where appropriate will lead to an increase in the rate of benefit. All new decisions will carry the normal rights to seek a further review or appeal.
Visiting Officers for the Benefits Integrity Project will be drawn from existing experienced staff located at Disability Benefit Centres. If there is a need to transfer experienced staff currently processing claims to the Project, they will not be released until their
replacements are fully trained. Building upon their existing knowledge, each Visiting Officer will attend a five day course which will cover the background to the Project, visiting and interviewing skills, security awareness and staff safety.
I hope you find this reply helpful.
It may help if I explain that at as you copied me your letter of 8 May to the Director of Disability Benefits, I arranged for the issues raised to be investigated. The acknowledgement letter of 12 May from the Disability Benefit Director should have advised you that I would be responding by 9 June and not by 27 May. Unfortunately this was a mistake for which I apologise. My reply was issued on 9 June. The Benefits Agency Business Plan states that the Agency will reply to MPs within an absolute target of 20 Working days from the date of receipt of the correspondence.
Due to a reorganisation of the Disability Benefits Unit Official Correspondence Section, one of the direct line numbers, 01253 337792, was disconnected earlier this year. Immediate action was taken to amend existing stocks of stationery. Unfortunately this did not happen in the acknowledgement sent to you and I offer you my sincere apologies. I can assure you that procedures are in place to prevent a reoccurrence.
I have arranged for the list of current direct line numbers to be sent to you.
I hope you find this reply helpful.
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