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Family Credit
Mr. Heppell: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what action her Department is taking to reduce the backlog of claims for family credit. [3947]
Mr. Keith Bradley: The efficient administration of family credit is central to the Department's measures to help people move from welfare into work. We will streamline services to provide better, simpler and more efficient services to clients. The administration of family credit is a matter for Peter Mathison, Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member. Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. John Heppell, dated 25 June 1997:
The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what action the Department is taking to reduce the backlog of claims for Family Credit (FC).
26 Jun 1997 : Column: 644
Figures are provisional and subject to change.
The Faster Claims target relates to newly employed and first time applicants, many of whom have been in receipt of income support or job seekers allowance.
The Management targets relate to all claims.
The workload forecast for 1997/98 is that 1.7 million FC claims will be received, which equates to an average of over 32,000 claims weekly. Additionally, renewal claims peak in April and October so it is not unusual for the FC Unit to have approximately 65,000 claims at various stages of assessment at any given date. FC Unit Managers prepare for such peak periods by implementing various short term measures, which include the redeployment of staff and the use of overtime.
These measures were used to ensure less than 46,000 claims were awaiting processing at the end of March. The FC Unit were therefore in a position to handle the higher number of claims expected in April. The total number of claims received in April was 174,686. The Unit's effective management of the workload ensured that the temporary backlog in April was reduced to less than 57,000 claims outstanding, as at 16 June.
The Benefits Agency aims to clear all claims accurately and on time. Details of the clearance targets for claims, the actual achievement to the end of 1996/97 and the achievement to the end of May 1997 are shown in the attached Annex.
I hope that this reply assures you of the efforts being made by staff and Management within the FC Unit to ensure that any claims awaiting a decision are kept to a minimum at all times.
Secretary of State clearance Management primary clearance Management secondary clearance
Target 90 per cent. of Faster Claims in 5 days 60 per cent. of claims in 13 days 95 per cent. of claims in 42 days
1996-97 achievement 91.9 76.3 98.9
1997-98 achievement to end of May 89.7 72.0 99.1
Benefits Agency Medical Services
Mr. Godman: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what is the average annual income of a medical practitioner employed by the Benefits Agency Medical Services on (a) a full-time and (b) a part-time basis; and if he will make a statement; [4428]
- (2) how many medical practitioners employed by the Benefits Agency Medical Services have voluntarily resigned from their posts in each of the past three years; what assessment he has made of the reasons for such resignations; and if he will make a statement; [4429]
(3) how many medical practitioners currently employed by the Benefits Agency Medical Services have worked on a sessional basis as members of disability appeals tribunals in (a) Strathclyde, (b) Scotland and (c) England and Wales in each of the past three years; of those employed how many work wholly or mainly on disability living allowance claims; and if she will make a statement. [4430]
Mr. Field: Modernising the Social Security system is a key priority of the Government. We will streamline services to provide better, simpler more efficient services to clients. I wish no discourtesy to the hon. Gentleman but the administration of the Benefits Agency Medical Services is a matter for Peter Mathison, its Chief Executive. I have asked him to write to the hon. Member. Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. Norman A. Godman, dated 25 June 1997:
The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions about medical practitioners employed by the Benefits Agency Medical Services (BAMS).
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The average annual income for a medical practitioner in full time employment with BAMS is currently £42,159. For medical practitioners in part-time employment, the figure is £26,767.
The number of staff who have resigned during the past three years and the reason for their resignation is shown at Annex 1.
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The number of medical practitioners currently employed by BAMS, who have also worked on a sessional basis as members of Disability Appeal Tribunals (DATs), is not available for 1994/95 or 1995/96. Details for 1996/97 are shown at Annex 2.
I hope you find this reply helpful.
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| 1994-95 | 1995-96 | 1996-97
| Reason | Number | Reason | Number | Reason | Number
| In wrong job | 0 | In wrong job | 5 | In wrong job | 5
| Ill health | 3 | Unhappy with management | 1 | Looking after relatives | 1
| Other | 0 | Other | 3 | Other | 5
| Not known(18) | 1 | Not known(18) | 4 | Not known(18) | 13
|
| Total | 4 | Total | 13 | Total | 24
| | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Figures are provisional and subject to change.
(18) Indicates doctors who have chosen not to give their specific reasons.
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| Location | 1996-97 |
|---|---|
| Strathclyde | Nil |
| Scotland | Nil |
| England and Wales | (19)2 |
Figures are provisional and subject to change.
(19) These medical practitioners have not recently sat on DATs and neither works mainly on DLA claims.
Special Advisers
Mr. Mitchell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will list the special advisers in her Department, the Minister to whom each is responsible, the subjects on which they advise and the number of advisers in her Department in the year up to 1 May. [5360]
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Ms Harman:
Two special advisers, John McTernan and Liz Kendall, are employed in this Department under terms and conditions based on the model contract for special advisers, a copy of which is available in the Library. Both are responsible to me as Secretary of State for Social Security and they advise me on the full range of my ministerial duties in accordance with Schedule 1 (Part 1) of the Model Contract.
One special adviser was employed in the Department in the year to 1 May.
Mr. Walter:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans she has to introduce widowers' benefits on the same basis as widows' benefits. [4812]
Mr. Denham:
I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, West (Mr. Gorrie) on 23 June, Official Report, column 413.