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Disability Appeals Tribunals
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to her answer of 24 July, Official Report, column 747, in what proportion of appeals to (a) social security and (b) disability appeal tribunals an oral hearing is requested by (i) an adjudication officer and (ii) either of the parties; in each case how many (A) oral hearings (1) in the presence of the appellant or a representative and (2) in absence and (B) paper hearings took place in each month since 1 April; what were the success rates for appeals in each of these categories; and if she will place in the Library a report on the effects of the changes to the appeals system introduced on 21 October 1996. [12087]
Mr. Keith Bradley:
Evaluation of the changes introduced to the appeal system on 21 October 1996 is underway. When the evaluation is complete, a report will be placed in the Library. Detailed assessments, such as the data requested, will not be available for some months. However, on investigation of the availability of this data, it has come to light that the information provided in my answer of 24 July may be incorrect, for which I apologise. I will write to the hon. Member with clarification in due course.
31 Jul 1997 : Column: 588
Mr. Hancock:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what assessment she has made of the effect on payments of mortgage interest benefit under income support arrangements of the lack of flexibility available to the Benefits Agency to match the payment cycles of lenders; [11990]
Mr. Keith Bradley:
I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 28 July, Official Report, column 19.
Mr. Blizzard:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what guidance has been given to doctors employed by the Benefits Agency to determine whether claimants are entitled to continue receiving incapacity benefit. [11982]
Mr. Denham:
The administration of the Benefits Agency medical services is a matter for Peter Mathison the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to my hon. Friend.
Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. Bob Blizzard, dated 31 July 1997:
31 Jul 1997 : Column: 589
Mr. Love:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what role she plans for mutual, voluntary and co-operative organisations in her anti-poverty strategy; and if she will make a statement. [12220]
Mr. Keith Bradley:
Our objective is to improve the living standards of the many, not just the few, and to provide educational and employment opportunities for all. The best way to tackle poverty is to help people into real jobs, and we have recently announced our new deal to move people into employment. We welcome any contributions made by mutual, voluntary and co-operative organisations towards achieving this aim. For example, we are working with Gingerbread and the National Council of One Parent Families on the new deal for lone parents, and we meet regularly with organisations such as Child Poverty Action Group and the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux.
Mr. Opik:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will make a statement on the future of benefits offices in Wales. [11992]
Mr. Keith Bradley:
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Vale of Clwyd (Mr. Ruane) on 24 July 1997, Official Report, columns 748-49.
Mr. Opik:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what guidelines have been issued concerning the assessment of claims for the jobseeker's allowance; what further guidelines she plans to publish; and if she will make a statement. [11918]
Mr. Keith Bradley:
The chief adjudication officer, who has statutory responsibility for issuing guidance to adjudication officers, has revised the adjudication officers' guide to include guidance on the assessment of claims to jobseeker's allowance. The AOG is readily available to members of the public at social security offices and most major public libraries, and is regularly updated to reflect changes in legislation and decisions made by the social security commissioners.
The Government believe that work is the best form of welfare for people of working age. Our welfare-to-work objectives are to provide work incentives, to reduce poverty and welfare dependency and to strike a new balance between responsibilities and rights. A programme of monitoring and evaluation is under way to enable us to ensure that jobseeker's allowance contributes to achieving our objectives.
Mr. Opik:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what plans she has to change the appeal and tribunal process relating to claims made for the jobseeker's allowance; and if she will make a statement;[11916]
31 Jul 1997 : Column: 590
Mr. Bradley:
On 9 July, we introduced the Social Security Bill which will modernise the delivery of social security. The Bill contains measures to provide a more streamlined, efficient and faster appeals system for social security benefits including jobseeker's allowance. We shall be setting and publishing demanding targets and reporting on the results.
The information regarding jobseeker's allowance appeals is not available in the format requested. The available information is as follows.
At the end of June, the independent tribunal service had received 24,802 appeals involving jobseeker's allowance. A total of 8,620 appeals have been cleared; 3,884 at hearings. Regulations require the ITS to provide a minimum of seven days notice of the date of a hearing. The ITS routinely provides more notice than this, however, and in many areas is currently giving three to four weeks' advance notification.
Mr. Malcolm Bruce:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what funding is presently committed from her departmental budget for (a) 1997-98, (b) 1998-99 and (c) 1999-2000 to resolve the year 2000 computer problem; and if she will make a statement. [11896]
Mr. Keith Bradley:
Funding for the cost of preventive and remedial action on year 2000 in this Department is being met from existing budgets by making economies and by reprioritising existing work programmes. The initial broad estimate of the total cost is £30 million. Work is well advanced to refine this estimate and detailed and costed action plans will be available by the end of October 1997.
(2) what plans she has to permit flexibility in the payment of mortgage interest benefit in respect of lenders who do not follow a four week payment cycle. [11991]
The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent parliamentary question asking what guidance has been given to doctors employed by the Benefits Agency to determine whether claimants are entitled to continue receiving incapacity Benefit (IB).
It may be helpful if I first explain that doctors employed by the Benefits Agency do not determine entitlement to IB. Entitlement to IB is decided by Adjudication Officers (AOs) who consider all the evidence available, including reports from medical examinations.
Doctors who conduct examinations in connection with IB are required to undergo a four day modular training course which can be tailored to meet individual needs. Elements of the course include the technical aspects of IB, the requirements for the content of the medical report form, selecting and justifying the choice of descriptors which specify the level of a customer's disability in each functional area, and mental health problems. The course includes elements of training on customer services and equal opportunities.
Following initial training, the first three assessments carried out by the Benefits Agency Medical Services (BAMS) doctor are monitored, and each must reach a satisfactory standard for the doctor to be approved to carry out future IB assessments. The work of all doctors is monitored subsequently by BAMS. This takes the form of random or targeted studies of completed reports, and is also carried out in response to any work returned by Adjudication Officers which is considered to be of an unsatisfactory standard. There is an ongoing training programme which ensures that doctors are kept informed of any developments in this areas of work.
In addition, all full time BAMS doctors have to undergo a two day residential course covering the clinical areas they are likely to encounter, such as back pain and psychiatric disorders, as well as those likely to cause particular difficulties, such as chronic fatigue states. Many of the sessions in these courses are conducted by internationally recognised experts in their fields.
In addition to the training, all doctors are issued with a copy of the "IB Handbook for Medical Services Doctors", which acts as an aide memoir. A copy of this publication is available in the Library of the House of Commons.
I hope you find this reply helpful.
(2) how many appeals have been made against decisions to (a) withdraw and (b) deny receipt of the jobseeker's allowance; how many hearings have been heard under the appeal system; how much notice is given of the date of a hearing; and if she will make a statement.[11904]
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