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Supported Housing
Mr. Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many responses have been received to the consultation document on supported housing; what the timetable is for completion of the consideration of responses and publication of the new arrangements; and if he will make a statement. [74190]
Angela Eagle: We have received 522 responses to the consultation document "Supporting People: A new policy and funding framework for support services". We are currently considering comments made by stakeholders on the proposals, and these will help inform our decisions on the way forward. An announcement will be made shortly.
CSA Computer System
Mr. Rendel: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of data held on the current CSA computer system has been identified as being of poor quality as a result of the implementation of the data assurance strategy. [74226]
Angela Eagle: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mrs. Faith Boardman. She will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Mrs. Faith Boardman to Mr. David Rendel, dated 2 March 1999:
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Mr. Duncan Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what the estimated average salary for personal advisers will be under the Single Gateway to Benefit; [73992]
Angela Eagle
[holding answer 2 March 1999]: For the Single Gateway, the personal adviser role has been graded at Executive Officer or equivalent in the Employment Service, the Benefits Agency and in Local Authorities. A personal adviser's salary will reflect the pay rate for the job within their employing agency. Their position on that scale will depend on how long they have been in the grade, their levels of performance in previous years and their location. Their average salary (excluding ERNIC; superannuation and other costs) is estimated to range between just over £16,000 and just under £18,000. We do not yet know the total average costs, including ERNIC, training etc--one of the reasons for piloting the proposals is to determine the total cost of employing personal advisers.
The average salary for personal advisers working on the New Deal for Lone Parents (including ERNIC and superannuation) is estimated at £20,783. The average cost of training, including travel and subsistence, is £4,337 per adviser. New Deal for Lone Parent advisers occupy existing space in Jobcentres and are considered part of the Employment Service's core business: no extra costs are incurred.
Mr. Duncan Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the average time allocated for an interview with a personal adviser under (a) the New Deal for Lone Parents and (b) the Single Gateway to benefit. [74349]
Angela Eagle:
Under the New Deal for Lone Parents, the average time allowed for an interview with a personal adviser is one hour.
Due to the diverse nature of the caseload and the individual requirements of clients, the length of time required to conduct an interview under the Single Gateway will vary from case to case. One of the reasons for piloting the Single Gateway is to gain an understanding of the average time needed to conduct meaningful interviews.
Mr. Duncan Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he expects to publish details of the next phase of the reform of the Child Support Agency. [74344]
Angela Eagle:
We are currently considering responses to the Green Paper "Children First: a new approach to child support" and will bring forward our final proposals for reform in due course.
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Mr. Duncan Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to change the habitual residence test following the European Court of Justice's judgment in the case C-90/97. [74350]
Angela Eagle:
We are reviewing the operation of the habitual residence test and will bring forward our proposals for its future once we have considered the implications of the judgment of the European Court of Justice in Mr. Swaddling's case.
Mr. Duncan Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the total number of personal advisers currently working in the New Deal for Lone Parents. [74348]
Angela Eagle:
814 personal advisers (full-time equivalent) are currently employed on the New Deal for Lone Parents. Twelve more advisers are undergoing training and nine further appointments are due to be made shortly.
Mr. Duncan Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what advice his Minister of State received from the department's permanent secretary regarding his shares declared in the Register of Members' Interests. [74391]
Mr. Darling:
I am satisfied that there has been no conflict of interest between my hon. Friend the Minister of State's shareholding and his Ministerial responsibilities. To avoid any suggestion of a possible perceived conflict in future my hon. Friend the Minister of State will, however, be taking further steps in accordance with the Ministerial Code. Responsibility is firmly that of the Ministers concerned, and any advice to them is personal.
Mr. Caplin:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he will lay regulations under the decision making and appeals provision of the Social Security Act 1998; and if he will make a statement. [74676]
Angela Eagle
[pursuant to his reply, 2 March 1999, c. 708-09]: Last year in the Social Security Act we laid the foundations for a new system for handling decisions and appeals in benefits, child support and vaccine damage claims. My right hon. Friends the Lord Chancellor and the Secretary of State for Social Security will be laying the main Regulations, which will provide the detailed legal framework for this new system, tomorrow.
The new system for handling decisions and appeals is a major step to modernise the delivery of Social Security and child support as part of the Government's programme for welfare reform. The current system needs to change. It is confusing for claimants and staff. Putting mistakes right is complicated and claimants often have to appeal,
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even when a mistake is obvious to all concerned. Appeals take far too long to be cleared--on average seven months--even where they have no prospect of success. These delays are unacceptable.
The changes we are making will enable the Benefits Agency, Child Support Agency and Employment Service to provide a more helpful and accessible service to the public.
Under the new system, decisions will continue to be based on the facts and the law, with a right of appeal to an independent tribunal. There will be clearer, simpler decisions and a programme to develop simpler communications for the public. There will be new arrangements for handling disputes, so mistakes are put right more easily without having to go to appeal. There will be one type of appeal tribunal, rather than five, with one unified set of rules and three, two or one member tribunals according to the issues raised by the appeal. Appeals, which have no prospect of success, will be resolved more quickly.
The new arrangements will come into operation during the second half of this year. They will apply to child support from the beginning of June. For benefits they will be introduced in stages between July and November, to help maintain service to the public while the new arrangements start to operate.
I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about the Child Support Agency Computer System.
We recognise that it is essential to have accurate data before it is transferred onto a new computer system. We have therefore endorsed and are implementing a Data Assurance strategy designed to identify poor quality data held on the current system and to recommend action to improve it.
We have identified 24 areas of the Child Support Computer System to investigate the quality of information held. Early indications show that only a fairly small percentage of the data used in the specific areas investigated could be classed as poor quality.
Until the investigation of all the 24 areas have been completed in November 1999 it is not possible to say what percentage of data held on the current computer system is of poor quality.
It has always been our intention to have discussions with AFFINITY on the best ways to migrate cases from the current Child Support Computer System to ensure the integrity of the new system.
I hope this is helpful.
(2) what the average cost of employing a personal adviser is under (a) the Single Gateway to Benefit and (b) the New Deal for Lone Parents, including training, office space, employers' national insurance contributions and other overheads. [73986]
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