WAR PENSIONS AGENCY BUSINESS PLAN 1999-2000
Decision-making
5. The decision-making and appeals process is
at the heart of the Agency's work. The Chief Executive, Mr Gordon
Hextall, outlined the complexity of the process: claims can be
for multiple conditions; every condition has to be investigated
and linked to service; and new claims can be introduced during
the course of the claim and during the course of an appeal.[11]
This complexity means that the target clearance times are relatively
long. The Agency aims to clear 75 per cent of war disablement
claims within 145 working days and 90 per cent of war widows claims
within 65 working days.[12]
An independent review by Ernst and Young of the decision making
and appeals process was commissioned in December 1998.[13]
The Chief Executive told us that the review had been completed
and that there were a number of recommendations that he would
be taking forward.[14]
Indeed, one of the Agency's targets for the year 1999/2000 is
"to agree improvements in the end-to-end Decision Making
and Appeals process."[15]
6. The Agency's commitment to improving the decision
making and appeals process is to be welcomed. Several of the ex-service
organisations commented on the need for improvement. SSAFA expressed
concern at the number of cases which go to appeal, commenting
that if a little more time was spent on the initial claim fewer
would need to go to appeal.[16]
Mr Hextall commented that "we do spend an inordinate amount
of time trying to get things right at the outset, which is why
it takes so long to decide a claim and appeal."[17]
The Royal British Legion commented that the "overall length
of time in the Claims and Appeals process needs to be reduced
substantially in the light of the increasing average age of claimants
and appellants."[18]
The Ernst and Young Report outlines a package of opportunities
for improvement which seek "to refocus the operation of the
scheme on the individuals making claims under it...[and identifies]
improvement opportunities which together could reduce the end-to-end
process times significantly."[19]
We expect the independent review to result in changes to the
decision making and appeals process which bring about significant
improvements in the service provided by the Agency and we expect
the Agency to take note of the concerns raised in this Report.
7. The Agency met those Secretary of State targets
for 1998/99 which applied to the quality and clearance time of
initial claims.[20]
For example, at the end of February the Agency had cleared 76.48
per cent of war disablement claims within 145 days—against
a target of 75 per cent. This achievement is a credit to the ability
of the Agency's staff and management. It is of no help, however,
to the 23 per cent of claimants whose claims were not cleared
within the target time. We are concerned that the overall statistics
disguise the fact that there are a number of cases where the delays
are unacceptable. The Ernst and Young review found that the average
times taken to process claims masked a considerable range.[21]
Though we acknowledge that the Agency's overall performance
is good, we are concerned that there may be a significant number
of claimants who experience unacceptable delays.
11 Q 17. Back
12
Ev. p.17, Annex G. Back
13
Q 3. Back
14
Q 3; Q 38-42. Back
15
Ev. p.17, Annex G. Back
16
Appendix 1. Back
17
Q 3. Back
18
Appendix 7, para. 10. Back
19
Ev. p.44. Back
20
Ev. p.15, Annex E. Back
21
Ev. p.44. Back
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