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Social Exclusion
Mr. Field: To ask the Prime Minister what is the expected date of publication of the report on deprived areas by the Social Exclusion Unit's Policy Action Team. [108072]
The Prime Minister: The National Strategy for Neighbourhood Renewal will be published in the summer. In order to allow individuals and organisations as much opportunity as possible to contribute to its preparation, the Social Exclusion Unit will be publishing a consultation version of the strategy in the next few weeks, and then holding a wide range of consultation events and seminars around the country.
LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT
Court Videolinks
Mr. Key: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the companies which supply, provide and service secure videolink technology for use in British courts; and what arrangements are in place to prevent the interception of transmissions by third parties. [107871]
Jane Kennedy:
Videolink technology is used occasionally in the Crown Court to enable witnesses to give evidence from abroad. The installation is arranged locally by the party whose witness is giving evidence in this way. No information is held centrally on the suppliers used or the arrangements put in place to prevent interception. A pilot is currently in place to provide a videolink between Strangeways Prison and the Crown Court in Manchester.
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Mr. Hawkins:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what progress has been made in relation to his Department's targets for increased efficiency in the Departmental Annual report. [108046]
Mr. Lock:
The LCD's objectives and measurable efficiency and effectiveness targets are contained in a Public Service Agreement published in December 1998. Management systems put in place to monitor achievement of the targets commenced on 1 April 1999. Progress against each of the targets will be reported in the LCD Departmental Report 2000-01 to 2001-02 to be published in April 2000.
Benefit Decisions
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the total number of claims in each of the last three years for (a) disability living allowance, (b) attendance allowance and (c) incapacity benefit; in each category, how many and what proportion of the total (i) were successful on the original application and (ii) resulted in an appeal; of those that were successful how many and what proportion of the total (1) were successful on appeal and (2) resulted in an appeal to the commissioners; and of those applications that resulted in an appeal to the Commissioners, how many and what proportion of the total were successful. [106671]
Mr. Bayley:
The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the tables.
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| 1997 | 1998 | 1999(9) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Decisions on initial claims | |||
| All decisions | 486,566 | 391,583 | 373,645 |
| Successful decisions | 220,228 | 178,802 | 176,371 |
| Proportion successful | 45% | 46% | 47% |
| Reviews(10)(4) | |||
| All decisions | 374,494 | 319,501 | 278,365 |
| Successful decisions(12) | 140,245 | 108,842 | 91,994 |
| Proportion successful | 37% | 34% | 33% |
| Appeals | |||
| All decisions | 35,696 | 47,025 | 49,857 |
| Successful decisions(13) | 19,335 | 22,350 | 24,051 |
| Proportion successful | 54% | 48% | 48% |
(9) The figures for 1999 include reconsiderations and supercessions under the new system of decision making and appeals.
(10) Includes some cases where the initial decision was in a previous year.
(11) Figures relate both to awards made following review of unsuccessful initial or renewal claims, and to cases where the value of the award has increased as a result of the review.
(12) Figures relate both to awards made following an appeal against unsuccessful reviews, and to cases where the value of the award has increased as a result of the appeal.
(13) Successive decisions may be made in different years, so the figures for each stage of decision making are likely to relate to different caseloads.
Source:
Analytical Services Division: 100 per cent. data.
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Entitlement to Incapacity Benefit is based on a person's incapacity provided they satisfy the National Insurance contribution conditions. An award of benefit is made from the outset if the contribution conditions are satisfied and there is acceptable medical evidence to support the claim. Subsequently, incapacity is assessed under the relevant medical test (either the Own Occupation Test (OOT) during the first 28 weeks of incapacity where the claimant has a recent work record or the All Work Test (AWT) after 28 weeks or from the start of the claim where the claimant has not recently worked). If the test is not satisfied, benefit is disallowed from that point.
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| 1995-96 | 1996-97 | 1997-98 | 1998-99 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Claims received by BA | 1,054,340 | 1,062,817 | 1,012,981 | 930,002 |
| Disallowed at outset due to failing the contribution conditions | 382,443 | 439,645 | 435,095 | 398,605 |
| IB awards commencing in the period(14) | 535,100 | 495,560 | 455,380 | 409,980 |
| Examinations performed(15) | 434,617 | 716,084 | 615,324 | n/a |
| Awards subsequently disallowed | ||||
| Disallowed following OOT test | 1,288 | 2,170 | 2,664 | 2,750 |
| Disallowed following AWT | 66,367 | 112,046 | 104,339 | 88,904 |
| Disallowed--non-return of questionnaire | 7,710 | 9,134 | 10,887 | 10,578 |
| Disallowed--did not attend examination | 2,416 | 6,652 | 7,069 | 8,687 |
(14) The sum of the IB awards and those disallowed at outset does not equal the number of IB claims, as this figure includes claims that are subsequently withdrawn and accident declarations (which are made in case a claim to benefit becomes necessary at a later date as a result of an industrial accident). It is not therefore possible to give proportional figures.
(15) Examinations performed includes Severe Disablement Allowance cases and cases where only National Insurance Credits are awarded.
Source:
Claims received--100 per cent. clerical count work.
IB spells commencing--1 per cent. sample of claimants.
Disallowance figures--100 per cent. count of the computer system.
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(16) Information not available
(17) Includes OOT cases
Note:
1. The appeals lodged in a particular period may not necessarily go on to tribunal in the same time period.
2. The figures provided are counts of each event in each time period.
Source:
A--100 per cent. extract from ITS computerised records.
B--100 per cent. download from the Generic Appeals Processing System (GAPS) which replaced the earlier computer system in 1997.
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Mr. Dismore:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will state, for each of the last three years, and the present year to date, how many (a) applications for and (b) reviews of (i) disability living allowance, (ii) attendance allowance and (iii) incapacity benefit were (1) decided on paper and (2) decided after a medical examination; and how many in each category resulted in (x) continuation of benefit, (y) an increase in benefit and (z) withdrawal of benefit. [106685]
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Mr. Bayley:
Disability Living Allowance (DLA) is a non-contributory benefit available to severely disabled people aged under 65 on the basis of their care and mobility needs; Attendance Allowance (AA) is available to those over 65 with care needs.
Information on the use of medical examinations in determining entitlement is available only for applications for benefit, and is in the tables.
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| Decision and evidence used | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Decisions based on claim form | 83,886 | 59,733 | 46,637 |
| Decisions based on claim form in conjunction with an external medical practitioner's report | 171,719 | 131,593 | 146,078 |
| Awards based on claim form | 30,130 | 23,843 | 20,592 |
| Awards based on claim form in conjunction with an external medical practitioner's report | 77,005 | 52,578 | 61,079 |
Source:
Analytical Services Division: 100 per cent. data
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Incapacity Benefit is awarded on the basis of medical evidence at the outset of a claim, provided the contribution conditions are satisfied, and continues to be paid subject to satisfaction of incapacity tests.
There are two tests of incapacity, the Own Occupation Test (OOT), which applies for the first 28 weeks for people who had a regular occupation, and the All Work Test (AWT) which applies to all cases where incapacity lasts more than 28 weeks. The AWT may be reapplied periodically to ensure that the entitlement conditions continue to be met. Where, following the application of
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the relevant test, a person is found capable of work, the incapacity decision is reviewed and benefit will be disallowed. An unfavourable determination on incapacity is not made without the claimant being given the opportunity for a medical examination, except where they fail without good cause to respond to requests for information in relation to the All Work Test.
Unfavourable determinations may be challenged on appeal and, since September 1999, may be reconsidered and revised where the claimant requests this within a specified time limit (one month). The available information is in the table.
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| 1995-96 | 1996-97 | 1997-98 | 1998-99 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benefit continued following referral to Medical Services(18) | 561,502 | 840,679 | 773,741 | 740,067 |
| Disallowed following OOT test | 1,288 | 2,170 | 2,664 | 2,750 |
| Disallowed following AWT | 66,367 | 112,046 | 104,339 | 88,904 |
| Disallowed--non-return of questionnaire | 7,710 | 9,134 | 10,887 | 10,578 |
| Disallowed--did not attend examination | 2,416 | 6,652 | 7,069 | 8,687 |
(18) Includes cases where no medical examination was carried out and where benefit was allowed following medical examination.
Note:
From April 2000 the All Work Test will be replaced by the Personal Capability Assessment
Source:
100 per cent. count of the computer system
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