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Independent Tribunal Service

Mr. Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he issues guidelines to Chairmen of Independent Tribunal Service hearings; what is the recommended time for them to provide appellants with written explanations for decisions; what is the average time currently taken; and if he will make a statement. [113733]

Angela Eagle: We do not issue guidelines to Chairmen of the Appeals Service (formerly the Independent Tribunal Service) tribunals. The President of appeal tribunals, Judge Michael Harris, is responsible for the functions of appeal tribunals. We cannot intervene in the matters for which the President is responsible.

Judge Harris is working to develop standards for all areas of interlocutory work, including provision of written explanations for decisions and he will write to the hon. Member when these are in place.

The average time for an appellant to receive a written explanation for the decision of a tribunal is 5.3 weeks. The average time for the Chairman to provide the written reasons is 4.0 weeks. This is calculated from the date that the Chairman received the appellant's request to the date that the reasons were passed to the administrative clerk.



    100 per cent. download from the Appeals Service Generic Appeals Processing System. The figures are based on requests for reasons received between 1 August 1998 and 31 July 1999.

Mr. Woolas: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the cost of the administration of the Benefits Agency Independent Tribunal Service in the last year for which figures are available. [113474]

Angela Eagle: The Independent Tribunal Service was not part of the Benefits Agency.

The cost of the administration of the Independent Tribunal Service (now the Appeals Service) for the 1998-99 financial year was £55.890 million.

Housing Benefit (Verification Framework)

Dr. Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if a recent letter from the police regarding investigation of a burglary at a property is acceptable proof of identification to comply with the housing benefit verification framework. [113774]

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Angela Eagle: The relevance or weight given to any piece of evidence in support of a claim is a matter for the local authority concerned. The Verification Framework requires local authorities to look at the whole picture presented by a claimant when establishing identity. It would not be appropriate for this Department to direct local authorities as to the weight they should give to a particular piece of evidence, which may or may not be relevant depending on the wider circumstances of the case.

Dr. Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will extend the definition of hostels for the purposes of implementation of the housing benefit verification framework to other organisations providing accommodation for the vulnerable and socially excluded. [113650]

Angela Eagle: The definition of hostel that exists ensures that most bona fide direct access, short stay accommodation for the homeless is covered. The special rules for hostels are designed to ensure that this type of accommodation is available to the socially excluded. For all other types of accommodation the Verification Framework is sufficiently flexible to allow genuine claimants to satisfy its requirements and receive their benefit entitlement. In very exceptional documented cases the local authority can decide to make payment even when the Verification Framework standard has not been met.

Dr. Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he has published a list of acceptable proofs of identification to comply with the housing benefit verification framework. [113773]

Angela Eagle: The Verification Framework initially contained a prescriptive list of documents that could be accepted as evidence of identity; each claimant was required to provide two of the documents on that list. It soon became apparent that this was not the best way to establish identity in many cases. Such rules particularly disadvantaged the vulnerable and socially excluded.

Revised guidance was issued to all local authorities in July 1999. This guidance stresses the importance of looking at the whole picture presented by a claimant and their circumstances. It allows local authorities to build a picture to support a person's claim using different sources of evidence. The new guidance deliberately does not contain a prescriptive list of acceptable documentary evidence.

The Verification Framework does provide guidance as to the level of confidence that can be applied to various commonly submitted documents relating to ID.

Dr. Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what guidance he gives landlords about what they should do if a potential tenant is unable to produce any forms of identification acceptable to local authority housing benefit officers to comply with the verification framework. [113772]

Angela Eagle: The verification framework sets standards for local authorities to follow in establishing entitlement to Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State does not give guidance to landlords on identity requirements as decisions on letting property are distinct from decisions on benefit entitlement. Where a person is unsure whether

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or not they might get Housing Benefit, it is advisable for them to make inquiries of their local authority before entering into an agreement to pay rent.

Dr. Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what guidance he gives local authorities on telling potential tenants what are accepted proofs of identification to comply with the housing benefit verification framework. [113771]

Angela Eagle: The verification framework requires local authorities to make it clear on their claim forms what documentary evidence the claimant will need to supply. However, when establishing identity there is no specific list of documents which claimants must supply. Indeed, to have such a list would cause problems for those claimants who are most vulnerable, as they are least likely to have specific documents.

The framework requires local authorities to look at each case on its merits when examining supporting evidence. Where a claimant has little or no documentary evidence of identity, the local authority should give consideration as to why that is when considering how to progress the case.

Income Support

Mr. Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what measures he proposes to encourage the take-up of income support unclaimed by those already in receipt of the state pension but entitled to additional benefit. [113176]

Mr. Rooker: We are committed to taking action to find more effective ways of encouraging eligible pensioners to claim their benefit entitlement. We will shortly be announcing our plans to encourage pensioners to take up their entitlement to the minimum income guarantee.

Hospital Downrating

Mr. Denzil Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what, in the latest financial year for which figures are available, were the total savings accruing from hospital downrating. [113074]

Mr. Bayley: The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the table.

Estimated savings from hospital downrating, by benefit, 1998-99
£ million

BenefitEstimated savings
Retirement pension55
Incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance45
Disability living allowance (mobility component)5

Notes:

1. Savings estimates are based on samples of administrative data. It is assumed that the weeks of each sample are typical of the financial year as a whole. Figures are rounded to the nearest £5 million.

2. Estimates for income-related benefits (Income Support, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit) not available. In November 1999 there were an estimated 1,000 Income Support claimants who had been in hospital for between 4 and 52 weeks, and 2,000 claimants who had been in hospital for over 52 weeks.

3. Disability Living Allowance mobility savings arise from transitionally protected Higher Rate Mobility cases.

4. Disability Living Allowance (other than transitionally protected cases), Attendance Allowance and Invalid Care Allowance estimates are not included as these benefits generally cease after four weeks or less in hospital.


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Fraud

Mr. Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what action he is taking in respect of those area directorates where fraud in income support and jobseeker's allowance increased in the last area benefit review; and if he will make a statement. [114003]

Mr. Rooker [holding answer 10 March 2000]: The Benefits Agency's Area Directorates have plans in place which help them to direct their resources effectively to areas of greatest risk. The plans are regularly reviewed to see how effective areas are in paying benefits accurately and securely and appropriate adjustments are made. We are paying close attention to those areas where levels of fraud and error have risen.


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