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Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what the average processing time is for Attendance Allowance for (a) first-time claims and (b) appeals for claims to be reconsidered for each quarter over the last three years. [136805]
Mr. Bayley [holding answer 7 November 2000]: The information is not available in the form requested. The following table gives figures, for each quarter of the last three years, for the average number of days taken to process an initial Attendance Allowance (AA) claim (excluding accelerated processing under special rules for terminal illness), and the average number of days taken to review a claim (including existing claims). From 18 October 1999 reconsideration was introduced to replace the review process. All data are subject to rounding to whole days.
Quarter | Initial claims | Reviews(15) | Reconsiderations |
---|---|---|---|
April-June 1998 | 22 | 39 | -- |
July-September 1998 | 23 | 40 | -- |
October-December 1998 | 24 | 41 | -- |
January-March 1999 | 25 | 43 | -- |
April-June 1999 | 29 | 39 | -- |
July-September 1999 | 30 | 40 | -- |
October-December 1999 | 30 | (16)41 | (17)33 |
January-March 2000 | 32 | (16)43 | (17)55 |
April-June 2000 | 36 | -- | 59 |
July-September 2000 | 34 | -- | 54 |
(15) All reviews, including review from new claims
(16) Cases where requests for review received before 18 October 1999
(17) Cases where requests for review received on or after 18 October 1999
New procedures for assessing claims for AA were introduced in the third quarter of 1999 to improve the accuracy of decisions on entitlement. Customers can now receive clearer explanations of decisions on their benefit entitlement. Initially these changes led to significant
22 Nov 2000 : Column: 230W
increases in the time it took to process each case which, together with a growing caseload, created a temporary backlog of work. This has been tackled as a priority, and as decision-makers have become accustomed to the new procedures, the backlog has now been cleared.
Mr. Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many (a) children and (b) adults were living in poverty in each of the last 20 years; and what his estimate is of the number of children who will be living in poverty in each of the next three years. [137734]
Mr. Bayley [holding answer 10 November 2000]: Poverty is a multi-faceted problem. Therefore we do not use a single definition of poverty but instead use a range of indicators to examine the problem. Information relating to the indicators can be found in the second Government "Opportunity for all" report on tackling poverty and social exclusion "One year on: making a difference" (Cm 4865). The report also describes and monitors the impact of policies we have already introduced, and sets out our plans for the future.
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps the Benefits Agency and the Appeals Service must take following a decision by an independent Disability Living Allowance appeal tribunal to amend benefits before arrears of benefit can be paid. [138518]
Mr. Bayley: Appeals Service procedures are matters for the Chief Executive of The Appeals Service. The administration of Disability Living Allowance is the responsibility of the Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, Alexis Cleveland. Following consultation with the Appeals Service, Alexis Cleveland will write to my hon. Friend.
Letter from Alexis Cleveland to Mr. Brian Donohoe, dated 21 November 2000:
22 Nov 2000 : Column: 231W
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many additional pensioner households he expects to be entitled to the Minimum Income Guarantee as a result of the proposed pensioners' credit. [138350]
Mr. Rooker: As a result of the proposals announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 9 November 2000, Official Report, columns 451-55, we expect 1.1 million additional pensioner households to benefit from the Minimum Income Guarantee in 2003.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how long information is kept on file following an unsuccessful application by a pensioner for Minimum Income Guarantee. [139693]
Mr. Rooker [holding answer 21 November 2000]: Clerical documents are kept for 14 months after the decision has been made. Records maintained on the mainframe computer system are available to view for 12 weeks after the decision.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the procedures for pensioners accessing the Minimum Income Guarantee with specific reference to (a) the operation of the free phone service, (b) the role of the local Benefits Agency office and (c) the processing of forms. [139692]
Mr. Rooker [holding answer 21 November 2000]: We want pensioners to be able to access services in ways that suit them. Pensioners can access the Minimum Income Guarantee (MIG) through the network of local Benefits Agency offices by writing, visiting or telephoning their local office.
Alternatively, pensioners can claim via the MIG Claimline telephone number (0800 028 1111).
The local office's role is to help pensioners apply for the MIG.
22 Nov 2000 : Column: 232W
Mr. Gareth R. Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will set out the pay and conditions of the Chief Executive of the Benefit Fraud Inspectorate. [139001]
Mr. Rooker: The Director of the Benefit Fraud Inspectorate is subject to the pay and conditions of the Senior Civil Service. His pay falls within the Senior Civil Service pay band 4 with a pay range from £57,367 to £95,625.
Mr. Gareth R. Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what arrangements there are in place to monitor (a) the general performance of the Benefit Fraud Inspectorate and (b) the specific performance of individual inspection teams within the Benefit Fraud Inspectorate. [139002]
Mr. Rooker: The Benefit Fraud Inspectorate (BFI) is part of the Department of Social Security and its Director is accountable to senior officials in the Department and to Ministers. Ministers and senior officials monitor the overall performance of the BFI through regular accountability meetings. Views on the general performance of the BFI have recently been gathered, from those local authorities that have been inspected, through the BFI's own survey and the Local Authority Omnibus Survey published by the Department's Social Research Branch.
The Head of Operations and his two Programme Managers monitor the specific performance of individual inspection teams within BFI. This monitoring encompasses the BFI's own internal inspection quality process which measures and provides assurance on the quality of individual inspections and inspection reports.
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