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Carers
23. Mrs. Virginia Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he last met the Carers National Association to discuss support for carers. [R] [99086]
Mr. Bayley: I visited the headquarters of the Carers National Association on 29 June 1999 to discuss various issues of concern to carers. I was the keynote speaker at a CNA meeting in September and participated in an any questions panel with their Deputy Chief Executive last month. I value the Association's expertise and experience and I keep in touch with them.
Child Support Reform
25. Mr. Rendel:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has received concerning the use of a default rate to calculate maintenance payments under the new proposals for reforming child support. [99088]
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Angela Eagle:
The White Paper published on 1 July gave details of our plans to impose a default rate of maintenance liability. It is important that maintenance starts flowing quickly and reliably to children. Where exceptionally it is clear that there is going to be a delay in assessing maintenance, we plan to impose a default rate until the CSA has enough information to calculate the true liability.
We have not received any representations on this issue.
Mr. Hilary Benn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to amend section 6(1) of the Child Support Act 1991. [100103]
Angela Eagle:
Our plans for the reform of child support were published in the White Paper "Children's Rights and Parent's Responsibilities" (Cm 4349) on 1 July 1999. Legislation announced in the Queen's Speech in November 1999 will set out the detail of the reforms.
Section 6(1) of the 1991 Act provides that parents with care on Income Support or income-based Jobseeker's Allowance can be required to apply for child support. Our plans to change this provision were set out in Chapter 4 of the White Paper. Currently, child support arrangements cannot be made unless a parent specifically applies for maintenance. While every effort is made to ensure parents with care are not put at risk by the child support process, this rule can actually increase the risk that parents face. This is because when non-resident parents receive notification that the parent with care had applied for child support, some feel that they have been 'shopped' to the Department of Social Security.
Under the new scheme, it is planned that a separate application for maintenance will not be required for parents with care on benefit. Claiming Income Support or income-based Jobseeker's Allowance will be enough to start the child support process, unless a parent with care specifically asks us not to pursue maintenance. A parent with care who opts out will be asked to show that she has good cause for doing so. If it is clear that the child support process would cause her or her children harm or undue distress no further action will be taken. Otherwise, a benefit penalty may be imposed.
26. Mr. Evans:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what action he plans to take to reduce fraud in benefits. [99089]
Mr. Rooker:
The Government published "Safeguarding Social Security", its strategy for combating fraud and reducing error on 23 March. This document is available on the Department's website.
27. Mr. Grogan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement about the Government's policy towards increasing take-up of income support by pensioners. [99090]
Mr. Rooker:
Research on why pensioners do not take up their entitlement to Income Support was published on 15 October. We will present our plans for the national programme in due course.
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28. Mr. Healey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the progress to date of the ONE service pilots. [99092]
Angela Eagle:
The first four ONE service pilots, which were launched in June, are making good progress. We are already helping people plan ways to become independent, while ensuring that claims to benefit are dealt with promptly and accurately.
A further eight pilots are being launched today. Four will test the advantages of using call centre technology and the other four will be delivered in partnership with private and voluntary sector providers.
29. Mr. Quinn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the progress of the pilot scheme for the New Deal for the disabled as it affects Scarborough and Whitby. [99095]
Mr. Bayley:
There are 12 Personal Adviser Service pilots within the New Deal for Disabled People. The North Yorkshire pilot, which includes my hon. Friend's constituency, is one of these and was the most recent to start. It has so far helped 24 disabled people into work, including 10 in the last month. Overall the New Deal for Disabled People has helped nearly 1,500 people into jobs.
30. Mrs. Laing:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the effects of his reforms to the system of benefits for disabled people. [99097]
Mr. Bayley:
We are modernising the welfare system to encourage work for those who can and provide security for those who cannot. Our reforms will help disabled people who want to work and ensure that extra support is given to those who need it most.
Mr. Efford:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps he is taking to review the Benefits Agency Medical Service. [99073]
Mr. Bayley:
The Contract for the provision of medical services to the Benefits Agency was awarded to Sema Group from 1 September 1998 for five years. The service is managed and monitored on a daily basis by a dedicated Benefits Agency Contract Management Team. The service provided by Sema Group has not necessitated a review to be conducted and there are no plans currently for a review to be carried out.
Mr. Dalyell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the cost of imposing a threshold of £125 in relation to incapacity benefit. [99080]
Mr. Bayley:
We estimate that setting a threshold of £125, below which no account would be taken of pension income, would increase benefit expenditure by £10 million in the first year, £45 million in the third year and £120 million after ten years.
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Dr. Lynne Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what motor mileage allowance rates his Department offers to (a) Ministers and (b) civil servants using their own vehicles for official business; and what has been the cost of each in each of the last five years. [98717]
Mr. Bayley:
Information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the table.
| All cars (irrespective of engine capacity) | Pence per mile |
|---|---|
| Standard Rate | |
| Up to 4,000 miles per annum | 40 |
| Over 4,000 miles per annum | 22.5 |
| Public Transport Rate | 22.5 |
Notes:
1. These rates were first introduced on 4 April 1997.
2. Information is not kept in a format which provides a breakdown of the components in the Department's overall spend on transport for the last five years.
3. Standard rate milage can only be claimed if it an be justified that the journey taken by private vehicle is in the public interest.
Benefit Payment Methods
Valerie Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what assessment he has made of the accessibility to benefit recipients of (a) post offices and (b) banks; and if he will estimate the average distance from home in each case; [99270]
- (2) what investigation the Benefits Agency has conducted of the effects of its decision to pay benefits through banks by 2003 on (a) benefit recipients, (b) banks and (c) post offices, with particular reference to smaller post offices; and what the results were; [99271]
(3) in his discussions with the banks about paying benefits through bank accounts, if the banks have agreed to (a) handle the cash necessary for all benefit recipients and (b) issue bank accounts to all benefit recipients. [99269]
Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what assurances he has received from the banking industry that, if new accounts were opened solely for the purpose of receipt of social security benefits, no charges would be levied for the withdrawal of cash; [99577]
- (2) what assurances he has received from the banking industry that, in the event of all benefit payments being made into bank accounts from 2003, bank accounts would be available to all benefit recipients. [99570]
Mr. Rooker:
No assessment of the accessibility of post offices or banks to benefit recipients has been made. Customers can choose to access their benefits in cash at both post offices and banks. We have no plans to change this.
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We have decided to move to automated credit transfer (ACT) from 2003 as a modern, more secure and efficient method of paying benefits. People are increasingly choosing ACT as their preferred method of payment. The Benefits Agency and Post Office Counters Ltd. will be working together to build on this trend to ensure that, from 2003, ACT offers an attractive choice to benefit recipients, opening up access to a wider range of banking and other financial services, while continuing to offer access to cash at post office counters. The Performance and Innovation Unit will pay particular attention to this as part of their study into the post office network which was announced by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 21 October.
The Department will be arranging discussions with the banking industry on issues surrounding benefit recipients, charges and other matters in due course. We envisage there will be alternative arrangements for anyone who cannot open a bank account. We will ensure procedures are in place for payment of emergency payments where cash is required on day of decision.
Mr. Crausby:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to change the present system of benefits payments by requiring all recipients to receive payment by automated credit transfer. [99632]
Mr. Rooker:
We are to move from the traditional paper based methods of payment to a more modern, secure and efficient way of paying benefits using the existing Automatic Credit Transfer (ACT) system to make benefit payments available through banks and the Post Office network. The new arrangements will begin in 2003 to be completed by 2005. Those benefit recipients who wish to collect their benefits in cash at post offices will continue to be able to do so.
Valerie Davey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of the extent of fraud when benefits are paid (a) through bank accounts and (b) through post offices. [99268]
Mr. Rooker:
The majority of payments through bank accounts relate to benefits such as Retirement Pension and Child Benefit. Few cases of fraud have been detected in these payments; however, the BA continues to work on identifying risks on dealing with them.
It is estimated that fraudulent losses from benefits paid through post offices were £19.4 million in respect of girocheques and £83.3 million in respect of order books.
Mr. Webb:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what the results were of his trial of the use of a benefits payment card in respect of the level of benefit fraud; [99566]
Mr. Rooker:
A pilot payment card exercise started in September 1996 in 12 post offices. The full trial took place from April 1997 to May 1999 in 204 post offices in the south-west and north-east areas of England. In total, 35,000 Child Benefit customers were issued with payment cards. No cases of benefit fraud were found.
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(2) what assessment he has made of the extent of benefit fraud when payments are made by automated credit transfer. [99568]
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