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Benefits (Automated Credit Transfer)

Mr. Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what recent representations he has received on the Government's plans for payment of benefits by automated credit transfer. [102238]

Mr. Rooker: I refer my hon. Friend to the written answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Vale of Glamorgan (Mr. Smith) on 6 December 1999, Official Report, column 374W.

Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if it is his intention that, by 2005, all benefits will be paid into bank accounts through the automated credit transfer system. [102450]

Mr. Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to ensure that recipients of benefits who do not choose to have benefits paid by automated credit transfer retain the option of payment by order book. [102241]

Mr. Rooker: Starting in 2003 we will be moving to a more modern, secure and efficient method of paying benefits through automated credit transfer (ACT). Payment by ACT will become the norm for paying benefits and the move to ACT will be completed in 2005.

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However, there will have to be some, limited, exceptions. We have given an assurance that those benefit recipients, whether paid by ACT or otherwise, who wish to collect their benefits in cash at Post Offices, will continue to be able to do so.

Information Technology Services Agency

Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the objectives of the strategic outsourcing project of the Information Technology Services Agency. [102422]

Angela Eagle: The Department faces ever more complex business change in order to deliver a modern, responsive welfare service to the public. Key to the successful achievement of the required business change is the provision of modern IT services. In defining the Department's strategic direction, the overall objective has been to achieve a sustainable organisation in support of DSS IS/IT provision which also preserves the best possible career opportunities for staff. We believe that outsourcing the Department's IT provision will provide the best way of delivering its IS/IT needs while securing a better long-term future for it's staff.

External Consultants

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much his Department's agencies and non-departmental public bodies have spent on external consultants and advisers since May 1997. [102077]

Mr. Rooker: The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the tables.

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Final consultancy expenditure	Management consultants	IT consultants	Total
1997-98
Headquarters	448,955.30	1,480,765.97	1,929,712.27
Independent Statutory Body	34,182.70	35,214.33	69,397.03
Benefits Agency	7,749,889.74	3,026,673.24	10,776,562.98
Contributions Agency	196,832.43	433,165.36	629,997.79
Child Support Agency	334,344.96	--	334,344.96
War Pensions Agency	113,646.04	44,714.25	158,360.29
Information Technology Services Agency	2,690,542.90	3,298,078.42	5,988,621.32
Total	11,568,394.07	8,318,602.57	19,886,996.64
1998-99
Headquarters	2,958,491.58	1,644,500.02	4,602,991.60
Independent Statutory Body	112,130.29	2,240.00	114,370.29
Benefits Agency	7,153,738.38	7,302,862.98	14,456,601.36
Contributions Agency	419,792.10	673,328.50	1,093,120.60
Child Support Agency	198,868.56	0.00	198,868.56
War Pensions Agency	306,915.25	73,326.65	380,241.90
Information Technology Services Agency	1,829,312.36	4,532,311.51	6,361,623.87
Total	12,979,248.52	14,228,569.66	27,207,818.18
1999 to October 1999
Headquarters	1,822,083.84	313,644.84	2,135,728.68
Independent Statutory Body	21,602.48	0.00	21,602.48
Benefits Agency	10,021,830.60	3,997,569.32	14,019,399.92
Contributions Agency	0.00	0.00	0.00
Child Support Agency	377,982.29	24,490.19	402,472.48
War Pensions Agency	7,699.68	3,808.00	11,507.68
Information Technology Services Agency	854,986.87	1,218,525.51	2,073,512.39
Total	13,106,186.76	5,558,037.87	18,664,223.63

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Independent statutory bodies (ISB) breakdown	Management consultants	IT consultants
1997-98
The Appeals Service	0.00	0.00
Central Adjudication Service	0.00	0.00
Pensions Ombudsman	0.00	35,214.33
Independent Review Service	34,182.70	0.00
Total	34,182.70	35,214.33
1998-99
The Appeals Service	0.00	0.00
Central Adjudication Service	0.00	0.00
Pensions Ombudsman	0.00	2,240.00
Independent Review Service	112,130.29	0.00
Total	112,130.29	2,240.00
1999 to October 1999
The Appeals Service	0.00	0.00
Central Adjudication Service	0.00	0.00
Pensions Ombudsman	0.00	0.00
Independent Review Service	21,602.48	0.00
Total	21,602.48	0.00

Occupational Pensions Regulatory Authority (OPRA)

Year	Management consultants	IT consultants
1997-98	377,000.00	395,000.00
1998-99	485,980.83	943,541.52
1999 to October 1999	436,538.98	301,446.39

Note:

OPRA expenditure--(OPRA is classed as an Independent Statutory Body and an executive non-departmental public body. It is not funded directly from vote 3, it is funded by grant in aid).

Housing Benefit

Mr. Swinney: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what the total cost was of Housing Benefit in

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(a) the United Kingdom and (b) Scotland in each of the last five years; and what his estimate is of the cost of Housing Benefit in (i) the United Kingdom and (ii) Scotland in each of the next three years. [102381]

Angela Eagle: The information is in the table.

Total cost of Housing Benefit in Great Britain and Scotland in each of the last five years and the estimated cost for each of the next three years£ million cash

	Great Britain	Scotland
1994-95	10,103	864
1995-96	10,876	907
1996-97	11,380	967
1997-98	11,180	1,017
1998-99	11,156	1,034
1999-2000	11,485	1,069
2000-01	12,115	1,124
2001-02	12,731	1,177

Notes:

1. The information for 1994-95 to 1997-98 is final outturn, 1998-99 information is estimated outturn and the figures for 1999-2000 to 2001-02 are forecasts.

2. This Department can only provide information on Great Britain. For information about Northern Ireland the hon. Member should refer to the Minister for the Department of Social Development.

Mr. Swinney: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many housing benefit recipients there are in (a) the United Kingdom and (b) Scotland in (i) council housing, (ii) private rented accommodation, (iii) privately owned accommodation and (iv) other public sector rented accommodation broken down by type; and what proportion this represents in each case of the relevant population. [102383]

Angela Eagle: The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the table.

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Housing benefit recipients in Great Britain and Scotland

	Great Britain		Scotland
Recipients of:	Thousand	Percentage	Thousand	Percentage
All housing benefit	4,372	10	518	13
Local authority	2,590	6	383	9
All private (excluding Housing association)	923	2	55	1
Housing association	859	2	80	2

Notes:

1. The figures are rounded to the nearest thousand and percentages to the nearest whole per cent.

2. The percentage quoted is a proportion of the population aged over 16 in the relevant country, and is an estimate based on 1996 mid-year Population estimate figures provided by the Office for National Statistics.

3. Recipients refer to benefit units, which may be a single person or a couple.

4. The Question asks for details of how many people in privately owned accommodation receive Housing Benefit. However, people who own their accommodation are not entitled to Housing Benefit.

5. Information is for Great Britain only. For information about Northern Ireland the hon. Member should refer to the Minister for the Department of Social Development.

Source:

Housing Benefit Management Information System, quarterly 100 per cent. caseload counts, taken in February 1999.

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Mr. Swinney: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the level of housing benefit fraud among benefit claimants living in public sector accommodation. [102384]

Mr. Rooker: The information requested is contained in tables 16 and 17 of the Government Statistical Service's report on the methodology and findings of the 1997-98 National Housing Benefit Accuracy Review. The

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report was published in October 1998 and a copy is available in the Library.

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