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Bovine Tuberculosis
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what scientific evidence he has concerning the spread of bovine TB from badgers to cattle.
Mr. Soames : Experimental control areas in Dorset and Gloucestershire, set up in 1975, provided evidence of the causal link between infection in badgers and cattle herds. Two independent reports, by Lord Zuckerman in 1980 and Professor Dunnet in 1986, concluded from the evidence obtained under laboratory conditions at the central veterinary laboratory and from the field that badgers can and do harbour bovine tuberculosis and represent a potential threat to cattle. All cattle tuberculosis breakdowns are the subject of detailed epidemiological investigation by MAFF veterinary staff. These show that badgers are implicated in at least three-quarters of cattle herd tuberculosis breakdowns in the south-west of England.
Farm Support
Mr. Jopling : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many farmers are in receipt of support in the less favoured areas, split into those in the severely disadvantaged areas and those in the disadvantaged areas ; and what is the average amount of support which each receive under each form of support from public funds.
Mr. Curry : The information requested in respect of livestock subsidies in the United Kingdom is as follows :
Type of support |Number of claimants|Average payment at
|(thousands) |1992 rates
|SDA DA |SDA DA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hill Livestock
Compensatory
Allowances Scheme |51 16 |£2,250 £690
Sheep Annual
Premium Scheme |51 |£5,900
Suckler Cow Premium
Scheme |35 |£2,600
The number of claimants does not equate precisely with the number of farmers receiving support because some claims are submitted by groups of farmers. For the sheep annual premium scheme and the suckler cow premium scheme information is available only for the less favoured areas: it is not possible to distinguish between payments made in relation to the severely disadvantaged areas and the disadvantaged areas.
Myxomatosis
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the availability of vaccine against myxomatosis in pet and commercially farmed rabbits.
Mr. Soames : In April 1992 the only United Kingdom product licence for a myxomatosis vaccine was surrendered by its holder. As a result no further supplies of vaccine were available once existing stocks held by veterinary practitioners were used up. Following informal discussions between the veterinary medicines directorate and vaccine manufacturers, and representations by rabbit keepers to the pharmaceutical industry, an application has
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recently been received from Intervet (UK) Ltd to licence a replacement vaccine. The data supporting the application are being assessed as rapidly as possible against the standard Medicines Act criteria of safety, quality and efficacy.Mrs. Browning : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the effect of the abolition of monetary compensatory amounts on inflation in British food prices ; and what consideration has been given to phasing in the subsequent green pound devaluation.
Mr. Curry : The 7 per cent. devaluation of the green pound agreed at the Agriculture Council in November and three smaller automatic devaluations resulting from realignments within the exchange rate mechanism (ERM) were followed by a 4.4 per cent. devaluation of the United Kingdom green rate on 1 January 1993, to take it within two points of the prevailing market exchange rate in line with the rules of the new agrimonetary system. These green rate changes effectively phased in the adjustment to the new arrangements under which monetary compensatory amounts (MCAs) were abolished. It is estimated that these green pound devaluations may increase food prices by about 2 per cent. once the effects of the increases in common agricultural policy support prices have worked through.
Under the rules of the new system, green rate devaluations (and revaluations) will take place automatically in order to keep green rates closely aligned with market rates. The market exchange rates of the currencies outside the narrow band of the ERM (currently the pound sterling, the lira, the peseta, the escudo and the drachma) will be monitored during three 10-day reference periods each month. A member state's green rate will be adjusted whenever there is a gap of more than two percentage points between green and market rates during the final reference period in a month. There will also be adjustments when the difference between the monetary gaps for any
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two currencies exceeds four points in any of the three reference periods in a month. Finally, more frequent adjustments can be made to green rates when exchange rates are very volatile.Agriculture Council
Mr. Peter Atkinson : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Agriculture Council held on 18 and 19 January.
Mr. Gummer : I represented the United Kingdom at this quiet meeting of the Council which followed that in December under the United Kingdom presidency when decisions were taken on most outstanding issues.
Discussion concentrated on detailed issues. It was agreed that officials would conduct a technical appraisal of the compatibility of common agriculture policy reform with the draft Uruguay round agreement.
SOCIAL SECURITY
National Insurance
Mr. Dewar : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish figures showing (a) the level of the upper earnings limit for national insurance contributions as a percentage of average earnings in 1978-79, 1992-93 and his projection for 1993-94, (b) the number of additional people with earnings above the national insurance contribution ceiling in 1992-93 and 1993-94 as a result of increases in the upper earnings limit by the level of prices rather than average earnings since 1978-79 and (c) the effect on national insurance revenues in 1992-93 and 1993-94 of increases in the upper earnings limit by the level of prices rather than average earnings since 1978-79.
Miss Widdecombe : The information requested is in the table.
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|Average weekly |Weekly upper |UEL as a percentage|Number of people<3>|Estimated effect on
|earnings |earnings limit |of average earnings |NI revenues<4>
|(adults)<1>
|£ |(UEL) |Per cent. |Million |£billion
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
April
1978 |78.60 |120.00 |152.7 |- |-
1992 |304.60 |405.00 |133.0 |1.7 |+ 0.5
1993 |<2>320.00 |420.00 |131.3 |1.8 |+ 0.7
Notes
<1> Average weekly full time earnings of all adults. Source: New Earnings Survey.
<2> Assumes a rise in average earnings of 5 per cent. rounded to the nearest £.
<3> The estimated number of people with earnings above the UEL but below the level which would have applied had the UEL been increased in
line with average earnings since 1978-79.
<4> The estimated effect on NI revenue had the increases in the UEL since 1978-79 been by the level of earnings rather than prices.
Includes effects on both employers' and employees' NICs.
Mr. Dewar : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish figures showing (a) the level of the lower earnings limit for national insurance contributions as a percentage of average earnings in 1978-79, 1992-93 and his projection for 1993-94, (b) the number of additional people who will pay national insurance contributions in 1992-93 and 1993-94 as a result of
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increases in the lower earnings limit by the level of prices rather than average earnings since 1978-79 and (c) the effect on national insurance revenues in 1992-93 and 1993-94 of increases in the lower earnings limit by the level of prices rather than average earnings since 1978-79.Miss Widdecombe : The information requested is in the table.
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|<1>Average weekly |Weekly lower |Lower earnings limit|<3>Estimated number |<4>Estimated effect
|earnings (adults) |earnings limit |(LEL) as a |of additional |on National
|(LEL) |percentage of |contributors |Insurance revenues
|average earnings
|£ |£ |Per cent. |Million |£ billion
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
April
1978 |78.60 |17.50 |22.3 |- |-
1992 |304.60 |54.00 |17.7 |0.6 |+0.5
1993 |<2>320.00 |56.00 |17.5 |0.6 |+0.7
<1>Average weekly full-time earnings of all adults. Source: New Earnings Survey.
<2>The estimated additional number of people who pay National Insurance contributions and gain potential entitlement to contributory benefits as a
result of increases in the lower earnings limit since 1978-79 by the level of prices rather than earnings.
<3>The estimated effect on National Insurance revenue as a result of increases in the lower earnings limit since 1978-79 by the level of prices
rather than earnings. Includes effects on both employers' and employees' National Insurance contributions, but does not take account of the extra
costs of contributory benefits which people are obtaining for as little as £1.12 a week.
<4>Assumes a rise in earnings of 5 per cent., rounded to the nearest £.
War Pensions
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will reconsider his decision to stop awards of war pension for noise- induced hearing loss resulting in under 20 per cent. disablement ; and if he will make a statement.
Miss Widdecombe : No, as announced in the reply to the hon. Member for Harlow (Mr. Hayes), 17 December at columns 369-70, full and careful consideration was given to all representations before the decision was taken to proceed with the package of changes which included the introduction of a minimum level of disablement for noise-induced hearing loss.
Housing Benefit
Mr. Hendry : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what information he has on the time taken by local authorities to process housing benefit applications from council and privately renting tenants ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Burt : Regulations provide that authorities should process claims to housing benefit within 14 days of all the necessary information becoming available. If authorities are unable to do this they should make interim payments. Many authorities achieve the target in full. Nationally, in 1991-92, 71 per cent. of new claims from council tenants and 70 per cent. of claims from private tenants were processed within 14 days. For repeat claims the percentages were 83 per cent. and 73 per cent. respectively. All figures are an improvement on the overall figure of two thirds of claims processed within 14 days achieved in 1990-91.
Ms. Coffey : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the level of housing benefit to the private sector in (a) 1990-91, (b) 1991-92 and (c) to date in the current year ; and what was the average level of benefit in (i) the private sector, (ii) the council sector and (iii) the housing association sector.
Mr. Burt : The available information is set out in the table :
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|Amount of rent |Rent allowance |Average amount
|allowance paid or |(£/week) of rent
|estimated (£ |rebate
|thousand)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1990-91 |1,757,071 |25.45 |19.80
1991-92 |2,353,942 |32.57 |22.76
1992-93 |2,883,389 |39.02 |26.73
|-<1> |-<2>
Notes: Separate information in respect of Housing Associations is not available.
Rent allowance is Housing Benefit paid to the private sector and includes that paid to
the housing association sector.
Rent rebate is Housing Benefit paid to the council sector.
Source:
(1) Local Authority Housing Benefit and Community Charge Benefit subsidy claim forms.
(2) 1990 and 1991, the Housing Benefit and Community Charge Benefit Management
Information System statistics annual 1 per cent sample, taken in May of each year, for
1992 the quarterly caseload enquiry, as at August 1992.
Mr. Luff : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will announce how housing benefit transitional payments will be treated in April.
Mr. Burt : We have always made it clear that housing benefit transitional payments which were introduced in 1988 will be reduced as increases in other benefits make them less necessary. We have, therefore, decided on a flat rate reduction of £1.50 per week in these payments for the year from April 1993. As a result, the vast majority of recipients will still gain overall in cash terms from the April uprating of other social security benefits.
Myalgic Encephalomyelitis
Ms. Coffey : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what guidelines have been issued to deal with applicants suffering from myalgic encephalomyelitis applying for disability living allowance.
Mr. Scott : The disability handbook, which helps adjudicating authorities to assess medical evidence, provides information on the likely effects of myalgic encephalomyelitis on a person's care and/or mobility needs.
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Income Support
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list by date for the last 12 months, the number of times his Benefit Agency's income support computer has malfunctioned.
Mr. Burt : The administration of income support is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available and a copy will be placed in the Library.
Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 18 January 1993.
As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking if he will list by date for the last 12 months, the number of times his Benefits Agency's Income Support Computer system has malfunctioned.
I am pleased to advise you that the time lost through computer malfunction is minimal. The Income Support Computer Service is available for 122,400 hours a year. Only 0.72 per cent. of computer time was lost in the year ended December 1992. This was a total of 882 hours and 57 minutes.
I have appended, in chronological order, information on the incidents where there has been a loss of the Income Support computer service. The time lost on any date shown is a cumulative total for the number of incidents shown and may represent one or more offices. I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report . A copy will also be placed in the Library.
IncidentTime lost
Date |raised |Hours |Minutes
--------------------------------------------------
3 January 1992 |1 |- |33
7 July 1992 |1 |1 |35
15 January 1992 |2 |5 |54
16 January 1992 |2 |3 |44
18 January 1992 |7 |7 |06
19 January 1992 |3 |10 |56
24 January 1992 |1 |1 |15
26 January 1992 |2 |1 |16
27 January 1992 |3 |2 |57
28 January 1992 |2 |2 |02
29 January 1992 |9 |27 |56
2 February 1992 |2 |1 |18
4 February 1992 |2 |2 |29
6 February 1992 |1 |- |16
9 February 1992 |2 |3 |00
17 February 1992 |4 |7 |35
18 February 1992 |2 |- |34
1 March 1992 |2 |1 |20
2 March 1992 |2 |3 |46
3 March 1992 |1 |1 |05
5 March 1992 |2 |4 |39
8 March 1992 |2 |6 |06
9 March 1992 |4 |6 |44
12 March 1992 |1 |- |03
13 March 1992 |2 |2 |36
18 March 1992 |2 |4 |31
19 March 1992 |5 |12 |37
23 March 1992 |2 |1 |16
7 April 1992 |2 |4 |38
8 April 1992 |1 |- |40
10 April 1992 |1 |- |13
15 April 1992 |2 |2 |20
24 April 1992 |2 |- |40
28 April 1992 |2 |1 |28
29 April 1992 |33 |28 |21
30 April 1992 |5 |17 |43
1 May 1992 |1 |- |28
6 May 1992 |4 |7 |32
14 May 1992 |2 |2 |16
26 May 1992 |1 |1 |00
29 May 1992 |2 |4 |13
7 June 1992 |1 |3 |20
9 June 1992 |4 |2 |01
10 June 1992 |1 |- |41
11 June 1992 |1 |- |50
17 June 1992 |1 |- |14
21 June 1992 |1 |1 |06
23 June 1992 |4 |8 |22
25 June 1992 |2 |4 |00
26 June 1992 |2 |- |20
27 June 1992 |3 |2 |45
1 July 1992 |5 |1 |05
6 July 1992 |2 |2 |59
7 July 1992 |4 |8 |43
10 July 1992 |1 |- |59
13 July 1992 |2 |3 |15
17 July 1992 |2 |1 |45
18 July 1992 |2 |2 |00
20 July 1992 |4 |2 |47
22 July 1992 |2 |2 |04
23 July 1992 |1 |- |05
24 July 1992 |12 |11 |45
27 July 1992 |3 |3 |04
28 July 1992 |2 |- |55
3 August 1992 |2 |1 |30
4 August 1992 |4 |3 |55
5 August 1992 |5 |9 |54
6 August 1992 |1 |1 |00
7 August 1992 |1 |- |48
13 August 1992 |1 |- |50
18 August 1992 |1 |- |32
20 August 1992 |1 |- |47
22 August 1992 |6 |6 |22
23 August 1992 |2 |8 |34
31 August 1992 |7 |22 |18
1 September 1992 |10 |12 |40
2 September 1992 |1 |3 |10
9 September 1992 |8 |6 |48
10 September 1992 |2 |1 |54
11 September 1992 |1 |2 |27
12 September 1992 |1 |1 |09
14 September 1992 |5 |6 |41
15 September 1992 |1 |- |22
18 September 1992 |4 |2 |10
22 September 1992 |1 |- |27
26 September 1992 |3 |3 |56
1 October 1992 |3 |- |59
2 October 1992 |1 |- |39
6 October 1992 |2 |2 |54
7 October 1992 |2 |5 |11
8 October 1992 |2 |- |40
13 October 1992 |2 |3 |35
14 October 1992 |2 |3 |17
19 October 1992 |32 |160 |00
20 October 1992 |29 |37 |26
21 October 1992 |23 |35 |52
22 October 1992 |8 |8 |56
24 October 1992 |14 |10 |08
25 October 1992 |2 |- |56
29 October 1992 |2 |2 |077
2 November 1992 |2 |2 |45
4 November 1992 |1 |- |23
8 November 1992 |2 |1 |29
10 November 1992 |2 |2 |37
12 November 1992 |2 |3 |26
18 November 1992 |1 |- |31
19 November 1992 |2 |1 |25
30 November 1992 |1 |4 |20
1 December 1992 |40 |82 |09
2 December 1992 |8 |5 |07
3 December 1992 |6 |11 |34
4 December 1992 |5 |4 |06
8 December 1992 |1 |- |32
10 December 1992 |21 |34 |28
11 December 1992 |1 |2 |00
21 December 1992 |13 |19 |21
13 December 1992 |1 |1 |00
17 December 1992 |2 |4 |04
20 December 1992 |3 |4 |40
23 December 1992 |2 |1 |13
29 December 1992 |1 |2 |22
31 December 1992 |1 |- |32
Totals |352 |822 |57
Social Fund
Mr. Canavan : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what was, for each social security office in the United Kingdom, the number of cases in the current financial year where an application for a community care grant met the criteria but the grant was refused because of budgetary constraints ;
(2) what was, for each social security office in the United Kingdom, the number of cases in the current financial year where an application for a social fund loan met the criteria but the loan was refused because of budgetary constraints.
Mr. Scott : The administration of the social fund is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member and a copy will be placed in the Library.
Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Dennis Canavan, dated 18 January 1993 :
As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to the points raised in your recent Parliamentary Questions to the Secretary of State for Social Security about Social Fund applications refused on grounds of budgetary constraints. Details of loans and grants refused on grounds of insufficient priority by each Benefit Agency District are in the attached annex. The figures are for the period 1 April to 30 November 1992 and are the latest available.
I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report . A copy will also be placed in the Library.
Numbers of Social Fund refusals on grounds of insufficient priority April to November 1992 (latest available data) District |Loans |Grants ------------------------------------------------------------ Bankside |1,027 |169 Barking and Havering |605 |340 Barnet |572 |165 Barnsley |1,374 |510 Bedfordshire |1,025 |377 Berkshire |839 |258 Birmingham Chamberlain |976 |249 Birmingham Heartlands |1,044 |60 Birmingham North West |978 |487 Birmingham South East |569 |142 Birmingham South West |924 |351 Blackburn and Accrington |1,034 |286 Blackpool |462 |15 Bolton |1,160 |776 Bradford |1,514 |595 Bristol Severnside |1,106 |971 Brunel |1,121 |366 Buckinghamshire |579 |535 Burnley and Rossendale |640 |283 Cambridgeshire |870 |262 Canterbury and Thanet |430 |152 Central Staffordshire |712 |442 Channel |698 |194 Cheshire North West and Central |1,174 |645 Cheshire South and West |1,146 |352 Chesterfield and Worksop |602 |347 City East |587 |260 Clyde Coast and Cowal |1,346 |66 Clyde Valley |1,722 |1,258 Coatbridge |2,214 |294 Cornwall |836 |507 Coventry |1,028 |158 Cynon Merthyr and Rhymney Valley |3,082 |258 Derbyshire Central |1,179 |365 Derbyshire South |484 |248 Devonia |621 |396 Doncaster |1,688 |16 Dorset |723 |792 Durham North |1,889 |253 Durham South |1,619 |18 Ealing |755 |241 East Lowlands |1,695 |342 East Sussex |340 |50 Essex South East |548 |346 Essex South West |760 |200 Euston |1,859 |662 Fife |2,046 |475 Forth Valley |1,534 |364 Fulham |1,337 |955 Glamorgan South |2,345 |253 Glasgow City |1,471 |447 Glasgow East |2,847 |1,161 Glasgow Laurieston |2,061 |258 Glasgow South West |1,375 |261 Glasgow Springburn/Cumbernauld |1,961 |1,023 Glasgow West |1,207 |432 Gloucestershire |1,224 |436 Grampian/Shetland |647 |228 Gwent North and Brecon |926 |203 Gwyneddigion |701 |74 Hackney and Islington |864 |354 Halifax |893 |363 Hampshire North |767 |188 Harrow and Hillingdon |449 |415 Hereford and Worcestershire |472 |174 Highlands and Islands |559 |273 Hounslow and Kingston |467 |333 Hull |2,961 |953 Humberside South |1,147 |279 Irvine |71,391 |135 Kent North |1,661 |243 Kirklees |1,247 |428 Knowsley |1,536 |596 Lancaster and South Cumbria |743 |218 Lea Roding |930 |317 Leaside |680 |256 Leeds Aire and Wharfedale |1,526 |631 Leeds Ridings |1,523 |397 Leicester North |955 |160 Leicestershire South |517 |337 Lewisham and Brixton |1,943 |814 Lincolnshire East |513 |354 Liverpool Central |888 |251 Liverpool North |1,179 |176 Liverpool South |1,582 |815 Lomond and Argyll |1,232 |209 London Central |306 |114 Lothian Central |1,038 |405 Lothian West |1,488 |253 Manchester Central |1,194 |120 Manchester North |697 |385 Manchester South |1,588 |797 Mid Wales and Maelor |823 |133 Neasden |770 |281 Newcastle |2,960 |733 Newham |1,129 |249 North and East Hertfordshire |501 |622 North Cumbria |930 |633 North Essex |778 |344 North Staffordshire |1,196 |635 North Tyneside |836 |210 North Wales Coast |982 |513 North Yorkshire |358 |205 Northamptonshire |1,018 |194 Northumberland |862 |117 Norwich |1,242 |338 Nottinghamshire East |909 |363 Nottinghamshire North |927 |372 Nottinghamshire West |968 |734 Ogwr Afan Nedd |1,198 |44 Oldham |825 |522 Oxfordshire |705 |123 Preston |864 |352 Renfrew |1,451 |117 Rother and Dearne |1,260 |619 South East Hants and Wight |1,654 |298 Sale and East Cheshire |447 |156 Salford District |650 |177 Sandwell |823 |299 Scotland South West |1,432 |202 Sefton |1,181 |140 Sheffield East |2,036 |569 Sheffield West |1,133 |527 Shropshire |924 |1,073 Solent and Forest |1,117 |136 Somerset |380 |140 South Devon |1,622 |456 South Downs |677 |308 South Gwent and Islwyn |1,184 |383 South West Lancashire |1,127 |161 South West Thames |1,394 |519 Stockport |724 |251 Suffolk |1,062 |715 Surrey Downs |319 |22 Surrey North |1,006 |340 Swansea |1,012 |415 Taff Rhondda |855 |198 Tameside |1,061 |357 Tayside |2,500 |668 Tees North |2,619 |673 Tees South |2,493 |677 Thameside |972 |126 Tyneside South |2,559 |291 Wakefield |1,141 |525 Wales West |937 |250 Walsall |1,277 |163 Warwickshire |789 |221 Wearside |2,784 |471 West Hertfordshire |361 |324 West Kent |549 |114 West Lincolnshire |1,145 |335 West Pennine |1,219 |773 West Sussex |570 |245 Wigan and Leigh |770 |533 Wiltshire |917 |421 Wirral |2,064 |676 Wolverhampton |752 |249 Worcestershire North |830 |291 Yorkshire East |410 |95
Disability Allowances
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he expects the target clearance rates for new claims and reviews of disability living allowance and attendance allowance to be met.
Mr. Scott : The administration of disability living allowance is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member and a copy will be placed in the Library.
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Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Paul Flynn, dated 18 January 1993.As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to the points raised in your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking when we expect the target clearance rates for new claims and reviews of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and Attendance Allowance (AA) to be met.
The most recent clearance performances during the month of December are 55 per cent. (DLA) and 54.4 per cent. (AA65 ) against targets of 60 per cent. cleared in 30 and 35 days respectively. The numbers of new claims on hand is reducing month by month and we will continue to give detailed management attention to achievement of targets during the remainder of the current financial year.
As far as DLA and AA65 reviews are concerned, we are recruiting and deploying additional staff at Fylde and elsewhere to deal with the arrears. A profiling exercise is in progress to establish the effect of these extra staff against the backlog of work and expected intake and we will soon be able to predict a date for achievement of clearance targets. I will continue to take a close personal interest in the progress of performance.
I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report . A copy will also be placed in the Library.
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will provide details of the training provided to (a) benefits inquiry line staff and (b) adjudication officers working on disability living allowance and attendance allowance, including the dates and duration of training courses provided on these benefits ; what percentage of the annual training budget for these benefits has already been spent ; and what plans he has to increase this budget in real terms in the financial year 1993-94 and in subsequent years.
Mr. Scott : The administration of disability living allowance is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member and a copy will be placed in the Library.
Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Paul Flynn, dated 18 January 1993 :
As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to the points raised in your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security. You asked for details of training provided to (a) Benefits Inquiry Line staff and (b) adjudication officers working on Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance, including the dates and duration of training courses provided on these benefits ; what percentage of the annual training budget for these benefits has already been spent ; and what plans he has to increase this budget in real terms in the financial year 1993-94 and in subsequent years.
Initial training for Benefits Inquiry Line staff is covered within a period of 6 weeks. In this time all trainees are given a basic awareness of all Social Security benefits. Further benefits training is given which enables the trainees to calculate comfortably various Social Security benefits, and how to use these calculations. I shall write to you again with details of the dates of these training courses.
In addition to the basic benefits training the advisers training also incorporates :
Disability awareness
Listening in--(trainees listen to calls with an
experienced adviser)
Supervised calls--(trainees take first calls with
experienced advisers)
Column 217
Telephone techniquesA visit to a District office.
Training for Adjudication Officers based on the Fylde DLA Unit began in November 1991. There were approximately 7 courses running at any one time with 12 people on each course between November 1991 and March 1992. The duration of each course is 22 days.
At the Fylde Attendance Allowance Unit (AAU) seven courses were held and were attended by 70 adjudication officers. Six courses of 4 weeks duration were held for existing staff and one course lasting 6 weeks for new entrants. The dates of these courses were
6 January 1992 to 31 January 1992 (2 courses)
17 February 1992 to 13 March 1992
17 February 1992 to 27 March 1992
27 April 1992 to 25 May 1992
7 September 1992 to 2 October 1992
5 October 1992 to 30 October 1992.
Training for adjudication staff for both benefits in the DBCs was mainly undertaken during January, February and March 1992. The courses were held on different dates and locations but were all approximately five weeks in length.
On the question of training budgets, for DLA 73 per cent. of the annual training budget has been spent as at the end of December. For AA this figure is 88 per cent. It is too early to say what the training budget will be for the financial year 1993-94 and subsequent years.
I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report . A copy will also be placed in the Library.
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what is the average number of inquiries received each day on applications for disability living allowance by (a) the hotline established to serve hon. Members and (b) other units of his Department since the benefit was introduced ; what is the current backlog of applications for the allowance ; what is his target date for clearing this backlog ; and if he will make a statement ; (2) what is (a) the target and (b) the average length of time taken to determine an application for the disability living allowance ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Scott : The administration of disability living allowance is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member and a copy will be placed in the Library.
Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Paul Flynn, dated 18 January 1993 :
As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to the points raised in your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security. You asked what is the average number of enquiries received each day on applications Disability Living Allowance by (a) the hotline established to serve honourable Members and (b) other units of his Department since the benefit was introduced ; what is the current backlog of applications for the allowance what is his target date for clearing this backlog. You also asked what is (a) the target and (b) the average length of time taken to determine an application for the Disability Living Allowance (DLA).
Significant numbers of individual customers have contacted offices of the Benefits Agency concerning the delay in their payments. Information is not available on the precise number of representations received but I can assure you that we endeavour to answer enquiries as quickly as possible. The average daily number of enquiries received on the hotline established for honourable Members to use is 35. This is over the period 6 July 1992 to 8 January 1993. On the question of target clearance times I should explain that the Benefits Agency introduced a standard performance
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measure across benefits some time ago. This is expressed in terms of clearance targets by x per cent. of claims cleared in y days rather than average clearance times as was previously the case. The most recent clearance performances during the month of December are 55 per cent. for DLA and 54.4 per cent. for AA65 against targets of 60 per cent. cleared in 30 and 35 days respectively.The numbers of new claims on hand is reducing month by month and we will continue to give detailed management attention to achievement of targets during the remainder of the current financial year. I have expressed my regret for the delays which occurred following the introduction of this new benefit. I am pleased to say that claim levels for Disability Living Allowance have stabilised and work on hand has now reduced to normal levels.
I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report . A copy will also be placed in the Library.
Fraud Investigators
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people are employed by his Department specifically to investigate fraudulent claims.
Miss Widdecombe : The investigation of social security fraud is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member and a copy will be placed in the Library.
Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Gordon McMaster, dated 18 January 1993.
As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to the points raised in your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking how many people are employed by his Department specifically to investigate fraudulent claims.
The complement for 1992-93 for staff specifically to investigate fraudulent claims is 2,853, however all staff are expected to identify fraudulent claims and may be involved in an investigation. I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report. A copy will also be placed in the Library.
HEALTH
Hospital Closures
Dr. Lynne Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the legal provisions regarding consultations by health authorities and trusts with elected representatives and members of the public on proposals to close hospitals or reduce the numbers of beds in hospitals.
Dr. Mawhinney : Health authorities are required to consult their local community health council (CHC) or councils when substantial changes in local services are under consideration. There is no similar requirement for national health service trusts to consult CHCs. However, as a matter of course, NHS trusts discuss proposed service changes with their purchasers. If appropriate, the health authority would then consult the relevant CHC.
Skin and Allergic Disorders
Mr. Jon Owen Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will estimate the annual cost to the national health service for prescribed drugs in the categories (a) drugs acting on the skin and (b) drugs for allergic disorders ;
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(2) how many people were using national health service prescribed drugs as (a) drugs acting on the skin and (b) drugs for allergic reactions.Dr. Mawhinney : Information is not available on the number of people using national health service prescribed drugs which act on the skin and for allergic disorders. The number of prescriptions dispensed in England in 1991 for drugs in these categories and the relevant net ingredient cost is as shown.
|Prescriptions |Net ingredient cost
|(thousands) |(£ thousands)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Drugs acting on the skin |28,255 |108,383
Drugs for allergic disorders |5,519 |22,637
The figures include prescriptions dispensed by community pharmacists and dispensing doctors and prescriptions submitted by prescribing doctors for items personally administered.
Community Supervision Orders
Ms. Jowell : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people she expects to become subject to a community supervision order in 1993.
Mr. Yeo : No decision has been taken to introduce a community supervision order for psychiatric patients. The case for this is one of the issues to be considered by the official team referred to in the reply my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave my hon. Friend the Member for Canterbury (Mr. Brazier) on 13 January at column 731 .
Mental Illness
Ms. Jowell : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is her estimate of the timing and costs of full implementation of the care programme policy for mentally ill people, including the costs of necessary psychiatric services.
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