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Air Traffic Control
Sir Peter Fry: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reasons the Civil Aviation Authority has not appointed a preferred bidder for the new Scottish centre air traffic control project. [1169]
Mr. Bowis: Decisions on the tenders for the new Scottish centre project are contingent on the review of the two-centre strategy for provision of air traffic control services currently being carried out by the CAA's subsidiary company, National Air Traffic Services Ltd. That review is not yet complete.
Northolt Station
Mr. Harry Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the safety of Northolt station for its users; and if he will make a statement. [961]
Mr. Bowis: London Underground Ltd. is responsible for the safe operation of its stations. Following its normal procedures, I understand that it has assessed the safety of Northolt station and instigated the appropriate level of inspections to monitor the condition of the structures.
Air Accident Reports
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list for each air accident investigation report published in the last five years those recommendations that have yet to be implemented. [1436]
Mr. Bowis: The Civil Aviation Authority's progress report 1996 (CAP 666) lists the action taken in response to recommendations addressed to the CAA and the Department in 1995 and to earlier recommendations which have action outstanding.
31 Oct 1996 : Column: 244
HGVs and PSVs
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many presentations to magistrates on the enforcement of heavy goods vehicles and public service vehicles have been made by (a) the traffic area network unit and (b) traffic commissioner's offices in each of the last 12 months. [1517]
Mr. Bowis: The Department of Transport's programme of road traffic presentations to magistrates is co-ordinated by the traffic area network unit in consultation with the local traffic commissioner and the vehicle inspectorate. A total of 22 presentations has been arranged so far in response to requests from local magistrates associations. The number held in each of the last twelve months is as follows:
November 1995: 1
December 1995: 0
January 1996: 1
February 1996: 0
March 1996: 2
April 1996 : 1
May 1996: 0
June 1996: 0
July 1996: 2
August 1996: 0
September 1996: 1
October 1996: 2
Fatal Road Accidents
Mr. Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the number and proportion of fatal road accidents involving heavy lorries in the most recent year for which figures are available. [1498]
Mr. Bowis: In 1995, there were 530 reported fatal road accidents involving heavy goods vehicles, accounting for 16 per cent. of all fatal road accidents.
31 Oct 1996 : Column: 245
SOCIAL SECURITY
Benefits Agency
Mr. Alan Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) under what statutory powers he has placed the Benefits Agency out to tender; [408]
- (2) if he will list the functions of the Benefits Agency which are to be contracted out. [409]
Mr. Roger Evans: The Benefits Agency has not been put out to tender.
On 19 July, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced proposals for three initiatives involving greater collaboration with the private sector as the next stage of the Department's drive to review and improve the delivery of social security.
Those concerning the Benefits Agency include, first, an invitation to the private sector to submit proposals for taking over the operation of the child benefit centre in Washington, Tyne and Wear.
The second initiative will involve three private companies--or consortiums--appointed following open competition to work in conjunction with the Benefits Agency in running benefit delivery in three of its 13 areas--Yorkshire, West Country and East London and Anglia directorates--for 12 months. All three companies will assist the Benefits Agency with the development of new business processes and information technology. They will be invited during the 12-month period to submit proposals for any elements of the agency's business which could be run differently, including the possibility of further parts of the operation being run by the private sector.
In addition, the functions of the Benefits Agency medical services will be contracted out. A contract is expected to be awarded in April 1997.
The award of contracts under these proposals will be in compliance with the Deregulation and Contracting Out Act 1994 and the Public Services Contracts Regulations 1993.
Mr. Burden:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claimants received all forms of (a) invalidity benefit for each year since 1990 and (b) incapacity benefit for (i) 1995 and (ii) 1996. [733]
| Benefit | Number of beneficiaries |
|---|---|
| Invalidity benefit at 31 March 1990 | 1,209,000 |
| Invalidity benefit at 30 March 1991 | 1,306,000 |
| Invalidity benefit at 4 April 1992 | 1,439,000 |
| Invalidity benefit at 3 April 1993 | 1,508,000 |
| Invalidity benefit at 2 April 1994 | 1,681,000 |
| Invalidity benefit at 12 April 1995 | 1,767,000 |
| Incapacity benefit short-term higher rate and long-term rate at 31 May 1995 | 1,721,000 |
| Incapacity benefit short-term higher rate and long-term rate at 31 May 1996 | 1,677,000 |
1. Figures for invalidity benefit are taken from a 1 per cent. sample of all claimants at the specified date.
2. Figures for incapacity benefit are taken from a 5 per cent. sample of the computer system at the specified date and exclude a small number of cases not held on the system.
3. When incapacity benefit was introduced on 13 April 1995 it replaced sickness benefit and invalidity benefit.
4. The information for incapacity benefit provides the numbers of recipients of short-term higher rate and long-term rate which are the direct equivalent of invalidity benefit in order to provide comparable figures.
31 Oct 1996 : Column: 246
Benefit Fraud
Mr. Thurnham: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the level of benefit fraud in the Bolton area; and what targets have been set for the anti-fraud team in Bolton. [125]
Mr. Heald: Reliable estimates of benefit fraud and incorrectness are derived from the benefit review programme, which is looking at all the major benefits over a five-year period. For example, it was announced in July 1995 that the benefit review of income support and unemployment benefit estimated 9.7 per cent. of claims to be fraudulent, representing an annual value of £1.4 billion. However, review results are statistically valid only on a national basis, and levels of fraud can not be derived for individual geographical areas.
In 1995-96 benefit savings from fraud investigation and initiatives under the security and control programme for the Bolton area amounted to £6,165,825.82.
Following the merger of the benefit fraud investigation teams serving Bolton and Wigan, a savings target has not been set separately for the Bolton area for 1996-97. The savings target for the area covering both the Bolton and Wigan areas for fraud investigation and initiatives under the security and control programme for 1996-97 is £9,423,363.
Mr. Alan Howarth:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many appeals against a decision that the claimant is capable of work have been (a) lodged and (b) decided during the year April 1995 to April 1996; and of those decided, how many were found in the claimant's favour. [418]
Mr. Burt:
As at 31 March 1996, 40,665 appeals against a decision that a claimant was capable of work following an examination under the all-work test had been lodged. Of these, 7,671 had been heard and 3,549 were revised in favour of the appellant.
Mr. Burden:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate his Department has made of the numbers of claimants receiving income support as a result of the rejection of their claim for incapacity benefit. [728]
31 Oct 1996 : Column: 247
Mr. Burt:
As at 31 August 1996, 113,000 1 incapacity benefit recipients had been found capable of work following an examination under the all work-test. Of these, it is estimated that around 37,000 2 will become newly entitled to income support.
Mr. Howarth:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many (a) IB50 questionnaires were (i) issued and (ii) returned and (b) how many examinations for the all-work test were (1) scheduled and (2) took place during the year April 1995 to April 1996.[411]
Notes:
1. Source: 100 per cent. count of cases on the incapacity benefit computer system. Excludes a small number of cases not held on the system.
2. Estimate based on family expenditure survey data, rounded to nearest 1,000 cases.
Mr. Burt: The information is not available in the format requested as information on the return of questionnaires is not routinely collected. However, a recent sampling exercise indicated that 93 per cent. of questionnaires are returned within six weeks. The available information is in the table.
| Number | |
|---|---|
| Questionnaires issued (13 April 1995 to 31 March 1996) | 1,317,715 |
| IB examinations scheduled (13 April 1995 to 31 March 1996) | 683,760 |
| IB examinations conducted (13 April to 31 March 1996) | 434,817 |
Notes:
Figures for examinations scheduled and conducted include a small number of examinations for the own occupation test and all-work test examinations for severe disablement allowance claimants.
Source:
Benefits Agency medical services.
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