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SOCIAL SECURITY
Gender Issues
Mr. Brazier:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will make a statement on her Department's policy towards COM (98) 82 on gender issues. [37000]
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Ms Ruddock:
It is a priority of this Government to ensure that women's needs and interests are at the heart of Government in all policy development, across all departments.
The Ministers for Women have issued new guidance for policy makers to achieve this objective (often referred to as "mainstreaming"). The guidance will be launched on 18 May at a major conference for senior civil servants and representatives of women's organisations. The guidance is backed up by a new civil service training initiative, and a programme to monitor progress, with regular reports from all departments.
The Regulation on Integrating Gender Issues in Development Cooperation is currently under discussion in the European Community. It will ensure that resources are directly targeted at the pursuit of gender equality in the European Community's development programme. The Government welcome this initiative.
During the UK Presidency of the EU, Department for International Development has made it a priority to improve the effectiveness of the Community's development programmes. As part of this, the UK launched an initiative to review the implementation of the 1995 Gender Resolution to consider what more needs to be done to improve performance and impact in this key area. We expect conclusions on this to be adopted at the May Development Council.
Mr. Kirkwood:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what estimate she has made of the value of debts outstanding to the Benefits Agency, what resources are being devoted by the Agency to their recovery; and what is the average age of such debts; [39221]
(3) what estimate she has made of the expenditure incurred by the Benefits Agency in the recovery of debts for the most recent period for which figures are available; and what was the total amount recovered as a result. [39224]
Mr. Denham:
We are transforming the Social Security system into an Active Modern Service that commands the support and confidence of those who fund it, those who use it, and those who administer it, and provides a better, simpler, more efficient service to clients. As part of this, we are introducing a new overpayment recovery strategy for the Benefits Agency which will ensure that:
The administration of debt recovery action is a matter for Peter Mathison, the Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.
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(2) how many and what percentage of outstanding debts were recovered by the Benefits Agency over the most recent period for which figures are available; what methods were employed; and in what percentage of cases litigation was pursued; [39223]
causes of overpayments are identified and dealt with;
failures in recovery of overpayment are minimised; and
overpayments are identified, calculated and recovery is effected as quickly as possible
| Age | Percentage of total |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 64.95 |
| 1-2 | 19.25 |
| 2-3 | 7.18 |
| 3-4 | 3.61 |
| 4-5 | 2.09 |
| Over 5 | 2.82 |
The total volume of overpayments of benefit cleared for the fiscal year 1996/97, the most recent period for which figures are available, was 224.771, representing 22% of the total stock of overpayments. A total of 1,298,778 SF loans were recovered in 1996/97, representing 65% of the outstanding debt.
As far as overpayments of benefit are concerned, the method of recovery depends on whether the debtor remains in receipt of benefit. If this is the case and the debtor is unable to repay immediately, recovery is made by deduction from ongoing benefit entitlement. The amount deducted can vary depending on the debtors circumstances and whether other deductions are being made from benefit, for example to clear arrears of housing or fuel costs.
The maximum that can be deducted from Income Support and income based Job Seekers Allowance under current regulations is currently £7.65 per week, rising to £10.00 per week in cases of proven fraud. For other benefits, the rate is set at a maximum of one third of the personal allowance for that benefit.
For those people no longer in receipt of benefit, voluntary arrangements for repayment are sought. Where these are not forthcoming, recovery is pursued through the civil courts if appropriate.
The vast bulk of SF loans are recovered by deductions from benefit.
When recovering both overpayments of benefit and SF loans, civil action is not taken against those still in receipt of benefit. For those not in receipt of benefit, litigation is pursued as a last resort. It was taken in approximately 7% of overpayment of benefit cases and approximately 14% of SF cases in 1996/97.
The expenditure incurred by the Benefits Agency in the recovery of debts in 1996/97, the most recent period for which figures are available, was:
£15.6m for overpayments of benefit.
£22.1m for SF.
The total amounts recovered for this period were:
£102.6m for overpayments of benefit.
£299m for SF.
I hope that this is helpful.
Benefit Integrity Project
Ms Perham:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans she has for reforming the Benefit
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Integrity Project; and if she will make a statement on the review of the gateways into disability living allowance and attendance allowance. [38949]
Mr. Denham:
The Benefit Integrity Project aims to help ensure the correctness of awards of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) which evidence has shown to be vulnerable to change over time. Up-to-date information is being gathered from beneficiaries about their care and mobility needs, so that we can check that they are receiving the correct amount of DLA.
Since taking office last year, we have made a number of improvements to the way in which the Project operates. On 9 February, we introduced an extra safeguard, to help ensure that we get decisions right and restore confidence.
Following consultation between my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State and my noble Friend, the Baroness Hollis and the disability organisations, we took the decision that people aged 65 or over would not be contacted as part of the Project. We will work with the disability organisations to look at ways of improving Project literature and staff training, at speeding up reviews and appeals and at extending the categories of people who need not be contacted directly as part of the Project.
This demonstrates our determination to be fair and to keep under review the way in which the Project operates.
We are setting up a forum with organisations of and for disabled people to discuss how the gateways to DLA and Attendance Allowance (AA) can be improved. We are committed to the principle of providing special allowances to help with the extra costs of disability and we intend to maintain DLA and AA as universal, national benefits for those who meet the entitlement conditions.
Mr. Webb:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to her answer of 31 March 1998, Official Report, columns 485-86, on lone parents, if he will list the common characteristics of the lone parents who will be worse off overall. [40256]
Mr. Keith Bradley:
Less than 5 per cent. of lone parents will be worse off as a result of these changes, those who will be fall into three groups:
Mr. Kirkwood:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many Disability Living Allowance Advisory Board Small Board sessions (a) were held between 1 August 1997 and 31 March 1998 and (b) have been held since 1 April 1998. [39884]
Mr. Denham:
The Disability Living Allowance Advisory Board held 62 small boards sessions between 1 August 1997 and 31 March 1998. One has been held since 1 April 1998.
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(a) Those who will not be entitled to the lone parent rate of Child Benefit and make a new claim for Income Support, assessed Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit, and who do not have a child under 11;
(b) Those who will not be entitled to the lone parent rate of Child Benefit and remain on maximum Family Credit/Working Families Tax Credit after all of the benefit changes;
(c) Those who will not be entitled to the lone parent rate of Child Benefit or any income related benefits.
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