HC Deb 27 November 1989 vol 162 cc427-8
7. Ms. Abbott

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he has any plans to visit Arcola street social security office in Hackney.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard

My right hon. Friend has no plans at present to visit the Arcola street social security office.

Ms. Abbott

Is the Minister aware of recent reports that the transfer of social security records from London offices to provincial centres and to Glasgow has resulted in an appalling error rate, possibly as high as 80 per cent., but certainly much higher than the national average? Does she agree that that error rate means that hundreds and thousands of the poorest people in London are being cheated of the money that they need to live on? When will the Minister make money available so that local offices such as my local office in Arcola street in Hackney can provide the professional service that the staff wish to provide but are prevented from providing because of the Government's meanness?

Mrs. Shephard

I can reassure the hon. Lady that there are no plans at present to relocate work from her social security office in Arcola street. I shall refer briefly to the Ealing office, to which the hon. Lady alluded. I believe that the hon. Lady obtained her information from a report in The Guardian this morning. I can reassure her that the error rate cited in The Guardian was vastly overstated—the actual rate was about 34 per cent. when the scheme began in August. However, not all the errors concern payments. As cases are converted from clerical to computer records, points such as whether the correct postal codes or national insurance numbers are held will be picked up. If I may return to the—[Interruption.]

Mr. Speaker

Order. That was a very good and sufficient answer.