§ 11. Mr. MilliganTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what action he is taking to improve the administration of the disability living allowance.
§ Mr. ScottAs I have said before, I take a close, personal interest in the administration of disability living allowance and meet the chief executive of the Benefits Agency regularly to review progress and discuss the improvements in hand. Apart from the steps already taken, the agency is reviewing the procedures for processing claims, setting up additional processing centres and increasing the training for staff.
§ Mr. MilliganI welcome the additional announcements that my right hon. Friend has made for speeding up the payment of DLA, which will also be welcome to my constituents. Is he aware that dozens of my constituents have had their applications lost and have waited months without a reply, and that, according to The Sunday Times yesterday, more than 1,400 people are in that situation? Can he explain how that has happened and what measures he is taking to deal with the problem?
§ Mr. ScottI say to my hon. Friend as I have said on a number of occasions, both from the Dispatch Box and in other forums, that we recognise that there was an unexpected surge of claims following the successful launch of the new benefit, and particularly as a result of the success of the advertising campaigns. There is no doubt that the agency went through a rough time early on in overcoming the problems. I am sure that it is now in a position to overcome them and that we can look forward to a much smoother path.
§ Mr. Alfred MorrisCan the Minister or the Benefits Agency now say how many DLA claimants died before their claims were processed and how long they waited in each case?
§ Mr. ScottThe short answer to the right hon. Gentleman's question is the same as it was when he last asked it—no.