§ Mr. Andrew F. Bennettasked the Secretary of State for Social Services why his inspectorate's report on voluntary unemployment deductions was not made available to the social security advisory committee before it reported on this proposal on 20 June 1983.
§ Dr. BoysonThe policy inspectorate's report had not been written at that time. The social security advisory committee was given a summary of the inspectorate's findings for its meeting on 17 May, when it considered the amendment regulations, and was given the full report as soon as it was available, which was on 5 July.
§ Mr. Andrew F. Bennettasked the Secretary of State for Social Services which of the organisations and individuals which made representations to the social security advisory committee were in favour of the proposed change in the regulation relating to voluntary unemployment deductions and which of them were opposed to it.
§ Dr. BoysonThe proposed draft regulations on which the social security advisory committee sought public representations covered some 50 different items, some of specialised interest. Consequently, not every organisation commented on every issue. Of 33 organisations which commented specifically on voluntary unemployment deductions 32 were opposed to the amendment and one —the Asociation of Charity Officers—agreed with the change. Three individuals also wrote in opposition. The representations made to the committee were made available to the Department to assist my right hon. Friend in considering the proposed changes in regulations.
Those against
- Association of County Councils
- Association of Directors of Social Services
- Association of Metropolitan Authorities
- Basildon Council Welfare Rights Advisory Service
- Birkenhead Resource Unit
- Birmingham Tribunal Unit
- Brighton Rights Advice Centre
- British Association of Social Workers
- Chapeltown Citizen Advice Bureau
- Child Poverty Action Group
- County of Cleveland
- Convention of Scottish Local Authorities
- Council on Tribunals
- Disablement Income Group
- London Borough of Ealing (Ealing College of Higher Education)
- Essex County Council Social Services Department
- Family Service Units
- Islington People's Rights
- Lothian Regional Council
- City of Manchester Social Services Department
- The Maternity Alliance
- National Consumer Council
270 - Redbridge Social Services
- Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation (RADAR)
- St. Katherine's Centre
- City of Sheffield Family and Community Services Department
- South Birmingham Family Service Unit
- Trades Union Congress
- Walworth Road Citizens Advice Bureau
- Wandsworth Right Umbrella Group
- Wolverhampton Citizens Advice Bureau
- Wolverhampton Social Services Department
§ Mr. Andrew F. Bennettasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) whether he will inform all unemployed persons in receipt of supplementary benefit that their benefit may have been underpaid as a result of the unacceptable failure of administrative procedures revealed in the report on voluntary unemployment deductions;
(2) why his Department considers it impracticable to identify those people from whom supplementary benefit has been wrongfully witheld on grounds of voluntary unemployment;
(3) if he will take steps to encourage people whose benefit may have been wrongly reduced on grounds of voluntary unemployment in recent years to apply to their local social security office for payment of the sums due to them.
§ Dr. BoysonI refer the hon. Member to my replies to the hon. Member for Pontypridd (Mr. John) on 21 July. —[Vol. 46, c.212–4].
§ Mr. Andrew F. Bennettasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what procedures would be necessary to identify those unemployed persons from whom supplementary benefit has been wrongfully withheld on grounds of voluntary unemployment in each of the past three years; how many additional staff would be required for each procedure; and what would be the total staff cost.
§ Dr. BoysonI refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Pontypridd (Mr. John) on 21 July 1983.—[Vol. 46. c.212].
The Department will employ 105 staff over the next four months to examine each current claim to see whether a voluntary unemployment deduction was made, to check records to ascertain whether or not the deduction was made correctly and to calculate and pay arrears to all those from whom benefit was wrongfully withheld. The staff cost of this exercise will be in the region of £400,000. We cannot estimate the staff cost of dealing with individual applications from people no longer claiming supplementary benefit but who feel that benefit may have been wrongly withheld, as this will depend on the response to the publicity already promised and to the availability of records.
§ Mr. Andrew F. Bennettasked the Secretary of State for Social Services in what circumstances the fact that a person has been wrongly treated as voluntarily unemployed can affect the treatment of subsequent claims by him for supplementary benefit.
§ Dr. BoysonA voluntary unemployment deduction applies only to a current supplementary benefit claim for a maximum period of six weeks. After this period has elapsed, it would have no effect on subsequent benefit claims.
271W
§ Mr. Andrew F. Bennettasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what administrative failures were revealed by his inspectorate's survey of voluntary unemployment deductions; and in what proportion of the cases examined each of these failures occurred.
§ Dr. BoysonI regret that there were a number of administrative failures. The details are in the policy inspectorate's report, of which a copy is in the Library of the House.
§ Mr. Andrew F. Bennettasked the Secretary of State for Social Services in how many of the cases examined by his policy inspectorate in its study of voluntary unemployment deductions, supplementary benefit had been improperly withheld; what was the total amount so withheld; and whether this money was repaid to the claimants concerned.
§ Dr. BoysonThe policy inspectorate discovered that of the 93 cases where the insurance officer had found that unemployment had not been voluntary, there were 21 where the voluntary unemployment deduction should have been refunded but had not been. The total amount involved in these cases was £414.41. Instructions to ensure that refunds are made have been given.