§ Mrs. Dunwoodyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list in the Official Report each of the scrutinies carried out by Sir Derek Rayner on behalf of his Department, listing the cost to the Department in each case.
§ Mr. FowlerEighteen efficiency scrutinies have so far been completed in the Department of Health and Social Security. These scrutinies were conducted by the Department itself under the guidance of, initially, Lord Rayner and currently, Sir Robin Ibbs. The subjects scrutinised and the cost of each study, are as follows:
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£ 1. Arrangements for Paying Social Security Benefits 23,000 2. Payment of benefit to Unemployed People * 3. Final Relevant Year 12,000 4. DHSS Activities in Support of Health Care Exports 15,300 5. Handling of Correspondence in DHSS and OPCS 30,000 6. Validation of NI Contribution Records 20,000 7. Review of Statistical Services 23,000 8. Forms into Shape—An Analysis of forms use in DHSS 33,150
£ 9. Review of Personnel Work 151,900 10. Payment of Benefit to People in Hospital 25,000 11. Legal Aid Assessment * 12. Wheelchair Purchase and Repair 13,000 13. The Recovery of Overpaid Benefit 18,600 14. Consultancy, Inspection and Review Capacity 48,000 15. Government Supervision of Occupational Pension Schemes * 16. Identifying and Developing Internal Talent 24,873 17. Administrative and Legislative Burdens 12,050 18. Accommodation 25,500 * Joint scrutinies with other Departments — DHSS costs not separately identified. Nine similar scrutinies have also been carried out in the Health Service, the costs of which were borne by various health authorities. They are as follows:
£ 1. Use of Non-Ambulance Transport 7,500 2. Non-Emergency Ambulance Service 7,232 3. Central Stores Policy 7,666 4. Residential Accommodation 17,036 5. Recruitment Advertising 11,376 6. Collection of Income Due to Health Authorities * 7. Cost of Catering in the NHS 14,424 8. Use of Forms 2,380 9. Collection of Fees by Health Authorities under Road Traffic Act 1972 14,976 * Not costed.