HC Deb 06 December 1988 vol 143 cc123-4W
Mr. Hinchliffe

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many persons, aged between the years of two and five, are in receipt of attendance allowance; and if he will provide figures for the number of claimants aged two, three, four and five for the last year for which figures are available.

Mr. Scott

Information is not available in the form requested. The information which is available is in the table.

Attendance allowance
Number
Estimated number of allowances in payment for children aged 2 to 5 years at 31 March 1987 19,800
Number of claims decided in the year to September 1988 for children aged 2 to 4 years 8,666
5 to 9 years 4,637

Mr. Hinchliffe

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the average length of time from the lodging of an appeal against the refusal of attendance allowance to the appeal decision, for the years 1985 to 1988.

Mr. Scott

Information is not available in the precise form requested. The available information, which relates to applications for review made where a claim has been disallowed, where a lower-rate rather than a higher-rate allowance has been awarded or where the claimant believes the attendance allowance board should issue a certificate of attendance needs for a longer period, is in the table.

Attendance allowance: Average processing times of applications for review of attendance allowance board decisions 1985–1988
Year Average processing time (weeks)
1988 19.0
1987 18.5
1986 14.0
1985 13.0

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