§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proportion of errors was found in benefit records from(a) Ealing and (b) other London offices when these were checked at the Glasgow processing centre.
§ Mrs. Gillian ShephardTwo London offices, Ealing and Southall, have so far transferred their income support benefit records to the social security centre in Glasgow. Detailed statistics are not kept of the errors found in those records when preparing them for entry on to the computer. However, it is estimated that around 34 per cent. of Ealing cases and 40 per cent. of Southall cases require correction before they are computerised. A significant proportion of these involve incorrect postcodes or National Insurance numbers; a smaller number involve incorrect payment of benefit. Incorrect payments detected are corrected and arrears paid promptly.
The improved and more accurate service that the Ealing and Southall public now receive fully justifies our decision to move the work to Glasgow.