HC Deb 22 February 1990 vol 167 cc900-1W
Mr. Tony Banks

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement regarding the changes in the timetable of the London Department of Social Security relocation programme.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard

Experience in relocating the first group of offices was that conversion of cases to the income support computer system took longer than expected because of the number of cases requiring information or action to resolve errors. Therefore we have decided to adjust the timetable of the next group of offices, all of which have large income support loads.

The eight-week conversion period in the second group has been extended to 13 weeks as follows:

  • Euston—17 April 1990 (no change)
  • Paddington—16 July 1990
  • Highgate—15 October 1990
  • Finsbury Park—28 January 1991

The timetable for the transfer of income support cases to other social security centres remains unaltered.

It has also been decided that pensions and incapacity benefits cases will now be relocated simultaneously on the dates published for the transfer of the latter.

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