§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the average length of time taken to process applications for each of the benefits administered by his Department.
§ Miss WiddecombeThe average length of time taken to process benefit claims over the period 1 April 1990 to 31 December 1990 for the major benefits administered by the Department is in the following table.
192W
Days Attendance allowance 41.6 Income support 5.0 Invalid care allowance 38.5 billion in cash terms and by £3.7 billion in real terms. The cost and savings which have accrued from the main policy changes to national insurance benefits since 1979 are set out in the table.
Days Mobility allowance 34.3 Retirement pension 20.3 Sickness/invalidity benefit 9.2 Social fund i. Budget loan 5.1 ii. Community care grant 7.2 iii. Crisis loan 0.4
X per cent. In Y days Child benefit (straightforward) 96.0 in 5 Child benefit (not straightforward) 88.2 in 16 Family credit 63.3 in 20 One-parent benefit 88.3 in 12 Retirement pension 85.7 in 30 War disablement pension 30.7 in 125 War widow's pension 44.6 in 50