§ Ms GordonTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people received housing benefit in Tower Hamlets for the last three years, broken down into local authority tenants, housing association tenants and private tenants.
§ Mr. BurtThe latest available information is in the table.
Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. David Hinchliffe, dated 25 October 1993:
As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency it is my responsibility to answer questions raised about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security, asking if he will require medical reports, undertaken on behalf of his Department for the purpose of benefit claims, to be typewritten in the interests of clarity.I should explain that it is the responsibility of the Benefits Agency Medical Services (BAMS) to provide advice and written reports following medical examination to support the adjudication of benefit claims.Whilst some reports are already typed, in response to the stated requirements of their customers, BAMS are now piloting various schemes in different parts of the country to determine the most cost-effective way of providing typed reports for all benefits. They are committed to implementing this improvement in the service they provide as soon as is practically possible.Until the change can be implemented, all doctors working for BAMS continue to be reminded of the importance of writing clearly when they have to provide a handwritten report.I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report and a copy will be placed in the Library.