Unemployed Benefit (Hansard, 9 February 1994)

§ Mr. Bayley
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of Employment Service claimants were paid the correct sum within three working days of signing on in the last year for which figures are available.

§ Mr. Michael Forsyth
Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
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Letter from M. E. G. Fogden to Mr. Hugh Bayley, dated 9 February 1994: The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about the proportion of Employment Service claimants who were paid correctly and within three working days of signing in the last year for which figures are available. The Employment Service (ES) monitors both the accuracy of awards of benefit and the promptness of all payments made. However, our definition and measurement of promptness of payment is "the despatch of a payment on the day entitlement is established". We do not, I am afraid, collect information about payments in the terms requested by your question. In 1992–93 we paid 96.7 per cent. of our clients accurately, and 97.5 per cent. of our clients promptly. This exceeded both our Annual Performance Agreement and internal management targets. I hope this is helpful.

§ Mr. Bayley
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of clients of the Employment Service are offered the option of having money sent direct to a bank or building society account rather than receiving a girocheque.

§ Mr. Michael Forsyth
Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from M. E. G. Fogden to Mr. Hugh Bayley, dated 9 February 1994: The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about the proportion of clients offered the option of being paid directly into a bank or building society account. It may be helpful if I explain that automated credit transfer facilities for the payment of benefits is a feature of a new computer system (NUBS2). The system is being installed into our offices on a rolling programme, due to be completed in September 1994. Currently about 70 per cent. of clients are served by the new system, all of whom can chose to have their money paid direct into a bank or building society account. At the moment approximately 42,000 clients receive their payment in this way. I hope this is helpful.