§ Mr. PikeTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what provision has been made for a trawl of overlooked cases regarding entitlement to severe disability premium; and if he will make a statement; [33820]
(2) how many cases where severe disability premium should have been paid from an earlier date have been identified; what is the total figure in backdated income support payments made to these individuals and what is the average payment; what steps have been taken to ensure compensation payments are made to these individuals; and how much has been paid and what is the average amount. [33821]
§ Mr. Roger EvansThe administration of income support is a matter for Mr. Ian Magee, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Ian Magee to Mr. Peter L. Pike, dated 14 July 1995:
The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions about the provisions which have been made for a trawl of overlooked cases regarding entitlement to severe disability premium (SDP), the number of cases where arrears of SDP have been paid and details of compensation in these cases.1003WA scan of the Income Support Computer System was undertaken over the weekend of 19/20 November 1994 and cases with potential entitlement to SDP were identified. Benefits Agency offices are currently examining the selected cases to identify those where an award of the SDP may have been overlooked and to pay arrears if appropriate.At the end of the exercise we will be able to provide an estimate of the number of cases involved and the amount of arrears paid. This will be based on a statistical sample taken from 26 offices within 25 Districts.Appropriate compensation will be considered on a case by case basis.I hope you find this reply helpful.
§ Mr. CorbynTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people have been refused income support after failing the habitual residence test since its introduction in the Euston district office of Glasgow in each month since the test's introduction in August 1994;
Annex A: Habitual residence test Euston August 1994 September 1994 October 1994 November 1994 December 1994 January 1995 February 1995 March 1995 April 1995 May 1995 June 1995 HRT EEA fail 133 217 279 197 85 129 122 102 46 49 58 HRT UK fail 19 54 52 53 21 33 36 15 14 36 34 HRT other fail 165 367 382 385 347 455 132 76 50 70 51 EEA—European Economic Area. UK—United Kingdom.
Data are provisional and are subject to amendment.
1004Whow many appeals have been lodged against the decision in each month since August 1994; and how many appeals have been won in each month. [33295]
§ Mr. EvansThe administration of income support is a matter for Mr. Ian Magee, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Ian Magee to Mr. Jeremy Corbyn, dated 14 July 1995:
The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the operation of the habitual residence test (HRT) for Income Support customers of the Benefits Agency (BA) District Office in Euston.I have attached, at Annex A, a table giving details of the number of people from Euston District Office who have failed the HRT for each month from August 1994—June 1995.The BA does not routinely collect information about the number of HRT appeals nor the decisions of the Social Security Appeal Tribunal on these appeals. The information you requested, therefore, could only be provided at disproportionate cost.