§ Mr. ChopeTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when her Department expects to pay Mr. Le Feuve the jobseeker's allowance awarded to him on appeal by the Independent Tribunal Service on 22 March and if she will make a statement. [48851]
§ Mr. Keith BradleyThe administration of Jobseeker's Allowance is a matter for Peter Mathison, the Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.
413WLetter from Alexis Cleveland to Mr. Christopher Chope, dated 3 July 1998:
The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked Peter Mathison to reply to your recent parliamentary Question asking when her Department expects to pay Mr. Le Feuve the Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) awarded to him on appeal by the Independent Tribunal Service (ITS) on 22 March. As Mr. Mathison is on annual leave, I am replying.The Tribunal's summary decision on Mr. Le Feuve's appeal was received at his local Benefits Agency Office on 1 April. On receipt of the decision an independent Adjudication Officer (AO) identified this case as being potentially worthy of an appeal to the Commissioner and requested a full statement of the facts and reasons for the decision from the ITS. This request was made on 14 April and further requests were made on 15 May and again on 5 June.Until the information is received from the ITS a decision on whether an appeal to the Commissioner is appropriate cannot be made. Payment of benefit awarded by a Tribunal may be suspended whilst an AO considers an appeal to the Commissioner for a maximum of three months from the date the decision is received. This can be extended if the customer is given written notice.However, as Mr. Le Feuve has not received any notice from the AO, payment of benefit is due. Mr. Le Feuve has therefore received payment of JSA for the period 19 to 21 July 1997, amounting to £21.07. The payment was sent to him on 2 July.I hope that this is helpful.