§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his answer of 5 July 2001,Official Report, column 269W, on hospital downrating, how many people would benefit in each case. [3269]
§ Mr. McCartneyThe information is in the table.
(4) what consultations took place, and on what dates, with disability organisations before the announcement of Government plans for Incapacity Benefit on 4 July; [3089]
(5) what categories of disabled persons will be exempt from the requirement for triennial screening for Incapacity Benefit; [3086]
(6) what the cost of triennial screening for Incapacity Benefit will be (a) per individual case and (b) in total annual expenditure. [3087]
§ Mr. WebbTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what consultation he had with groups representing disabled people prior to his announcement of his plans to reform Incapacity Benefit. [3156]
567W
§ Lynne JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many Incapacity Benefit reviews were undertaken in each of the last five years; and what is his estimate of the annual additional number of reviews that will be undertaken once his plans for reviews every three years are fully implemented. [3619]
§ Mr. Darling[holding answer 9 and 10 July 2001]: The Government are committed to ensuring there is full employment and opportunity for all. This means we must extend the necessary help and support to all people of working age who are out of the labour market.
In the past, many people were moved onto Incapacity Benefit with limited help to make sure that they got the right level of support. There was no help to get people into work, nor any support or rehabilitation. Yet as the Disability Rights Commission has said, one million disabled people say they would like to work. We have a duty to help them to do so.
From October, the first pathfinder offices of jobcentre plus will open to strengthen the services available to help people back to work. It will be a condition of benefit in these offices that all new IB claimants attend a work focused interview to discuss what options people have around work and inform them of the help available. I can announce today that regulations under the Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999 will be laid before both Houses in the autumn. These will include a provision that no one should go more than three years without a review of their circumstances and an interview unless there are good reasons, such as the state of their health. The regulation will set out how these reviews will be implemented. Each case will be looked at on an individual basis: a further work focused interview and/or personal capability assessment will be carried out where appropriate. All new IB claimants will be affected by these changes and will be told they are subject to the regular review, initially in the 50 pathfinder sites but then rolled out nationally.
At present, cases are looked at again if their medical condition is expected to improve. But some categories of case are exempt from medical testing. The changes I am announcing today do not change these exemptions. However, they will ensure that there is a review at least every three years to make sure people are getting all the help they need.
I will publish an explanatory memorandum when the regulations are laid which will be placed in the Library of both Houses. We will also discuss with groups representing disabled people the precise administrative arrangements that will underpin the regulations. Operational information will become available when the pathfinder offices open.