HC Deb 23 January 1973 vol 849 cc82-3W
Mr. Meacher

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will seek a different means of checking the genuineness of claims for sickness benefit than requiring annually half a million recipients of this benefit to submit to an examination by the Department's medical officers.

Mr. Dean

Where further medical advice is needed in respect of a claim to sickness benefit, this can most appropriately be obtained through the doctors of the Regional Medical Service. This is a long-standing and effective part of the arrangements for dealing with claims, and no satisfactory alternative has been suggested. The claimant is in fact medically examined in only some 40 per cent. of the half million or so cases referred for advice annually.

Mr. Meacher

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, in the last year for which full information is available about those persons in receipt of sickness benefit who were called for examination by his Department's medical officers, how many persons complained about being selected for this purpose; what were the reasons given for such complaints; how these complaints were dealt with by his Department; and how many of these persons were nevertheless interviewed.

Mr. Dean

I regret that this information is not available.

Mr. Meacher

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, in the last year for which full information is available, how many persons in receipt of sickness benefit were called for examination by his Department's own medical officers; how they were selected; what proportion they formed of total sickness benefit recipients; how many attended for interview; how many were found not to be justifiably in receipt of sickness benefit; and in the latter cases what action his Department took.

Mr. Dean

In 1971 515,000 sickness and invalidity benefit claims were referred to the Regional Medical Service for advice on incapacity for work. The need for advice is determined by the facts of the individual case, such as the duration or frequency of claims in relation to the diagnosis. References represented just under 6 per cent. of new claims during the year. It is estimated that in about 20 per cent. of the cases referred the claimant's own doctor subsequently certified that he was no longer incapable of work. In about 40 per cent, of the cases Regional Medical Service officers actually examined the claimant: 20 per cent. of those examined were in the opinion of the examining medical officer fit for their normal work and 7 per cent. fit for alternative work. Benefit would be disallowed where the independent adjudicating authorities decided on all the evidence that the claimant was not incapable of work.

Mr. Meacher

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the normal procedure in selecting persons in receipt of sickness benefit for interview and examination by his Department's own medical officers; and what changes have been made in them in the last three years.

Mr. Dean

The procedure depends on such factors as the nature of the incapacity and the length of time off work. References, initiated in the local office, are considered by officers of the Regional Medical Service, who, in the light of an up-to-date report from the claimant's own doctor, decide whether or not the claimant should be called for examination. Minor changes in procedure are made from time to time. There have been no major changes in the past three years.