§ Mr. Pawseyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he is taking to alleviate the distress still being caused by delays in processing child benefit claims by the Washington office of the Department of Health and Social Security; and what action he proposes to take.
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§ Mrs. ChalkerAlthough there are delays in the issue of child benefit order books at the child benefit centre, Washington, the centre is giving priority to those claims in which a mother is without an order book.
All possible steps will continue to be taken to minimise the delays, which have resulted from previous industrial action and the current ban on overtime.
I refer my hon. Friend to my right hon. Friend's replies to the hon. Member for Dundee, East (Mr. Wilson)—[Vol. 967, c. 213–4.]—on 24 May and the hon. Member for Southampton, Itchen (Mr. Mitchell) on 21 June and my replies to the hon. Member for Dundee, East on 14 June—[Vol. 968, c. 313–4.]—my hon. Friends the Members for Tynemouth (Mr. Trotter) on 5 July, Falmouth and Camborne (Mr. Mudd) on 13 July and the hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull, Central (Mr. McNamara) on 16 July.
Cases of hardship caused by the absence of an order book should be taken up with the local office of the Department of Health and Social Security.