§ Mr. Dubsasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what assessment he has made of delays in paying claimants caused by the centralisation of the paying of sickness benefit; and if he will take steps to avoid similar delays consequent upon the centralisation of disablement benefit.
§ Mr. Newton[pursuant to his reply, 29 June 1983, c. 98]: I regret there were two errors in the reply and it should read as follows:
The sickness and disablement benefit work of 10 local offices in the Department's London South region has been outstationed in three centres for many years. The evidence available to me suggests that, overall, this has resulted in a quicker, not slower, service to the public.Following the introduction of statutory sick pay in April 1983, the disablement benefit work of all local offices in the region is being centred at three outstations. It is too early yet to assess the effects of this but I see no reason to suppose it will entail unnecessary delays".