§ Sir Hugh Rossiasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he has yet received a report by Mr. P. R. Oglesby about the times taken to clear claims to mobility allowances and attendance allowances; what the report recommends; and what action he proposes on the recommendations.
§ Mr. NewtonThe report contains 26 recommendations to speed up the clearance of claims. They include proposals for some reallocation of work between medical and lay officers of the Department; for greater use of the patient's own doctor in mobility allowance cases, and steps to enhance the effectiveness of examining medical officers in attendance allowance cases; for reforming other aspects of the adjudication of attendance allowance, including a new role for the attendance allowance board; 571W and for resiting some of the work. These recommendations are being carefully considered, with a view to reaching conclusions as soon as possible.
We have already acted on two of the recommendations aimed at achieving improvements under the present system. Arrears of work have been steadily reduced by a concentration of staff resources, both on the medical and lay sides, and the improvement continues. Staff complements of the units concerned at North Fylde central office are now adjusted quarterly taking account of projected growth in claims so as to avoid further arrears.
I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of the report, and gratefully acknowledge the part he played in initiating Mr. Oglesby's valuable study. Copies of the report have also been placed in the Library of the House, and sent to appropriate organisations with an indication that it would be helpful to have any comments by 14 December 1983.