§ Mr. Ashdownasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will name and describe the different types of regular report made from local offices as part of his Department's management information system.
§ Mr. WhitneyThe main elements of the management information system used by the regional organisation are returns made by each local office at four-weekly and quarterly intervals showing work load data for contributory and supplementary benefits together with the manpower resources used. The four-weekly returns are made on forms MR150 (contributory benefit), MR250/251 (supplementary benefit) and MR650 (contributory and supplementary benefit); form MR351 is used for all of the quarterly returns. This regular information is supplemented by ad hoc inquiries when necessary.
Work load data include the number of claims received, the volume of work processed and the number of payments made. The four-weekly reports also include an assessment of performance based on a series of performance indicators covering the most significant areas of work. There are at present eight performance indicators for contributory 599W benefit and six for supplementary benefit work. Two of the indicators monitor the accuracy of short-term contributory benefit payments (eg sickness benefit) and supplementary benefit payments; the others monitor the amount of work cleared. The staffing information gives a breakdown of the manpower resources which were available and includes, for example, overtime and staff absences because of sickness, leave, and so on.