§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the number of cases relating to his Department's assessments of claiments' entitlements which have been brought to the attention of the Ombudsman in each year since 1979.
§ Mr. MajorAn individual's entitlement to benefit is determined by independent adjudicating authorities whose decisions are not within the remit of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration.
The number of complaints of maladministration which related to Social Security matters and which were accepted for investigation by the PCA in the years 1979–1985, were as follows:
§ Mr. WhitneySince the 1974 reorganisation of the National Health Service, local authorities have supplied the services of social workers to hospitals free of charge, in line with the recommendations of the working party on collaboration. In the same way health authorities supply certain services to local authorities without payment. No bills for hospital social workers have therefore been received. One local authority has however recently written to my right hon. Friend seeking his agreement, under 55W Section 28(4) of the National Health Service Act 1977, to begin charging four health authorities for the services of hospital social workers.
The matter is under consideration.