§ Mr. BattleTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a table showing the latest figures for(a) the average length of time in processing claims for attendance allowance and (b) the numbers of cases which have been delayed and the reasons for those delays.
§ Mr. ScottThe average processing time for attendance allowance claims is currently 7.3 weeks. Claims may take longer than average to process for a variety of reasons. These include difficulties in arranging medical examination of the claimant or in establishing a firm prognosis; the need to obtain information from the claimant's general practitioner, hospitals he has attended or a consultant; and inquiries about periods the claimant has spent in hospital or other residential accommodation. Figures are not kept for the numbers of such cases.