§ Mr. McKelveyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average time taken to calculate entitlement to transitional payments; and when claimants are likely to receive benefit.
§ Ms. AbbottTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to his answer of 5 May,Official Report, columns 550–51, if he is in a position to state what stage negotiations have reached with the local authority associations regarding their role in administering the claims for transitional payments and the reimbursement of administrative costs solely for the additional work arising out of transitional protection.
§ Mr. Scott[holding answer 15 July 1988]: Agreement was reached in June with the local authority associations on the information to be provided by local authorities to the new transitional payments unit and the procedures which would be set up to obtain it. Apart from the detailed payment arrangements, negotiations with the associations on the financial support for local authorities' additional administrative costs have now also been completed. The Government are allocating £1 million among authorities for their costs in preparing to assist the transitional payments unit and authorities will be paid £5 for each completed inquiry form returned to the unit.
§ Ms. AbbottTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services, if, pursuant to his statement of 27 April,Official Report, columns 356–61, and the answer of 5 May, Official Report, columns 550–51, he will state what arrangements are being made and what resources are available to compensate local authorities for the costs of the publications and other information which they produced for claimants and which have had to be reissued in the light of the changes announced on 27 April and 5 May; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Scott[holding answer 15 July 1988]: The publicity campaign carried out nationally through two press advertising campaigns, leaflet RR4 "Housing Benefit New Rules" and posters should ensure that local authorities' additional publicity costs arising from the changes to the schemes are minimised. However, we are making an addition of £2 million to the housing benefit administration costs grant payable to authorities in 1988–89 to reflect their additional workload and costs as a result of the change in the capital rule.