HC Deb 24 May 1989 vol 153 cc545-8W
Mr. Corbyn

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he expects to receive and publish the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys reports to his Department relating to the potential demand from persons with disabilities; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Scott

In the period up to July 1989 the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys is publishing a series of reports on the findings of the surveys of disability in Great Britain carried out between 1985 and 1988. Three reports have already been published covering the prevalance of disability among adults, the financial circumstances of disabled adults in private households and the prevalence of disability among children. The remaining reports will cover further aspects of the circumstances of disabled adults, including use of services, transport and employment; the financial circumstances of families with a disabled child living in private households and further aspects of the circumstances of disabled children, including use of services, transport and education. Taken together, the six reports will provide the most comprehensive and detailed information ever collected about disabled people in this country.

Mr. Corbyn

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to review the disability benefit system; and what plans he has to consult on this.

Mr. Scott

I refer the hon. Member to my replies to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe (Mr. Morris) on 17 April 1988 at columns 10–11 and 22 May 1988 at column428.

Mr. Corbyn

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many complaints have been received by his Department concerning doctors' conduct in examining claimants for disability benefits; how many have been removed from approved Department of Social Security lists; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Scott

Doctors working on behalf of the Department conduct almost 700,000 medical examinations each year on claimants for disability benefits. Although a central register is not kept on the number of complaints received concerning the conduct of doctors in examining claimants, those which are received are all thoroughly investigated and represent but a very small fraction of the total numbers of medical examinations undertaken. Very occasionally it has proved necessary to cease using a doctor whose conduct continues to provoke complaints, but, again, no central register is kept of the numbers.

Mr. Corbyn

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will tabulate the number of successful applications for the review of attendance allowance and break down these figures into those who sought review because they were dissatisfied with the original decision and those who did so because their condition had deteriorated; and if he will give the figures for 1985, 1986, 1987 and 1988.

Mr. Scott

The information requested is in the table.

Number of decisions reviewed and revised by the Attendance
Allowance Board and its delegates by reason for review 1985–88
Reason for review
Year Number of decisions reviewed and revised Dissatisfaction Relevant change of circumstances
1985 30,101 12,737 17,364
19861 30,248 13,644 16,604
19872 43,123 19,190 23,933
19883 39,513 17,473 22,040
1 To 14 November 1986.
2 From 15 November 1986 to 8 January 1988.
3 From 9 January 1988.

Mr. Corbyn

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what is the average cost per claim for attendance allowance per year for each year since 1985 for those claims that were (a) granted, (b) granted on review and (c) refused on review; and if he will break this down into the costs of arbitration and of fees;

(2) what is the average cost per claim for mobility allowance per year for each year since 1985 for those claims that were (a) granted, (b) granted on review, (c) granted on appeal and (d) refused on review; and if he will break this down into the cost of administration and doctors' fees.

Mr. Scott

I regret that the information requested is not available.

Mr. Corbyn

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security by what methods doctors are recruited to examine claimants for attendance and mobility allowances; how their performance is monitored; if he has any plans to recruit other suitably qualified persons to perform this role; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Scott

Claimants for the attendance allowance and mobility allowance are examined by doctors selected and trained by the regional office senior medical officer (ROSMO) from registered medical practitioners who will have either made an application to be considered for this role or been nominated by their peers for this task.

The doctors selected are usually recruited from among general practitioners within the locality who will have demonstrable knowledge of local socio-economic conditions, established experience in general medical practice and evident expertise in conducting medical examinations. Before a doctor undertakes examinations on claimants for the attendance and mobility allowance guidance is given by the ROSMO, or regional office medical officer (ROMO), on the background of, and requirements for, that particular benefit. This instruction is supplemented by written guidance notes for reference. Initially, the performance of the examining doctor is closely monitored by the ROSMO who will institute further training sessions as appropriate; thereafter, there is some monitoring of reports by the ROSMO to identify any further need for guidance. The form, nature and pattern of such monitoring may vary and are dictated by the individual ROSMO.

Budgeting Loans and Community Care Grants: Numbers and percentage awards by client groups for year 1988–89
Client Groups (see Key)
00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 Total awards
Budgeting Loans
Great Britain 0.5 0.3 0.6 3.9 0.4 3.6 3.6 43.9 0.7 2.1 16.7 18.8 1.0 3.8 0.0 n/a 504,629
North East Region 0.3 0.3 0.7 4.1 0.4 2.7 3.0 42.8 0.8 2.2 20.9 17.6 0.9 3.3 0.0 n/a 101,558
Gateshead 0.3 0.2 0.9 4.3 0.1 2.2 3.1 43.4 0.4 2.3 23.6 15.8 0.7 2.4 0.0 n/a 2,705
Newcastle St. James 0.4 0.1 0.6 4.2 0.5 2.5 4.1 39.7 0.6 2.6 16.7 22.9 0.8 4.4 0.0 n/a 2,266
Newcastle East 0.3 0.1 1.0 4.0 0.5 3.0 3.5 45.7 0.7 2.0 16.1 20.1 0.7 2.4 0.0 n/a 1,953
Newcastle West 0.5 0.2 0.5 3.7 0.3 3.4 3.4 49.9 0.7 1.7 22.0 11.3 0.5 2.0 0.0 n/a 2,134
Wallsend 0.3 0.6 0.6 4.8 0.4 2.8 4.2 45.3 0.4 2.0 22.3 12.8 0.6 3.0 0.0 n/a 1,326
Houghton le Spring 0.1 0.6 0.5 3.6 0.6 1.6 3.4 44.6 0.3 1.5 28.7 11.3 1.4 1.7 0.0 n/a 949
Jarrow 0.7 0.3 0.8 4.2 0.3 2.2 4.0 45.6 0.5 2.8 20.4 14.7 1.0 2.4 0.0 n/a 1,231
North Shields 0.1 0.6 0.7 5.0 0.7 1.6 4.2 49.6 1.1 1.8 19.6 12.2 0.9 2.0 0.0 n/a 1,213
South Shields 0.2 0.2 0.6 4.7 0.3 3.6 5.7 42.8 1.0 1.5 16.9 18.9 0.5 3.3 0.0 n/a 1,731
Sunderland North 0.3 0.3 0.7 4.1 0.2 3.5 2.9 40.3 1.2 2.2 21.9 17.8 0.8 3.8 0.0 n/a 3,811
Sunderland South 0.3 0.1 0.9 4.0 0.2 2.9 3.3 38.3 1.1 2.5 20.5 20.1 0.7 5.1 0.0 n/a 2,388
Community Care Grants
Great Britain 0.4 4.5 3.7 14.3 0.9 3.4 10.0 25.2 0.7 1.5 9.5 16.4 2.0 6.3 0.0 1.1 152,574
North East Region 0.4 3.7 3.7 14.5 1.0 3.2 9.3 26.2 0.7 1.3 11.7 16.3 1.8 5.9 0.0 0.8 27,824
Gateshead 0.5 3.0 7.9 14.2 0.0 3.7 11.6 28.5 0.2 2.0 9.1 12.8 1.4 4.3 0.0 0.8 522
Newcastle S. James 0.9 4.3 3.0 18.0 0.9 3.3 7.2 18.2 1.1 1.3 6.3 27.3 2.2 6.1 0.0 0.0 475
Newcastle East 0.7 9.3 5.0 20.5 1.7 1.2 7.9 23.3 0.0 0.7 3.8 16.9 1.2 6.9 0.0 1.0 440

By their very nature the medical examinations required for the purpose of determining eligibility for these allowances need the expertise and experience possessed by general medical practitioners who are able to provide a consistency of advice across a wide range of disabilities and age groups. In the small number of cases where a specialist opinion is required to determine diagnosis, or assist in resolving complex cases, an independent report is solicited from a consultant clinician who would possess the necessary specialist knowledge applicable to the individual case. Moreover, the Attendance Allowance Board or its delegate in the case of attendance allowance, or an independent adjudicating officer in the matter of mobility allowance, has access not only to the examining doctor's report but other evidence considered necessary, such as psychological, head teacher's and hospital's reports and so on. The present arrangements thus allow for suitably qualified persons to be approached, as necessary, in an individual case.

Mr. Wareing

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the total number of registered disabled persons for the latest date available.

Mr. Scott

The total number of physically disabled persons registered with local authorities in England at 31 March 1987 was 1,230,632.