§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he has any proposals to revise the AG1 procedure in order to assist claimants, particularly elderly claimants.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyI refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 6 June at columns300–01.
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§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received on the AG1 procedure since April 1988.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleySince April 1988, when form AG1 and associated claims procedures first came into use, a number of representations have been received, mainly about the length of the form and its complexity. In addition my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has recently received a report from the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux about the national health service low income scheme and form AG1.
§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many AG1 claim forms were incorrectly or insufficiently completed and had to be returned to claimants for completion during the last year for which statistics are available.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyBetween 1 April 1990 and 31 March 1991, 361,521 claim forms were returned to claimants either because they were incorrectly completed or because further information was required. This represents approximately 35 per cent. of the total claim forms received during the period.
There is currently a review of the administration of the NHS low income scheme. Simplification of form AG I is a principal aim of that review.