§ Mr. DonohoeTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many replacement girocheques were issued by his Department in each of the last five years; and what was their total value for each of these years;
(2) what changes there have been in the criteria used by his Department for the issuing of replacement girocheques;
(3) if he will make a statement about the criteria used by his Department for the issuing of replacement girocheques in cases where the original cheque has been lost or stolen; and if he will make a statement on what flexibility unemployment benefit offices have in administering this policy.
§ Mr. HagueThe administration of payment of benefit by girocheque is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available.
406WLetter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Brian Donohoe, dated 9 December 1993:
The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions about replacement girocheques issued by the Department of Social Security.The number of girocheques replaced after being reported missing or stolen, and the value of those replaced girocheques (based on average value of issues) in each of the last five years are as follows:
Year Number replaced Value £ million 1988–89 45,765 3.53 1989–90 53,636 4.31 1990–91 58,802 5.38 1991–92 67,265 6.47 1992–93 90,933 8.93 Additionally, the Employment Service Agency acts as our agent in the provision of girocheques to those who are unemployed and claiming Income Support. Data relevant to those issues cannot be seperately identified and are, therefore, not included in the tables above.Since the formation of the Benefits Agency there has been no change in the criteria for the issuing of replacement girocheques.I am informed by Mike Fogden, the Chief Executive of the Employment Service Agency that the criteria they use in the issuing of replacement girocheques is the same as that of the Benefits Agency, namely:To issue a prompt replacement whenever a girocheque is reported as not received, lost, stolen or destroyed unless there is reason to doubt that the report is genuine.The reasons for doubt include:
- (a) an unreasonable delay in making the report.
- (b) incomplete or inconsistent answers on the report form.
- (c) Post Office confirmation that the girocheque has been cashed.
- (d) a previous history of loses.
Decisions on replacing girocheques reported as lost or stolen are made by Executive Officers based in Employment Service Jobcentres or Benefit Agency offices, who take account of the individual circumstances of each case.I hope you find this reply helpful.