§ Mr. Paul FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will provide details of the training provided to(a) benefits inquiry line staff and (b) adjudication officers working on disability living allowances and attendance allowance, including the dates and duration of training courses provided on these benefits; what percentage of the annual training budget for these benefits has already been spent; and what plans he has to increae this budget in real terms in the financial year 1993–94 and in subsequent years.
§ Mr. Scott[pursuant to his reply, 18 January, col. 218–19]: The chief executive has written further to the hon. Member.
Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Paul Flynn, dated 4 February 1993.
I wrote to you on 18 January in reply to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social 353W Security concerning the training provided to Benefits Enquiry Line (BEL) staff and adjudication officers working on Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance. In that letter I said that I would write to you again with details of the dates of the training for BEL staff.Training courses for the BEL operators were held for the whole of April 1991 to June 1991, when BEL was initially set up. Courses were subsequently held on the following dates:
- 1 October 1991 to 31 October 1991 (condensed course)
- 11 November 1991 to 31 December 1991
- 1 July 1992 to 31 July 1992 (condensed course)
- 10 August 1992 to 18 September 1992
- 12 October 1992 to 20 November 1992
- 7 December 1992 to 8 January 1993 (condensed course)
Courses will continue to be held as new operators are taken on.I hope you will find this reply helpful. A copy of this will appear in the Official Report. A copy is also being placed in the Library.
Successful prosecution action taken by HSE Inspectorates in the Crown Court, 1 January 1992 to 31 March 1992 Company Crown Court Date of hearing Sentence £ Ashby Demolition Knightsbridge 2 January 1992 7,500 Sansoms (Newport) Ltd. Newport 6 February 1992 2,500 Caird Environmental Ltd. Birmingham 23 March 1992 50,000 Fletchers Bakeries Ltd. Sheffield 25 March 1992 10,000