§ Mr. SpringTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement indicating what advance notification was given to Mrs. S. Guest of 4 Clay road, Bury St. Edmunds of(a) when her son's attendance allowance had to be reviewed and (b) when it was to cease; and what advice she was given about how to reclaim the allowance.
§ Mr. ScottThe administration of Attendance Allowance is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to my hon. Friend and a copy will be placed in the Library.
Letter from M. Bichard to Mr. Richard Spring, dated 17 December 1992:
As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to the points raised in your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking what advance notification was given to Mrs.S. Guest of 4 Clay Road, Bury St. Edmunds of (a) when her son's Attendance Allowance (AA) had to be reviewed, (b) when it was to cease; and what advice she was given about how to reclaim the allowance.I should explain that, from 6 April 1992, Disability Living Allowance replaced and extended both Mobility Allowance and AA. Mrs. Guest claimed AA on behalf of her son and was notified of the duration of each award when the decision was made. About five months before the expiry of the last award Mrs. Guest was invited to make a renewal claim. This invitation included a set of notes explaining why the claim pack had been sent and how to complete the forms.Normally, Mrs. Guest would have been notified in writing of the outcome of the renewal claim before the expiry of the existing award. I regret, in this instance, Mrs. Guest was not notified until after the award expired. The notification letter advised Mrs. Guest she had the right to apply for a review of the decision if she was dissatisfied and how to exercise that right.Clearly, in view of the late notification of the outcome of the renewal claim, Mrs. Guest has not received the standard of service which she has every right to expect from the Agency and I offer my sincere apologies to her for the inconvenience this must have caused. You will be aware from my letter of 19 October to all MPs of the problems we have encountered since the successful launch of the new benefit and the positive steps taken to improve the situation.I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy of this letter will appear in the Official Report. A copy is also being placed in the Library.
§ Mr. BlunkettTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what criteria are used in the selection of doctors chosen to assess claimants of attendance allowance; what specific training they receive; and what remuneration they receive.
§ Mr. ScottThe selection, training and payment of doctors who assess claimants of attendance allowance are matters for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member and a copy will be placed in the Library.
671WLetter from M. Bichard to Mr. David Blunkett, dated 17 December 1992:
As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to the points raised in your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking what criteria are used in the selection of doctors chosen to assess claimants of Attendance Allowance; what specific training they receive; and what remuneration they receive.Examining Medical Practitioners (EMPs) chosen to assess people claiming Attendance Allowance or Disability Living Allowance are selected by the Senior Medical Officer of the Disability Benefits Centre which processes the claims. Applicants for this work are normally doctors in active clinical practice or recently retired. They are chosen on the basis of a letter of application from the doctor and a subsequent interview with the Senior Medical Officer. Due regard is also given to the need for the services of an EMP in the doctors particular area.Applicants are trained in the basic principles of the allowances and in the completion of EMP report forms by one of our Medical Officers. This training is usually carried out on a one to one basis. The standard of their reports is monitored by the medical staff, who arrange further training if necessary.Remuneration is based on a national scale agreed between the Treasury and the British Medical Association, and depends on the time required to complete the report as shown overleaf:
£ Up to and including 1.5 hours 37.90 More than 1.5 but less than 2 hours 56.90 More than 2.5 hours 88.40 Since all these examinations are carried out at the home of the customers the doctors are also paid a mileage allowance to cover their travelling expenses.I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report. A copy is also being placed in the Library.