§ Mr. ClellandTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claims for industrial disablement benefit for a prescribed industrial disease were received by the Benefits Agency in the period since January 1991; how many of those claims resulted in medical examinations; what were the outcomes of the medical examinations; how many appeals were received from claimants against the examinations; and what were the results of any subsequent medical appeal tribunal hearings.
§ Mr. ScottThe administration of industrial injuries disablement benefit is the responsibility of Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available and a copy will be placed in the Library.
Letter from Mr. Michael Bichard to Mr. David Clelland, dated 26 July 1993:
As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking how many claims for industrial disease were received by the Benefits Agency in the period since January 1991; how many of those claims resulted in medical examinations; what were the outcomes of the medical examinations; and what were the results of any subsequent medical appeal tribunal hearings.Information on the number of prescribed claims and the outcomes of such claims since January 1991 is not available in the format requested and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. However, it may be helpful if I set out such information as is available below.Information on Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit—Prescribed Disease new awards is only available from October 1992, prior to this date new awards were not identified separately. In the period October 1992 to June 1993 there were 3,354 new awards. The information is based on a 100 per cent. count of the number of new awards of Disablement Benefit in benefit offices and is subject to amendment.Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit—Prescribed Disease new claims for the same period were 35,324. However some claims made during this period will not have been assessed yet and therefore the figures are not directly comparable. The information is again based on a 100 per cent. count of claims received in benefit offices and is subject to amendment.I hope you find this information helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report and a copy will also be placed in the Library.