§ Mr. Duncan SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the total number of claims notified to the compensation recovery unit for the years 1991, 1992 and 1993; in how many cases in each year no recovery was made because the claim had a value of less than £2,500; and what was the total amount recovered in each year.
§ Mr. HagueThis is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to my hon. Friend with such information as is available.
Letter from Tony Laurance to Mr. Iain Duncan Smith, dated 12 April 1994:
As Michael Bichard is on sick leave at the moment, the Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking about the number of claims notified to the Compensation Recovery Unit, the number of cases settled below the Small Payment Limit of £2,500, and the total amount recovered in each of the years 1991, 1992 and 1993.The information requested is produced below for each financial year.222WThe number of claims notified to the Compensation Recovery Unit and the total amounts recovered are as follows:
Period Claims notified Amount recovered £million 1 April 1991—31 March 1992 121,657 25.3 1 April 1992—31 March 1993 158,996 51.3 1 April 1993—31 March 1994 188,708 81.9 Compensators are not obliged to notify the Compensation Recovery Unit if the compensation award is settled at or below the Small Payment Limit. Of those notified 91,419 cases were settled at or below the Small Payment Limit between 1 January 1989 and 31 March 1993. For the period 1 April 1993 to 31 March 1994 the number of cases notified were 48,655.1 hope this reply is helpful.