§ Mr. BradleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the average length of time between the date of application and an award from the independent living—1993—fund.
§ Mr. ScottI am informed by the director of the fund that the average time taken for an application to the independent living—1993—fund to progress from initial contact to an offer of payment is 11 weeks. It takes on average a further five weeks for the offer to be accepted by the client and for payment arrangements to be made by the fund.
§ Mr. BradleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the projected underspend of the independent living fund during 1993–94; and if this amount will be carried over into the 1994–95 budget.
§ Mr. ScottTotal provision for the independent living fund is £124 million in 1993–94. The projected underspend 901W of the independent living—1993—fund during 1993–94 is £3.5 million. There is no projected underspend for the independent living—extension—fund. Normal Government accounting rules will apply to any unspent provision.
§ Mr. BradleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many applications for a review of a current award have been made to the independent living—extension—fund; and how many awards have been increased as a result of this application.
§ Mr. ScottI am informed by the director of the fund that the information requested is not available. However, in October 1993 the trustees of the fund initiated a programme of reviews for those clients who, for a number of reasons, were not able to make full use of the original amounts offered to them. Increased funding has now been offered to 766 clients, of whom 166 have accepted the offer made. The value of the increases now in payment is £5,958.40 per week, an average increase of £35.89 per week per client.