§ Mr. MaclennanTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will instruct the Benefits Agency to give a decision in respect of the claim for family credit submitted by Mrs. G. Foster.
§ Mr. BurtThe administration of family credit is a matter for Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Robert Maclennan, dated 6 July 1994:
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary question, asking about the claim to Family Credit (FC) from Mrs. G. Foster.You will be aware that Mrs. Foster submitted her claim to FC on 21 January 1994. I can assure you that every effort is being made to resolve this matter and Mrs. Foster will be advised of the outcome in due course. However, due to the complex nature of Mrs. Foster's case, the matter is still under consideration by the Adjudication Officer (AO). AOs are the first tier of the independent adjudicating authorities who decide all claims to Family Credit. The responsibility for interpreting the law and its application in individual cases rests solely with them. No Government Minister or Departmental Official may comment on, or intervene in, matters which are the responsibility of these independent authorities.The AO will make a decision on the claim as soon as the required information becomes available. However, due to the personal and confidential nature of the case, I have written to you separately and in greater detail to explain this matter.I hope you find this reply helpful.