§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he expects the disability living allowance unit to fulfil its target of responding to correspondence within 20 days.
§ Mr. HagueThe administration of the disability living allowance unit is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Dafydd Wigley, dated 21 July 1994:
The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking when he expects the Disability Living Allowance Unit to fulfil its target of responding to correspondence within 20 days.I am pleased to say that in the period leading up to August 1993 the Disability Living Allowance Unit (DLAU) consistently achieved a 100% clearance rate for official correspondence within 20 days. As a result of this parameters for responding to such correspondence were tightened and a revised target for the DLAU to reply to all Official Correspondence within 15 days was first set in August 1993. The achievement of this revised target was first accomplished in September 1993. Most recently a level of 100% clearance of official correspondence direct from DLAU was achieved for the month ending 30 June 1994.Whilst it is accepted that this revised target has not always been achieved it is set at a level which is believed to be both achievable and representative of a good customer service.I hope you find this reply helpful.
§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will issue guidelines to the disability living allowance unit concerning the establishment of target times for completing reviews in relation to appeal procedures on(a) outstanding mobility allowance and (b) current disability living allowance claims.
§ Mr. HagueThe Benefits Agency introduced performance targets for reviews and appeals preparation work in the disability living allowance unit in April 1992. The targets for 1994–95 are shown in the table, together with the latest available performance figures.
Mobility allowance was replaced by the mobility component of disability living allowance in April 1992 and all awards of that benefit were converted to disability living allowance. There are, therefore, no targets for mobility allowance reviews and appeals.
Target per cent. Performance1 per cent. Reviews primary target 60 in 55 days 81 Reviews secondary target 80 in 75 days 93 Appeals primary target 60 in 30 days 75 Appeals secondary target 90 in 60 days 90 1 Figures for the month ending 30 June 1994.