HC Deb 14 February 1995 vol 254 cc598-9W
Mr. Etherington

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many reduced earnings allowance awards for PD4 were made in each year since 1989(a) nationally, (b) at Dunn house, (c) at Phoenix house and (d) at South Shields;

(2) what is the average time taken to process a PD4 claim (a) at the disability benefit centre, Arden house and (b) nationally;

(3) what was the total number of reduced earnings allowance awards in each year since 1989 (a) nationally, (b) at Dunn house, Sunderland, (c) at Phoenix house, Sunderland, (d) in South Shields and (e) in Houghton-le-Spring.

Mr. Hague

The administration of reduced earnings allowance is a matter for Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available.

Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Bill Etherington, dated 13 February 1995:

The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions about awards of reduced earnings allowance since 1989 both nationally and at various Benefits Agency offices.

Information is not available in respect of new awards of reduced earnings allowance from 1989; the collection of such data did not begin until October 1991. In addition, information is not available separately for Dunn House and Pheonix House in Sunderland and for South Shields and Houghton-le-Spring. Those offices comprise the Benefits Agency's Wearside District and data is collated at District level. The information that is available is attached at Annex A.

Information in respect of the number of reduced earnings allowance awards for PD4 is also collated at District level and the collection of such data did not commence until June 1992. I have provided at Annex B the information that is available relating to Wearside District and national figures.

Information is not available in respect of the average time taken to process a PD4 claim at the Newcastle Disability Benefits Centre (DBC). The Benefits Agency Medical Services do not hold information separately for PD D4 or other prescribed diseases. However statistics are held for clearance times of all Industrial Injury Disablement Benefit claims which includes prescribed diseases. The average national clearance time for the year ending 31 January 1995 was 32.6 days. The average clearance time in Newcastle DBC was 29.6 days.

I hope you find this reply helpful.

Annex A
New awards of reduced earnings allowance
1991 1992 1993 1994
Wearside 235 950 482 642
National 2,895 6,077 3,514 3,593
Awards of reduced earning allowance in respect of PD D4
1992 1993 1994
Wearside Nil 6 17
National 933 701 702