§ Mr. RookerTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will set out the powers under which he proposes to change the social security order payments book for plastic smart card; and if he will make a statement on the proposed timetable of the change. [37093]
§ Mr. HealdSection 5(1)(i) of the Social Security Administration Act 1992 provides that the Secretary of State may make regulations which
provide for the … manner in which a benefit … is to be paid and for the information and evidence to be furnished in connection with the payment …Regulation 20A of the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations 1987, inserted by Regulation 4 ofSI 1994/3196 was made under the above power and provides, in effect, for benefit payments to be made on production of a card. We anticipate that the first benefit payment cards will be issued in 1996 with completion of the changeover in two to three years.104W
Financial year Agency Nature of work Value of work (estimated) £ January 1990 to March 1990 Contributions Agency Night time security 1,349,000 April 1990 to March 1991 Benefits Agency Security 725,000 Contributions Agency Day time security 1,031,000 Information Technology Services Agency Computer Operations Management 12,931,000 April 1991 to March 1992 Benefits Agency Estates Management (London) 1,155,000 Estates Management (London) 508,000 April 1992 to March 1993 Child Support Agency Accommodation and Office Services 2,313,000 Audit 309,000 Training 547,000 April 1993 to March 1994 Information Technology Services Agency Audit 1,264,000 DSS Headquarters Accommodation and Office Services 761,000 Contributions Agency Cleaning 771,000 Benefits Agency Travel Services 211,000 Storage/Archives 516,000 Accommodation and Office Services 884,000 Training for various areas/offices: 540,000 679,000 646,000 683,000 637,000 616,000