§ Mr. Frank FieldTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will commission an independent review of the responses to the consultation exercise contained in the Government's reply, Cm 2997, to the Social Security Committee's fourth report of 1994–95, HC 196, on compensation recovery, in the same style as the analysis published on the Government measures to tackle discrimination against disabled people. [37470]
§ Mr. Roger EvansThe consultation exercise on compensation recovery is different in scale and range of groups affected to the exercise concerning measures to tackle discrimination against disabled people. I therefore have no plans to commission an independent review on this occasion.
§ Mr. FieldTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will place in the Library copies of all responses to his consultation exercise contained in the Government's reply, Cm 2997, to the Social Security Committee's fourth report of 1994–95, HC 196, on compensation recovery, which do not specifically request that they remain confidential. [37471]
§ Mr. EvansA summary of the main responses to the consultation exercise will be placed in the Library.
§ Mr. FieldTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will place in the Library a list of the individuals and organisations who have been sent copies of the Government's reply, Cm 2997, to The Social Security Committee's fourth report of 1994–95, HC 196 on compensation recovery. [37472]
§ Mr. FieldTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many weeks elapsed between the publication of the fourth report from the Social Security Committee of 1994–95, HC196, on compensation recovery, and the publication of the Government's reply, Cm 2997, to that report; how many weeks he has allowed for responses to the consultation exercise on the proposals in Cm 2997, and if he will extend the deadline for receipt of responses to his consultation exercise. [37473]
§ Mr. EvansThe periods are 12 and six weeks respectively. The issues on which the Government are seeking views are closely tied to the Select Committee's central recommendations. When the consultation exercise ends, it is likely that those commenting will have had a total of 18 weeks to form a view on the implications of those recommendations. However, we will consider any reasonable request for an extension to the deadline where the respondent contacts the Department by 13 November.
§ Mr. FieldTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, further to his answers of 29 November 1994,Official Report, column 625, and 27 June 1995, Official Report, column 587, if he will set out the final outturn figures on the operation of the compensation recovery unit for the financial year 1994–95; and if he will give such comparable data as he has available for the current financial year. [37474]
§ Mr. EvansThis is a matter for Peter Mathison, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available.
224WLetter from Peter Mathison to Mr. Frank Field, dated 16 October 1995:
The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about information relating to the operation of the Compensation Recovery Unit during the 1994/95 financial year and the first half of the 1995/96 financial year.
The information is provided in the table below:
Period Number of cases Total amount recovered £ million Operating costs £ million 1/4/94-31/3/95 39,915 1110.1 2.8 1/4/95-30/9/95 19,874 161.8 1.5 1 These figures includes monies recovered from both final and interim settlements. I hope you find this reply helpful.