§ Mrs. ClwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people in the Cynon valley who were formerly in receipt of invalidity benefit have not qualified for the new incapacity benefit. [35355]
§ Mr. BurtThe administration of incapacity benefit is a matter for Peter Mathison, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Peter Mathison to Mrs Ann Clwyd, dated 4 July 1996:
61WThe Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many people in the Cynon Valley who were formerly in receipt of Invalidity Benefit (IVB) have not qualified for the new Incapacity Benefit (IB).The information is not available in the format requested. Statistics for IVB and IB are not kept which are specific to Parliamentary Constituencies but are kept for individual Benefit Offices.
The majority of customers in the Cynon Valley are served by the Aberdare Benefit Office. Figures for the Aberdare Benefit Office are tabled below.
April 1995-May 1996 Number Former IVB customers disallowed IB 469
- (i) Data provided have been taken from the computerised system and therefore the count excludes a very small number of clerical cases.
- (ii) A minority of customers from the Cynon Valley are not dealt with by the Aberdare Benefit Office. This information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
- (iii) Aberdare Benefit Office is part of the South Wales Valleys District.
- (iv) Data are provisional and subject to amendment.
I hope you find this reply helpful.