HC Deb 24 July 1996 vol 282 cc579-84W
Mr. Robert Ainsworth

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many appeals have been lodged against a disallowance of incapacity benefit in the Coventry benefits district in each quarter since April 1995; how many of these have been from(a) new incapacity benefit claimants and (b) former claimants of invalidity benefit; in each case, how many appeals have been (i) disallowed, (ii) superseded and (iii) found in the claimant's favour; and how many are outstanding. [37853]

Mr. Burt

The 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 Mr. Robert Ainsworth, dated 23 July 1996: The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliament Question asking how many appeals have been lodged against a disallowance of Incapacity Benefit (IB) in the Coventry benefits district in each quarter since April 1995; how many of these have been from(a) new IB claimants and(b) former claimants of Invalidity Benefit (IVB); in each case, how many appeals have been (i) disallowed, (ii) superseded and (iii) found in the claimant's favour; and how many are outstanding. The information is not available in the format requested. Statistics are kept for disallowances relating to the all Work Test only. A breakdown of customers formerly in receipt of IVB and customers claiming IB on or after 13 April 1995 is not available as such statistics are not kept. Such information as is available is shown in the attached table. I hope you find this reply helpful.

Total number of IB appeals against the All Work Test disallowance for the Coventry Benefits Agency (BA) District
Quarter ending June 1995 September 1995 December 1995 March 1995
Number of cases superseded 0 3 3 4
Number where decision in favour of appellant 0 0 17 38
Number of cases outstanding at end of each quarter 0 32 86 135

Notes:

Number of cases include both customer's formerly in receipt of IVB and customer's claiming IB on or after 13 April 1995, a breakdown of the two is not available.

Number of cases outstanding is a cumulative figure at the end of each quarter Data are provisional and subject to amendment.

Mr. Ainsworth

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people are currently receiving incapacity benefit in the Coventry benefits district; and how many of these were formerly in receipt of invalidity benefit. [37850]

Mr. Burt

The 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 Mr. Robert Ainsworth, dated 23 July 1996: The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many people are currently receiving Incapacity Benefit (IB) in the Coventry Benefits District; and how many of these were formerly in receipt of Invalidity Benefit (IVB). The number of people in receipt of IB in the Coventry District, on 29 February 1996, was 10,800, of which 7,500 were formerly in receipt of IVB. This figure excludes a small number of clerically processed cases and it is provisional and subject to amendment. I hope you find this reply helpful.

Mr. Ainsworth

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many new claims for incapacity benefit have been made in the Coventry benefits district since April 1995; how many of these were refused to the Benefits Agency medical service; and how many of these were subsequently(a) allowed and (b) disallowed by reason of (i) failing the all-work test, (ii) failing to attend the medical examination and (iii) failing to return the IB50 questionnaire; [37851]

Total number of claims received for the Benefits Agency (BA) Coventry District
Quarter ending June 1995 September 1995 December 1995 March 1996
1,342 1,467 1,282 1,281

Total number of cases following the All Work Test process for the BA Coventry District
Quarter ending June 1995 September 1995 December 1995 March 1996
Cases referred to BAMS 1,358 1,744 1,350 1,710
Cases allowed following BAMS referral 188 538 777 1,350
Cases disallowed IB as:
(a) failed the all work test 0 68 126 164
(b) failed to attend the medical examination 0 0 3 6
(c) failed to return the IB50 questionnaire 8 6 3 15
Credits only cases disallowed 0 6 32 77

Notes:

Number of cases include both customer's formerly in receipt of IVB and customer's claiming IB on or after 13 April 1995, a breakdown of the two is not available.

Source: 100 per cent. count of cases held on the IB system and does exclude a small number of clerically processed cases.

The number of credits only cases disallowed is not available broken down into the three categories of disallowance only a total figure is available.

Data are provisional and subject to amendment.

(2) how many claimants formerly in receipt of invalidity benefit in the Coventry benefits district were referred to the Benefits Agency medical service in each quarter since April 1995; and how many of these were subsequently (a) transferred to incapacity benefit and (b) disallowed by reason of (i) failing the all-work test, (ii) failing to attend the medical examination and (iii) failing to return the IB50 questionnaire. [37852]

Mr. Burt

The 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 Mr. Robert Ainsworth, dated 23 July 1996: The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions asking how many new claims for Incapacity Benefit (IB) have been made in the Coventry Benefits District since April 1995; how many of these were referred to the Benefits Agency Medical Service (BAMS); and how many of these were subsequently(a) allowed and(b) disallowed by reason of (i) failing the all work test, (ii) failing to attend the medical examination and (iii) failing to return the IB50 questionnaire; and how many claimants formerly in receipt of Invalidity Benefit (IVB) in the Coventry Benefits District were referred to the BAMS in each quarter since April 1995; and how many of these were subsequently (a)transferred to incapacity benefit and (b) disallowed by reason of (i) failing the all work test, (ii) failing to attend the medical examination and (iii) failing to return the IB50 questionnaire. The information is not available in the format requested. The statistics kept do not differentiate between customers formerly in receipt of IVB and customers claiming IB on or after 13 April 1995. The attached table gives details of the information available. I hope you find this reply helpful.

Mr. Ainsworth

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many appeals have been lodged against a disallowance of incapacity benefits in Coventry benefits district in each quarter since April 1995, how many of these have been from(a) new incapacity benefits claimants and (b) former claimants of invalidity benefits; in each case, how many appeals have been (i) disallowed, (ii) superseded and (iii) found in the claimants' favour; and how many are outstanding; [39707]

(2) how many claims for incapacity benefits have been made in the Coventry benefits district since April 1995; how many of these were referred to the Benefits Agency medical service; and how many of these were subsequently (a) allowed and (b) disallowed by reason of (i) failing the all-work test, (ii) failing to attend the medical examination and (iii) failing to return the IB50 questionnaire; [39709]

(3) how many people are currently receiving incapacity benefits in Coventry benefits district; and how many of these were formerly in receipt of invalidity benefit; [39708]

(4) how many people who have been disallowed incapacity benefits in the Coventry benefits district in each quarter since April 1995 are (a) currently signing on as unemployed, (b) claiming unemployment benefits and (c) have started work. [39706]

Mr. Burt

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the chief executive of the Benefits Agency, Peter Mathison, on 23 July 1996.

Mr. Cousins

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a breakdown by age, sex and region of those claiming benefit due to medical incapacity on 1 April 1989 and on subsequent 1 Aprils

Family Credit Recipients for Dorset BA District
Families in receipt of Family Credit at that date
Date of Scan Bournemouth Poole Weymouth Total
20 August 1993 1,257 1,352 1,370 3,979
15 April 1994 1,424 1,463 1,471 4,358
10 November 1994 1,629 1,537 1,604 4,770
13 April 1995 1,853 1,592 1,767 5,212
10 November 1995 2,243 1,641 1,829 5,713
16 February 1996 2,471 1,554 1,877 5,902
7 June 1996 2,788 1,470 2,037 6,295

Data are provisional and subject to change.

Ms Lynne

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans his Department has to monitor the impact that the Family Credit (General) Amendment Regulations 1996 will have on the staying-on rate for post-16 education for children whose parents are receiving family credit; and what consultations his Department held with the Department for Education and Employment before the implementation of these regulations. [39235]

Mr. Evans

We do not anticipate any impact on the staying-on rate. We estimate that the change will affect only about 15,000 families, all of whom will have already made a decision on school leaving. Family credit will remain in payment to families where the dependant has elected to remain in full-time non-advanced education.

distinguishing between those only receiving national insurance credits and those claiming direct payments of incapacity benefit. [38155]

Mr. Burt

The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available has been placed in the Library.

Forward to