§ Mr. BurdenTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what has been the average delay for each claimant of(a) invalidity benefit and (b) incapacity benefit for each year since 1990. [735]
§ Mr. BurtThe information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the table.
Clearance time target Performance achieved 1990–91 (SB/IVB) average clearance time of 9 days average clearance time of 9 days 1991–92 (SB/IVB) average clearance time of 9 days average clearance time of 7 days 1992–93 (SB/IVB) 65 percent. in 10 days 77 per cent. in 30 days 95 per cent. in 30 days 95.1 per cent. in 10 days 1993–94 (SB/IVB) 65 per cent. in 10 days 72.5 per cent. in 10 days 95 per cent. in 30 days 94.3 per cent. in 30 days 1994–95 (SB/IVB) 65 per cent. in 10 days 77.4 per cent. in 10 days 95 per cent. in 30 days 95.7 per cent. in 30 days 1995–96 (IB) 65 per cent. in 10 days 78.9 per cent. in 10 days 85 per cent. in 30 days 96 per cent. in 30 days Notes:
- 1. Figures are from successive Departmental and Benefits Agency Reports.
- 2. Up until 1992–93 the performance on the processing of claims was measured by the average time taken to clear claims. From 1992–93 the method of measuring performance changed to set percentages within 10 and 30 day targets.
Abbreviations:
SB = Sickness Benefit.
IVB = Invalidity Benefit.
IB = Incapacity Benefit.
§ Mr. Alan HowarthTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claimants of(a) incapacity benefit who were formerly receiving invalidity benefit, (b) incapacity benefit since April 1995, (c) severe disablement allowance and (d) credits only have been disallowed benefit during the year April 1995 to April 1996 by reason of (i) being found capable of work following the own occupation test, (ii) being found capable of work following the all work test (iii) failure to return IB50 questionnaire (iv) failure to attend medical examination and (v) other reasons. [417]
284W
§ Mr. BurtInformation is not available in the format requested. It is not yet possible to provide reliable data on the numbers disallowed in each of the groups specified. The available information, for the period 13 April 1995 to 31 March 1996, is in the table.
Reason for disallowance of benefit Incapacity benefit recipients Capable of work following own occupation test 1,288 Capable following all work test 66,367 Failure to return questionnaire without good cause 7.710 Failure to attend medical examination without good cause 2,416 Source:
100 per cent. monthly count from the incapacity benefit computer system. Excludes a small number of cases not held on the system.
§ Mr. BurdenTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if, following the introduction of incapacity benefit in 1995 and the requirement for claimants to undergo a medical examination, he will publish(a) the number of medical exemptions, (b) the number of cases automatically exempted because the clients are in receipt of the higher rate of DLA, (c) the number of cases allowed after medical scrutiny, (d) the number of cases allowed after medical examination, (e) the number disallowed after examination and (f) the numbers disallowed for failure to attend examination sessions. [758]
§ Mr. BurtThe information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the tables.
Table 1: Exemptions from the all work test Grounds for exemption Numbers of incapacity benefit claimants at 31 May 1996 Severe sickness or terminally ill 129,000 In receipt of highest rate care component of disability living allowance 21,000 Source:
5 per cent. sample from the incapacity benefit computer system. Excludes a small number of cases not held on the system.
Table 2: All work test outcomes Numbers up to 30 September 1996 Allowed after medical scrutiny or examination1 960,000 Disallowed following medical examination (Incapacity Benefit recipients only) 122,000 Disallowed following failure to attend medical examination without good cause (Incapacity Benefit recipients only) 5,000 Note:
1It is not possible to distinguish those allowed benefit following medical scrutiny from those allowed following examination. Figures include a small number of severe disablement allowance cases.
Source:
100 per cent. count of cases on the incapacity benefit computer system. Excludes a small number of cases not held on the system.
§ Mr. HowarthTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many examinations for the all work test 285W have (a) been carried out and (b) scheduled but not yet taken place during the year April 1995 to April 1996 for each of the regional medical centres. [419]
§ 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 Mr. Alan Howarth, dated October 1996
Appendix A: All work test examinations carried out for the period August 1995 to March 1996 August September October November December January February March Total Birmingham 2,782 4,263 6,876 6,811 4,268 3,534 3,423 3,814 35,771 Bootle 3,048 3,412 4,305 3,795 2,725 4,146 3,870 4,446 29,747 Bristol 2,301 2,604 2,859 2,553 1,471 2,930 2,773 2,801 20,292 Cardiff 3,321 4,170 4,155 4,692 2,079 3,914 2,985 3,611 28,927 Edinburgh 1,570 2,024 2,551 2,530 1,476 2,453 2,718 2,776 18,098 Glasgow 3,343 3,532 4,251 5,002 3,263 4,181 4,692 5,697 33,961 Leeds 3,505 5,128 5,717 4,134 3,159 6,281 6,268 6,308 40,500 Manchester 2,663 4,150 4,219 2,094 2,595 5,320 5,776 6,349 33,166 Newcastle 2,473 3,399 3,539 3,723 2,594 4,049 3,835 3,251 26,863 Sutton 2,869 3,293 3,909 4,456 2,328 5,743 5,410 3,187 31,195 Wembley 3,510 3,941 3,778 3,907 2,990 3,669 3,943 4,293 30,031 Total 31,385 39,916 46,159 43,697 28,948 46,220 45,693 46,533 328,551 Figures are provisional and subject to change
Appendix B: Examinations scheduled but not yet taken place as at 30 September 1996 Number Birmingham 9,330 [...] 10,837 Bristol 6,338 Cardiff 14,612 Edinburgh 2,629 Glasgow 5,048 Leeds 12,750 Manchester 10,799 Newcastle 5,639 Nottingham 6,013 Sutton 9,245 Wembley 11,374 Total 104,614 Figures are provisional and subject to change. The figures given for the cases scheduled refer to case scheduled during August and September that have not yet taken place. Cases scheduled earlier than this will have already been examined.
These figures include both All Work and Own Occupation Tests.