§ Mr. BennTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will provide data on the number of claims for disablement benefit which are adjudicated upon within 33 days and 66 days in respect of(a) industrial accident claims, (b) prescribed diseases and (c) respiratory diseases, (i) nationally, (ii) for the east midlands region, (iii) for (1) North Derbyshire, (2) North Nottinghamshire, (3) Mid Derbyshire and (4) South Derbyshire benefit offices; and if he will list the waiting times in respect of assessments for disablement benefit for each of the above categories. [5044]
§ Mr. Roger EvansThe administration of industrial injuries disablement benefit is a matter for Peter Mathison, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the right hon. Member.
Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. Tony Benn, dated 26 November 1996:
313WThe Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking if he will provide data on the number of claims for Disablement Benefit which are adjudicated upon within 33 days and 66 days in respect of (a) industrial accident claims, (b) prescribed diseases and (c) respiratory diseases. (i) nationally, (ii) for the East Midlands Region, (iii) for (1) North Derbyshire, (2) North Nottinghamshire, (3) Mid Derbyshire and (4) South Derbyshire benefit offices; and if he will list the waiting times in respect of assessments for Disablement Benefit for each of the above categories.The information is not available in the format requested. The current targets for clearance of Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit claims are 60% within 85 days and 90% within 175 days. Statistics are kept for Benefits Agency Districts, not by geographical regions. Information on respiratory diseases and waiting times in respect of assessments is not available separately.The information available is shown in the attached table.I hope you find this reply helpful.
Industrial injuries disablement benefit Claims cleared from 1 April to 31 October 1996 National East Midlands North Derbyshire North Nottinghamshire Mid Derbyshire South Derbyshire Industrial accident Number cleared within 85 days 14,015 1,394 169 136 102 88 (percentage) (70.3) (57.2) (51.5) (50.7) (49.8) (57.1) Number cleared within 175 days 19,009 2,258 297 243 177 141 (percentage) (95.3) (92.2) (90.5) (90.7) (86.3) (91.6) Prescribed diseases Number cleared within 85 days 16,568 1,247 206 289 59 61 (percentage) (60.9) (57.1) (54.2) (53.7) (53.2) (62.2) Number cleared within 175 days 28,124 2,08'3 362 507 102 88 (percentage) (96.0) (92.3) (95.3) (94.2) (91.9) (89.8) Figures are provisional and subject to change.
East Midlands has been taken to include the following Benefit Agency Districts: Central Derbyshire, Central Staffordshire, Chesterfield and Worksop, North Leicestershire, North Nottinghamshire, North Staffordshire, Nottingham Trentside, South Derbyshire, South Humberside, South Leicestershire, Wash Coast and West Lincolnshire.
North Derbyshire comprises the Chesterfield and Worksop District.
North Nottinghamshire comprises the North Nottinghamshire District.
Mid Derbyshire comprises the Central Derbyshire District.
South Derbyshire comprises the South Derbyshire District.