§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if recipients of disability living allowance who receive a questionnaire under the Benefits Integrity Programme are entitled to see a copy of their initial claim form; and what publicity his Department provides in respect of these arrangements. [20822]
§ Mr. DenhamOne of our key aims is to rebuild integrity in, and public support for, the Social Security system and the way in which public money is spent. We need to focus on those who are properly entitled to benefit. This is why we have set up the Benefit Integrity Project.
The administration of this programme is a matter for Peter Mathison, Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. Paul Burstow, dated 16 December 1997:
The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking whether recipients of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) who receive a questionnaire under the Benefits Integrity Programme are entitled to see a copy of their initial claim form; and what publicity his Department provides in respect of these arrangements.The Benefit Integrity Project (BIP) was set up in response to the recent Benefit Review of DLA. Over the next two years, specially trained staff will make enquiries by postal questionnaire or home visit in over 400,000 cases to establish whether DLA is being paid correctly.244WA copy of the original form will be sent to DLA recipients on request. We have had several useful meetings with organisations representing disabled people at which this provision was emphasised, as it was on the Does He Take Sugar? radio broadcast made by the Baroness Hollis of Heigham.I hope that this is helpful.