§ Ms LynneTo ask the Secretary of State for Social 343W Security if he will estimate the (a) percentage and (b) number of pensioners who currently have their state pension and other benefits collected by (i) an agent and (ii) an appointee. [15623]
Numbers of appointees As proportion of beneficiaries of pension age Numbers of agents As proportion of beneficiaries of pension age Retirement pension1 214,482 22.1 percent. not known not known Income support to pensioners 4147,000 9.4 per cent. 471,000 4.5 per cent. Attendance allowance 49,687 34.2 per cent. 122,145 310.3 per cent. Sources: Generalised matching service (datasearch team)—September 1996. DSS analytical services. Income support quarterly statistical enquiry—February 1996. Notes: 1 Paid alone or in combination with other benefits. 2 Numbers of retirement pension beneficiaries obtained in March 1996. 3 Numbers of attendance allowance beneficiaries obtained in November 1996. 4 Income support figures are rounded to the nearest thousand.
§ Ms LynneTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to review the operation of the agency and appointee system for the collection of the state pension and other benefits. [15624]
Mr. MitchellThe Department keeps these matters under on-going review. In particular, we are examining the current arrangements for appointees and agents in the context of the transition to payment by benefit cards.