§ Mr. DenhamTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list by(a) region, (b) parliamentary constituency and (c) type of impairment the number of war pensioners making claims for benefit. [15504]
§ Mr. HealdThe information is not available in the format requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Such information as is available is as follows:
Two thousand one hundred and fifty-one new claims for war pensions were received in January 1997, the latest month for which figures are available, and 3,725 claims from existing war pensioners were received for further disablements.
§ Mr. DenhamTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his current estimate of the savings which will result from changes to the administration of claims to the War Pensions Agency. [15505]
§ Mr. HealdThe information is as follows
Estimated reduction in forecast programme expenditure (rounded to the nearest £5 million)
- 1997–98: £5 million
- 1998–99: £10 million
- 1999–2000: £15 million
Estimated reduction in forecast expenditure on administration (rounded to the nearest £0.1 million)
- 1997–98: £0.7 million
- 1998–99: £1.0 million
- 1999–2000: £1.0 million
The changes affect future entitlement only.
§ Mr. DenhamTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on his Department's correspondence with Mark Lutman and Adrian Davis regarding their evidence on the subject of noise-induced hearing loss; and if he will publish the correspondence. [15506]
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§ Mr. HealdMy right hon. and noble Friend the Lord MacKay of Ardbrecknish, the Minister of State for Social Security, received an open letter signed by four leading experts in hearing loss including professors Lutman and Davis. A copy of this letter has been placed in the Library. The letter confirms that noise-induced hearing loss and hearing loss due to aging are broadly additive. It is that medical opinion which is now being applied in the assessment of claims for war disablement pension.