§ Dr. HendronTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many people are waiting for an appeal to a tribunal on their claim for(a) disability living allowance and (b) attendance allowance; [16452]
(2) how many people in Belfast, West were in receipt of incapacity benefit in February 1996; [16459]
(3) what percentage of decisions on incapacity benefit have been reversed following an appeal to a tribunal; [16463]
(4) many of the claims for incapacity benefit have been disallowed since its introduction; [16461]
(5) how many people in the constituency of Belfast, West applied for disability living allowance in each of the calendar years 1994, 1995 and 1996; [16465]
(6) how many people in Belfast, West are currently awaiting a review decision regarding a claim for disability living allowance; [16450]
(7) how many people in Belfast, West applied to the social fund for assistance in each year from 1993 to 1996; [16453]
(8) how many people in Northern Ireland have made claims for incapacity benefit since April 1996; [16460]
(9) how many people in the constituency of Belfast, West were awarded (a) disability living allowance and (b) attendance allowance in (i) 1994, (ii) 1995 and (iii) 1996; [16449]
(10) what (a) percentage and (b) number of people who were disallowed incapacity benefit between January 1996 and January 1997, appealed against the decision; [16464]
(11) what is the average length of time a claimant already has to wait before receiving a decision on their application for incapacity benefit; [16462]
(12) how many claimants in Belfast, West are currently in receipt of incapacity benefit; [16458]
(13) how many people in the constituency of Belfast, West applied for attendance allowance in the calendar years 1994, 1995 and 1996; [16466]
(14) how many people in Belfast, West are waiting for a review decision regarding their claim for attendance allowance. [16451]
§ Mr. MossResponsibility for the subjects has been delegated to the Social Security Agency under its chief executive, Mr. Alec Wylie and I have asked him to arrange for a response to be given.
Letter to Dr. Joe Hendron from Gerry Kennan, dated 20 February 1997.
I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions about Attendance Allowance, Disability Living Allowance, Incapacity Benefit and the Social Fund. As Mr. Wylie is presently away on business, I am replying on his behalf.Ref: 16449Information on the number of people who were awarded Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance in the Parliamentary constituency of Belfast West is not available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. However, as shown 98W below, information is held on the number of Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance recipients at specific dates during the years in question, although limited to 1996 for the latter.
Date Number of recipients Disability living allowance November 1994 7,835 November 1995 9,491 November 1996 10,702 Attendance allowance February 1996 3,624 November 1996 4,330 No records are maintained on the number of people in the Parliamentary constituency of Belfast West who are awaiting a review of a decision regarding their claim for Disability Living Allowance or Attendance Allowance. This information could only be obtained at a disproportionate cost. [16452]The number of outstanding appeals regarding claims for Attendance Allowance and Disability Living Allowance is shown in the table below. The figures include submissions being prepared by the Agency, submissions which have been forwarded to the Independent Tribunal Service for hearings to be arranged and appeals where a tribunal decision has been given but not yet implemented.
Benefit type Appeals outstanding (14 February 1997 Disability living allowance 1,188 Attendance allowance 62 Ref: 16453
Information on the number of people in the Parliamentary constituency of Belfast West who applied to the Social Fund in each year from 1993 to 1996 cannot be given in the format requested as areas covered by the relevant Social Security Offices overlap with other constituencies.
Ref. 16458The most recent information available is for week ending 30 November 1996 which shows that 5,011 people in the Parliamentary constituency of Belfast West were claiming Incapacity Benefit.Ref: 16459The number of people in the Parliamentary constituency of Belfast West who were in receipt of Incapacity Benefit on 28 February 1996 was 4,965.Ref. 16460Since April 1996, 54,542 claims have been made to Incapacity Benefit in Northern Ireland.Ref.: 16561The number of Incapacity Benefit claims which have been disallowed from its introduction in April 1995 is 30,700. This figure, however, does not include the number of claims disallowed before 1 April 1996 because of deficient National Insurance contributions or late claim. To obtain this information would generate disproportionate costs.Ref: 16462The average clearance time for Incapacity Benefit claims for January 1997 is 6.69 days. The average clearance time is measured from the date the claim is received until either entitlement is determined, the claim is withdrawn. or is otherwise closed.Ref: 16463Unfortunately, the information in relation to the percentage of Incapacity Benefit decisions which were reversed by a Social Security Appeal Tribunal is not held in the format requested and to 99W obtain it would involve disproportionate costs. However, this information is held by the Independent Tribunal Service, Cleaver House, and I have sent them a copy of your question.Ref. 16464From 1 January 1996 to 31 January 1997 a total of 23,778 Incapacity Benefit claims have been disallowed. The figure does not include the number of claims disallowed before 1 April 1996 because of deficient national insurance contributions or late claim and to obtain this information would generate disproportionate costs. The total number of appeals received for the same period was 6,428 which equates to 27% of claims disallowed.Ref: 16465, 16466The figures for the number of people in the Parliamentary constituency of Belfast West who applied for Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance in 1994, 1995 and 1996 are not maintained on a constituency basis.I hope this information is helpful.