§ Dr. Lynne JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what indicators are incorporated into Benefits Agency district managers' performance targets; and if she will introduce a target for service delivery to local authorities; [625]
(2) what representations she had received from local authorities in respect of targets for the service that the Benefits Agency provides for the administration of housing and council tax benefits. [624]
§ Mr. FieldThere are no current Secretary of State performance targets for Benefits Agency District Managers relating specifically to service delivery to local authorities. We have received no representations to introduce Benefits Agency service targets for Housing Benefit but are aware that the Local Authority Associations have expressed concern in the past about liaison between the Benefits Agency and local authorities. We will be reviewing the business relationship between the Benefits Agency and local authorities and within that review, we will consider the need for such a target over the coming months.
93WPerformance targets for Benefits Agency District Managers are set every year. Current targets are in the tables.
Benefits Agency Secretary of State's targets for 1997–98 Accuracy targets Percentage of cases Benefit 1997–98 our targets are to pay the correct amount in Income Support 87 Incapacity Benefit1 94 Family Credit 91 Jobseekers Allowance 87 Disability Living Allowance 96 1Includes Incapacity Benefit, Severe Disablement Allowance and Maternity Allowance.
Financial recovery targets 1997–98 our target is Recovery of Social Fund loans £333 million Security1 2£2,100 million Unemployed register sign-offs 160,000 claims withdrawn in 10 days 185,000 claims withdrawn in 28 days Recovery of benefit £120 million overpayment3 1Security Savings—target relates to weekly benefit savings from activity in the year. It includes activity funded through the new Spend to Save fraud and evasion package announced in the 1996 budget. 2This level of saving will reduce programmed expenditure by £1.6 billion in 1997–98. 3Overpayment of recovery target—now includes recoveries arising from security and control activities, and reflects an increase of 31.15 per cent. from 1996–97.
Claims clearance times targets 1997–98 our target is to clear Jobseekers Allowance 65 per cent. in 10 days 90 per cent. in 21 days Faster Family Credit 90 per cent. in 5 days Financial control targets
Our targets are to:
Manage the Agency's resources to deliver its business plan within the allocations from the Secretary of State.
Keep to the cash limit agreed with Treasury for the discretionary Social Fund budget approved by Parliament.