HC Deb 20 March 1997 vol 292 cc894-5W
Mr. Cox

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people living in the London borough of Wandsworth are waiting for a decision to be made regarding their claim for attendance allowance. [20180]

Mr. Andrew Mitchell

This 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. Tom Cox, dated 19 March 1997>: The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about how many people living in the London Borough of Wandsworth are waiting for a decision to be made regarding their claim for Attendance Allowance (AA). The information is not available in the format requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Statistics are not kept for the number of people waiting for a decision to be made on a claim for AA or for individual regions. I am however able to provide the Secretary of State targets for clearing AA New Claims and the year to date clearance rates for Sutton Disability Benefit Centre (DBC) which covers the Benefits Agency Districts shown in the attached annex.

The information is set out in the table below:-

1996–97 Secretary of State targets Sutton DBC 1 April 1996 to28 February 1997
68 per cent. in 30 days 79.70 per cent. in 30 days
85 per cent. In 53 days 95.49 per cent.in 53 days

Figures are provisional and subject to change. I hope you find this reply helpful.

  • Annex: Benefits agency districts covered by Sutton Disability Benefit Centre
  • Bankside
  • Berkshire
  • Canterbury and Thanet
  • Channel
  • East Sussex
  • Hampshire North
  • Hounslow and Kingston
  • London Central
  • North Kent
  • North Surrey
  • Palace
  • Solent and Forest
  • South Circular
  • South Downs
  • South East Hants and Wight
  • South West Thames
  • Surrey Downs
  • Tameside
  • West Kent
  • West Sussex.