§ Mr. RendelTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will ensure that statistics relating to the Benefit Integrity Project distinguish between(a) reviews of life awards and (b) renewal claims of disability living allowance. [29691]
§ Mr. DenhamOne of our key aims is to rebuild integrity in, and public support for, the Social Security system and the way in which public money is spent. Benefits should go to those who are properly entitled to benefit. This is why we have continued with Benefit Integrity Project.
The administration of this programme is a matter for Peter Mathison, Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with further details.
Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. David Rendel, dated 16 February 1998:
The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question, concerning if she will ensure that statistics relating to the Benefit Integrity Project (BIP) distinguish between (a) reviews of life awards and (b) renewal claims of Disability Living Allowance (DLA).640WThe BIP is looking again at designated DLA beneficiaries' current care and mobility needs. Information is collected through a programme of visits and postal enquiries. Selection of customers who will receive either a visit or a postal enquiry will be done monthly, on a random basis, by computer scan. The customers involved will be those with awards of the higher rate of the mobility component combined with either the highest or the middle rate of the care component. During the period covered by BIP, some restricted awards in the above categories will expire and fall due for renewal.Statistics are available for renewal, postal and visit enquiries. We do not distinguish between life awards and restricted awards and there are no current plans to do so.Information about the BIP is placed in the House of Commons Library each month.I hope you find the reply helpful.