§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he plans to meet the Disability Benefits Forum to discuss his plans for replacing the Benefit Integrity Programme. [59230]
§ Mr. TimmsWe value the help provided by the Disability Benefits Forum as we take forward our plans to reform disability benefits and we meet them regularly. Yesterday, at our most recent meeting, we discussed the latest position on the Benefit Integrity Project and we announced further administrative improvements in its operation. From 16 November 1998, the Project will no longer contact people receiving the highest rate of the Disability Living Allowance (DLA) mobility component with either the highest or middle rate of the DLA care component, where the award pre-dates April 1992. Nor will it contact people receiving both components of DLA at the highest rates whose main disabling condition is recorded (on the DLA computer system) as Parkinson's Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Neurological Disease or Mental Subnormality.
Cases in action will be finalised but no new cases will be selected from these groups. This change builds on other improvements that have been made since we inherited this Project which ensure that it operates in a way that is both sensitive and cost-effective. At the same time, we invited the Forum to continue to work with us and officials as we develop a new fairer way of reviewing people's entitlement to DLA, which will replace the Benefit Integrity Project. A special working group will be set up to take this forward.