§ Mr. FieldTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people will lose eligibility for the modernised incapacity benefit for each of the first five years after the reform is introduced. [58304]
299W
§ Mr. TimmsInformation is not available in the form requested. Benefit will still be payable in most cases affected by the proposal in the consultation document "A New Contract for Welfare: Support for Disabled People" to take some account of occupational and personal pensions above £50 a week. The estimated reduction in the number of people on Incapacity Benefit as a result of the proposed change to the National Insurance contribution conditions is 30,000 in year one, 50,000 in year two, 65,000 in year three and 170,000 in the long run. Changes to the rules on entitlement to Incapacity Benefit will apply to new claims only.
§ Ms WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people who are currently waiting to attend an incapacity benefit appeal tribunal in each administrative area have been waiting(a) one month, (b) two months and (c) six months or over. [58805]
§ Angela EagleThe information is not available in the form requested. Such information as is available is in the table.
People waiting to attend an incapacity benefit appeal tribunal at 31 August 1998 1 month 1-3 months 3-6 months Over 6 months Birmingham 300 850 528 866 Cardiff 526 1,424 1,265 2,273 Glasgow 359 1,722 2,120 6,134 Leeds 257 848 473 743 Liverpool 600 939 534 976 Newcastle 314 675 328 839 Nottingham 283 1,115 1,145 2,445 Salford 344 589 260 682 Sutton 265 923 634 1,401 All Centres 3,248 9,085 7,287 16,359 Source:
Appeals—Data supplied by Analytical Services Division (ASD) from the Independent Tribunal Service Generic Appeals Processing System