§ Mr. RendelTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the saving to the Exchequer as a result of delays to and underpayment of benefits following problems with the new NIRS2 computer system. [71382]
§ Mr. TimmsThe information is not available. The difference between the actual initial and emergency payments made to date and the eventual full awards for Retirement Pension, Widows Benefit, Incapacity Benefit and Jobseeker's Allowance currently cannot be calculated.
558WThe figure will be available only when all claims have been reviewed and underpayments or overpayments are known.
§ Mr. RendelTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many extra staff his Department(a) has had to employ and (b) expects to employ in future to deal with backlogs as a result of delays in the implementation of the NIRS2 system; and what estimate he has made of the cost of employing the extra staff. [71383]
§ Mr. TimmsThe Department has to date not had to employ any extra staff as a result of the delays in their implementation of the NIRS2 system. However, both the Benefits Agency and the Contributions Agency are continuously reviewing the situation with regard to dealing with the backlogs and will employ extra staff only if deemed necessary.