HC Deb 19 January 1999 vol 323 c401W
Mr. Burstow

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Maidenhead (Mrs. May) of 1 December 1998,Official Report, columns 145–47, on the Benefit Integrity Project, what estimates his Department made of the level of successful reviews and appeals following decisions made by the Benefit Integrity Project, when calculating estimated benefit savings; and what plans his Department has to revise the current estimate for benefit savings to reflect the latest statistics on appeals against decisions made under the Benefit Integrity Project. [66413]

Mr. Bayley

The most recent estimate of benefit savings from the Benefit Integrity Project is £8 million for 1997–98, £30 million for 1998–99 and £35 million for 1999–2000. A further estimate of the savings attributable to this Project will be calculated when it ceases.

Notes:

  1. 1. The estimate is based on information on reviews and appeals to the middle of 1998. This showed awards were increased in 32 per cent. of review decisions and 73 per cent. of appeal decisions. Cases processed as part of the Benefit Integrity Project after this date were assumed to follow a similar pattern in terms of review and appeal decisions.
  2. 2. This estimate was made on the assumption that the Project would continue to March 2000.