§ Mr. GardinerTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he will publish the 15th annual report of the Chief Adjudication Officer; and if he will make a statement. [93204]
§ Mr. DarlingThe report is being published today. The Chief Adjudication Officer's findings record that, in a difficult year for the Agencies, standards have in general been maintained. He is, in particular, encouraged by the fact that the Agencies continue to look for ways to effect improvements, with numerous initiatives at both the local and national level. Quite rightly the Chief Adjudication Officer has taken the opportunity to praise his own staff for their work.
The Chief Adjudication Officer welcomes the changes to decision-making and appeals that are being introduced this year. These changes will create a simpler, clearer, more accessible system.
Chief Executives will take on the Chief Adjudication Officer's responsibilities for guidance to decision-makers and monitoring and reporting on standards. They will be accountable for the quality of decision making in their agencies. The changes will help to get decisions right. If a mistake is made, it can be put right more easily. Notifications will be clearer and easier to understand.
Improvements will be made to the handling of appeals. The ending of the rigid requirement for three person tribunals means that expert resources can be better focused on the issues raised in each appeal. Appeal waiting times will be cut. A new agency will be set up to handle the administration of appeals and I will set demanding targets for clearing appeals. Some improvements have already been made. People who appeal now receive the papers at an earlier stage in the process. Record numbers of appeals were cleared last year. The backlog of oldest cases is being systematically cleared.
These changes will deliver real improvements in service to clients. Also we are preserving the essential elements of the current system. Decisions will continue to be made impartially by applying the law to the facts of each case. Clients will still have the right of appeal to an independent tribunal.
678WThe post of Chief Adjudication Officer will disappear in November. There will be a final report for the period April 1999 to November 1999. This will be published early next year. From July to November, as the new Decision Making and Appeals system is implemented, the responsibility for monitoring and reporting on the standards of decision making within the Agencies will pass to Agency Chief Executives.