Computer Systems

HC Deb 29 March 1999 vol 328 c529W

Mr. Field

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many different computer systems are operated by his Department's agencies for the purposes of recording data on claimants, payments and contributions. [79224]

Angela Eagle

The information is in the table.

Mainframe computer systems used for recording data on claimants, payments and contributions
Agency	Computer system
Benefits Agency	Audit Trail Analysis System
	Child Benefit Computer System
	Customer Accounting and Payment Strategy
	Departmental Central Index
	Disability Living Allowance/Attendance Allowance
	Earnings Top Up
	Electronic Stop Notice System
	Family Credit/Disability Working Allowance
	Invalid Care Allowance/Attendance Allowance
	Incapacity Benefit
	Income Support Computer System
	Jobseeker's Allowance Payments System
	National Unemployment Benefit System
	Payment Accounting Strategy
	Pensions Strategy Computer System
	Social Fund Computer System
Child Support Agency	Child Support Computer System
Contributions Agency	National Insurance Records System (2)
War Pensions Agency	War Pensions Computer System

Notes:

1. The Social Security Agency Northern Ireland makes use of the UK systems for the purpose of recording data on claimants, payments and contributions.

2. Where two services are shown in the Computer System Column, e.g. Disability Living Allowance/Attendance Allowance, the two sets of data are held on one system.

Mr. Field

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the benefits covered by the Personal Details Computer System. [79217]

Mr. Timms

The Personal Details Computer System (PDCS) will provide the Department with a consistent set of customer personal details for use by all benefit systems. This will improve the accounting and security of benefit expenditure.

At present, all personal details previously held by the Child Benefit and Income Support computer systems and on Jobseeker's Allowance, plus all details from new claims to these benefits, are being maintained on PDCS.

New personal details relating to claims for Retirement Pension, short-term and incapacity benefits, Widows Benefit, Maternity Benefit and Severe Disablement Allowance are also being maintained on PDCS, and we have started the transfer of existing records for these benefits.

At present there are over 13.7 million records on this system.