HC Deb 12 May 1999 vol 331 cc172-3W
Mrs. Ellman

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what performance targets have been set for the Social Security Agency for the current financial year. [84082]

Mr. McFall

The following targets have been set with the objective of improving the service provided to customers. I am satisfied that the targets represent a demanding challenge for the Agency. The targets will be included in the Agency's 1999–2002 Strategic and Business plan, which is due for publication this month. A copy of the plan will be placed in the Library. The targets are as follows:

1. Benefit Accuracy

Disability Living Allowance

to pay the correct amount in at least 87 per cent. of cases.

Incapacity Benefit to pay the correct amount in at least 94 per cent. of cases.

Income Support to pay the correct amount in at least 88 per cent. of cases.

Jobseeker's Allowance to pay the correct amount in at least 90 per cent. of cases.

2. Customer Satisfaction1 90 per cent. of customers to regard the Agency's service as satisfactorys or better.

3. Financial Recovery recovery of overpayments-£3.2 million. benefit savings from detection and prevention of fraud-£22.0 million.

4. Resource Management to achieve cash efficiency savings of the order of £1.1 million. 1 The customer satisfaction target is presently measured by independent survey and usually covers a two year period, in this case 1999–2000 and 2000–01. As such it will be measured again early in the year 2001.