HC Deb 14 June 2000 vol 351 c654W
Mr. Chope

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many people who have reached pensionable age within the last two years have not yet been paid their full entitlement of additional pension; [125915]

(2) how many people are currently employed in carrying out manual calculations of the entitlements to additional pension of those who have already retired; [125917]

(3) how many manual calculations of entitlements to additional pension were carried out in each of the last three months. [125918]

Mr. Rooker

It is estimated that in the last two years the National Insurance Recording System (NIRS) computer will not have carried out a calculation of the additional pension in some 120,000 cases. The number of these who have not yet been paid their full entitlement to additional pension is not known, but because the facility for Benefit Agency offices to apply for a clerical calculation has been available, the number will be in the minority.

There is a team of 10.5 people in the Benefits Agency responsible for clerical calculations of additional pension.

The number of clerical calculations carried out in March was 5,789; in April it was 588; and in May it was 442. The significant reduction in April and May was planned. The processes that had prevented the NIRS2 computer calculating additional pension had become available and it was part of a strategy to accommodate the transition from clerical to computer calculations.