§ Mr. Ben ChapmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many telephone lines to his Department used by the general public are responded to by interactive voice response systems; [127119]
(2) how many agencies of his Department use interactive voice response systems when dealing with telephone inquiries from the general public. [127122]
§ Angela EagleThere are three telephone lines used by the general public which are responded to by interactive voice response in the Department's Headquarters and one Agency (Benefits Agency).
These are the Child Benefit Centre, which is manned by operators until 5.30 pm and from 5.30–8.00 pm by interactive voice response, and the Customer Care Helpline, which gives the client two interactive voice response options before/instead of being put through to an operator.
The third is run on our behalf by a commercial organisation and deals with inherited SERPS inquiries.