HC Deb 16 May 2000 vol 350 cc121-2W
Dr. David Clark

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when(a) Attendance Allowance and (b) Disability Living Allowance claim packs will be available in the South Shields constituency. [122398]

Mr. Bayley

The Supply Operations Group Print Contract Management Team has liaised with Newcastle Disability Benefit Centre (DBC) and established their requirement. As a result, Tactica Solutions are issuing 500 copies of each claim pack to the DBC today.

Dr. David Clark

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will launch an inquiry into the failure of the Group 4 contractor to supply Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance claim packs to disability benefits centres in the north-east of England. [122397]

Mr. Bayley

Based on the existing annual usage information, Tactica Solutions, one of the contractors who supply print items (ie: claim packs, forms and leaflets) to the Benefits Agency, printed adequate stocks of the Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance claim packs to meet demand into May 2000.

However, an increase in demand in March and April exhausted stock more quickly than anticipated. This was made worse by the fact that stocks were being run down in anticipation of revised versions of these claim packs becoming available. As it takes an average of six weeks to produce a claim pack, the sudden upsurge in demand created a gap in supply.

New usage figures have now been negotiated with the supplier to take account of the most up to date demand information. This will lead to an increase in stock held that should more accurately reflect customer requirements.

The current shortage has now been rectified and Tactica Solutions have the products in stock.