§ Mr. ProsserTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to review the rules relating to the pensions and benefits of people who stay in hospital for more than six weeks. [21225]
§ Mr. McCartneyThe Department, in conjunction with the Department of Health, is looking at issues affecting hospital in-patients, including the rules governing the downrating of benefits.
§ Mr. ProsserTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what estimate he has made of the annual costs to his Department of reducing the pensions and benefits of people who have long stays in hospital caused by delayed transfer in those cases where the Department is late in being notified that the stay exceeded six weeks; [21226]
(2) what estimate he has made of the annual costs to his Department in making retrospective deductions from the incomes of people who have stayed in hospital for (a) more than six weeks and (b) more than 52 weeks in respect of (i) their pensions income and (ii) their benefits income. [21227]
513W
§ Mr. McCartneyThe Benefits Agency's administration costs are published in the Benefits Agency annual report and accounts 2000–01, copies of which are available in the House of Commons Library. The costs are not classified by individual tasks
§ Mr. ProsserTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proposals he has to(a) alleviate the administrative burden and (b) reduce the delays that pensioners leaving hospital following a stay of more than six weeks face when seeking to restore their pensions and benefits to former levels. [21228]
§ Mr. McCartneyThe benefit is restored to the appropriate level when the Benefits Agency receives notification of the pensioner's discharge from hospital. This is part of normal procedures and we have no evidence to suggest there is a widespread administrative burden.