§ Dr. StarkeyTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many applications for Incapacity Benefit from residents of(a) Aylesbury and (b) Luton were made, how many applicants were required to take a medical examination, and how many of those medical examinations were undertaken at (i) Luton, (ii) Aylesbury, (iii) Euston and (iv) other in each year since 1997. [823]
§ Malcolm WicksThe information is in the tables.
Incapacity Benefit claims received in the Aylesbury and Luton Benefits Agency office areas Aylesbury Luton January to December 1997 2,128 4,147 January to December 1998 1,734 3,697 January to December 1999 1,710 3,978 January to December 2000 1,561 3,723 January to May 2001 709 1,388 Note:
New claims data are from a 100 per cent. count. A new claim may not result in an award of benefit, for example where a claim is withdrawn.
272W
Number of Incapacity Benefit claimants who ere assessed at medical examination centres (MECs) Aylesbury Luton Euston Aylesbury October to December 1998 186 8 1 January to December 1999 710 27 8 January to December 2000 597 21 0 January to May 2001 307 14 1
Number of Incapacity Benefit claimants who ere assessed at medical examination centres (MECs) Aylesbury Luton Euston Luton October to December 1998 5 519 0 January to December 1999 27 2,002 1 January to December 2000 20 1,432 0 January to May 2001 8 683 0 Notes:
1. Initial entitlement to Incapacity Benefit requires the claimant to provide medical evidence of their incapacity (normally a general practitioner's certificate) Subsequently, incapacity is assessed under the Personal Capability Assessment but not all claimants are required to attend a medical examination.
2. Figures are from data supplied by Medical Services and include first and subsequent referrals. Information for individual MECs is not available prior to October 1998.
3. Figures relate to Incapacity Benefit claimants living in the area covered by Aylesbury and Luton Benefits Agency offices respectively.
4. Medical Services have no record of any customers in these areas being referred to other MECs.