HC Deb 09 April 2003 vol 403 c336W
Sir Archy Kirkwood

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which local authorities do not have electronic interfaces with(a) the Pension Service and (b) Jobcentre Plus. [106648]

Maria Eagle

Electronic access between local authorities and the Pension Service and Jobcentre Plus is available through remote access terminals. Remote access terminals provide a simple, inexpensive system that greatly speeds up the transfer of information between the Department and local authorities.

All authorities have access to remote access terminals, with the exception of the Council of the Isles of Scilly, where the housing benefit case load is so small (around 50 cases at August 2002) that it would not be financially viable to invest in the enhanced technology.