§ Norman LambTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to his letter to the hon. Member for North Norfolk of 23 April 2003, which local authorities in Norfolk have been successful in applying for additional resources from the Performance Standards Fund in respect of handling housing benefit applications; which authorities have worked with the Housing Benefit Help Team; and which authorities are being closely monitored. [112802]
§ Malcolm WicksWe have taken a number of steps to improve Housing Benefit administration. We have made an additional £200 million available through a Performance Standards Fund to help local authorities get over some of the barriers to improved performance. We have also set up a Housing Benefit Help Team, which works with local authorities to secure improvements, and we have introduced a system of monitoring and publishing local authority performance on a quarterly basis. Where the performance of an authority causes concern, the chief executive is being asked to provide details of how they intend to improve their benefits service and their performance is being monitored closely.
There are seven local authorities in Norfolk. Of these, Broadland, Great Yarmouth, Kings Lynn and West Norfolk, North Norfolk and Norwich have so far been successful in applying for additional resources from the Performance Standards Fund; Breckland and Norwich have worked with the Housing Benefit Help Team; and we are also closely monitoring the performance of Breckland, Great Yarmouth and North Norfolk.