HC Deb 17 November 2003 vol 413 cc487-8W
Dr. Iddon

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much the abolition of benefit cuts for patients in the first 52 weeks of a hospital stay has cost his Department. [138622]

Malcolm Wicks

The estimated cost of increasing the period of time to 52 weeks before relevant benefits are reduced is £65 million per year.

Notes

1. Costs are based on 2001–02 administrative data and average amounts. Numbers are rounded to the nearest million and expressed in 2003–04 terms.

Project Name—2000–03 What stage the project has reached Key achievements to date
Child support reform (CSR) Implement Changes Since 3 March 2003, new child support claims have been calculated using the new rules and new IT.
Customer management system Implement changes This system currently being rolled out will allow information supplied by customers to be gathered electronically by staff, improving efficiency and customer service. Staff will be able to check information supplied against that already held and issue the customer with a statement reflecting the information supplied.
Debt management Implement changes October 2003: Nine out of ten debt centres now set-up.
Digital office infrastructure (DOI) previously known as early office infrastructure Implement changes DOI aims to implement a modern IT infrastructure platform across the Department allowing staff access to modern business software. By October 2003 over 128.000 PCs had been installed.
Modernising the employment service Realised benefits March 2001: Worktrain website launched.
February 2001: network of Jobpoint kiosks completed.
October 2001: Employer Direct service goes national.
Corporate intranet Implement changes June 2001: Corporate Intranet redesigned to support creation of DWP. December 2002 all DWP staff have access to intranet following completion of DOI and MES desktops roll-outs.
Jobcentre plus implementation Implement changes Rollout of integrated offices across the country, replacing the Social Security and Employment Offices (286 to date) currently in place. Jobcentre Plus offices allow customers to access employment opportunities and benefit information in a modern environment.
New tax credits Implement changes January 2003: IT Gateway between Inland Revenue and DWP went live. April 2003: Payment of new awards of child tax credit and working tax credit start.
October 2003: 30,000 minimum income guarantee child premium cases successfully completed.
Payment modernisation programme Implement changes From April 2003: Direct payment becomes the normal method of payment for new customers. Benefit systems aligned to accommodate direct payments.

2. Costs take into account all benefits covered by the change from six to 52 weeks.