To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his latest estimate is of the number of people who are entitled to, but not receiving (a) pension credit, (b) income support, (c) housing benefit, (d) council tax benefit and (e) other benefits; and if he will make a statement. (75826)

I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave to my right hon. Friend the Member for North Tyneside (Mr. Byers) on 3 March 2006, Official Report, column 1034W.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the planned end-date is for the Benefit Processing Replacement Programme (Watch 2); and what the planned (a) level and (b) timetable of relevant capital expenditure is. (72234)

The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. She will write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Mel Groves:

The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about the current planned end date for the Benefits Processing Replacement Programme (WATCh2); and what is the planned level and timetable of relevant capital expenditure. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Acting Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.

A Departmental Investment Committee recently approved funding for the completion of the WATCh2 Projects and for the Benefits Processing Replacement Programme (BPRP) to develop its overall scope and delivery timetable by June 2006, having regard to overall business priorities including the impact of the recently announced Employment and Support Allowance.

Furthermore an independent review has been commissioned by the Permanent Secretary to examine the Department's integrated programme. It is expected that recommendations from this review will influence the decision for further investment in BPRP. Until such work has been completed we are not in a position to confirm the overall BPRP delivery timeline, nor the planned level and timetable of relevant capital expenditure.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what progress is being made in improving processing times for disability benefit claims. (77622)

Processing times for disability living allowance (DLA) and attendance allowance (AA) claims have improved steadily over the last four years. For DLA, it has gone from 42 working days in 2002-03, to 34.5 working days in 2005-06. For AA claims, it has gone from 24.2 working days in 2002-03 to 17.9 working days in 2005-06.

The Disability and Carers Service has achieved this by identification, development and sharing of best practice, the continued exploitation of information technology, and the streamlining of business processes. This has secured continuous improvement in our service delivery to customers together with improved efficiency.

The average processing time for incapacity benefit claims for the year ending March 2006 was 16.3 days, against a benchmark of 19 days. From April 2006, incapacity benefit processing times have been incorporated into a new Jobcentre Plus target covering processing times for incapacity benefit, jobseeker's allowance and income support. Performance for incapacity benefit in April 2006 was 17.3 days against a target of 18 days.

Jobcentre Plus has a programme of work to improve the way that it processes all benefit claims. It is addressing variations in processing times in specific locations and taking action to clear backlogs.

For industrial injuries disablement benefit, the Department aims to clear 90 per cent. of claims within 175 days. For the year ending March 2006, 96.1 per cent. of claims were processed within 175 days. In April 2006, 97.6 per cent of claims were processed within 175 days.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of (a) the percentage of housing benefit claimants whose 2005-06 payment was higher than that for 2006-07 and (b) the savings accrued to his Department from the changes. (75359)

The information is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of incapacity benefit recipients in (a) Coventry, South and (b) the West Midlands region had a full medical examination in each of the last five years. (77623)

The information is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he expects to reply to the recommendations contained in the Work and Pensions Select Committee Report on Incapacity Benefits and Pathways to Work. (76122)

We intend to respond to Third Report of the Work and Pensions Select Committee session 2005-06 on Incapacity Benefits and Pathways to Work within two months of its publication in line with the Government’s commitment on responses to Select Committee reports.