Benefits

Annabelle Ewing
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for which benefits the threshold payment of compensation for delays in processing the benefit is less than eight months' delay. [97909]

Malcolm Wicks
The information is as follows. BenefitAttendance AllowanceAttendance Allowance (Special Rules)Attendance Allowance (Renewals)Bereavement BenefitChild BenefitDisability Living AllowanceDisability Living Allowance (Special Rules)Incapacity BenefitIncome SupportInvalidity BenefitJobseeker's Allowance (Contributory)Jobseeker's Allowance (Income Based)Maternity AllowanceSickness BenefitSocial Fund Community Care Grants + Budgeting loansSocial Fund (Funeral)Social Fund (Maternity)Unemployment BenefitWidows BenefitWidows Payment

Annabelle Ewing
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in how many cases, in each year since 1997, compensation for delay in processing benefit in respect of retirement pension has been paid; what percentage such costs represent of total applications for retirement pension in each year; and what average level of compensation has been paid in each case. [97910]

Mr. McCartney
The information is in the table.-----------
|Year     |
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|1997–98  |
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|1998–99  |
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|1999–2000|
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|2000–01  |
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|2001–02  |
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1. Figures for retirement pension claims have been rounded to the nearest thousand.2. The final totals for 2002–03 are not, as yet, available.