Written Answers to Questions - Northern Ireland Assembly

Friday 20 July 2012 Written Answers
own words, the impact their condition has on their everyday lives and the support they need. A face-toface
consultation will be a key part of the assessment process but it is important to ensure it is carried
out in a sensitive and proportionate way and that individuals can, if appropriate, be helped through it by
a family member or a support worker.
Where it is considered that there is already enough written evidence from the claimant, their GP or
other people involved in supporting them from which an accurate assessment of the impact their
condition has on their everyday life can be made, it may not be appropriate to require them to attend
a consultation. Decisions on whether sufficient evidence has been gathered will be based on the
circumstances of each case and guidance will be provided to support such decisions.
Employment and Support Allowance Claimants
Mr McGlone asked the Minister for Social Development to detail the number of Employment and
Support Allowance claimants being treated for (i) cancer; (ii) mental health issues; and (iii) phobias,
whose benefits have been stopped following an examination by a nurse.
(AQW 13407/11-15)
Mr McCausland: The Department does not hold information on whether a customer is being treated
at the time of their medical examination. Information is also not held on the medical conditions of
disallowed customers.
Customer First in the Western District
Ms Boyle asked the Minister for Social Development, in light of the announcement on the roll out
of Customer First in the Western District, whether any discussions have taken place between his
Department and the Department for Employment and Learning on the provision of a ‘One Stop Shop’ in
premises at a central location in Strabane which had been envisaged previously as part of the Benefits
and Jobs Project which has not yet been fully implemented.
(AQW 13477/11-15)
Mr McCausland: The Jobs and Benefits service has been introduced into 27 offices across Northern
Ireland, however at this juncture it is not possible to introduce it into the remaining 8 offices as no
capital funding has been made available to the Department to complete the roll-out. While it is not
possible to continue with the roll-out of new or substantially refurbished offices as originally envisaged,
both my colleague, the Minister for Employment and Learning and I remain committed to maintaining
and improving services to customers and will seek to take advantage of future opportunities to
complete the introduction of the Jobs & Benefits service on an office by office basis. There is, however,
no timeline for this work and progress will be subject to the identification of funding.
Houses in Multiple Occupancy Registration in the Foyle Constituency
Mr Durkan asked the Minister for Social Development for an update on houses in multiple occupancy
registration in the Foyle constituency.
(AQW 13505/11-15)
Mr McCausland: 464 Houses in Multiple Occupation have been registered in the Foyle constituency
between 1 April 2004 to 4 July 2012.
Child Maintenance Payments
Mr Durkan asked the Minister for Social Development whether he intends to impose an increase of the
minimum Child Maintenance Payments.
(AQW 13506/11-15)
Mr McCausland: I am committed to encouraging and supporting parents to make their own family-based
arrangements whenever possible and to also providing a much better and efficient statutory service.
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