Oral Answers to Questions

Andrew Griffiths Excerpts

Monday 1st September 2014 Commons Chamber

The Secretary of State was asked—

[Andrew Griffiths (Burton) (Con)]

1. What assessment he has made of the level of charges levied by doctors for completing benefit assessment information.

[The Minister of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Mr Mark Harper)]

The Department is able to request medical information from doctors as part of the process of assessing an individual’s entitlement to benefit; for example, doctors have to complete the fit note and the ESA113 forms and they have also to complete, where we pay them, forms related to the application for the personal independence payment.

[Andrew Griffiths]

I thank the Minister for that answer, but East Staffordshire citizens advice bureau has raised with me concerns that GPs are charging vulnerable constituents of mine up to £135 to provide information requested as part of the work capability assessment. Although his Department is not responsible for those charges, does he share my concern that vulnerable people on benefits are being charged this amount of money and may actually not be able to access benefits to which they are entitled?

[Mr Harper]

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for raising that point. Certainly as far as the WCA for the employment and support allowance is concerned, GPs are contractually required to provide a fit note and to provide the ESA113 form, so perhaps if he and I speak afterwards I can get further details of the specific case he mentions, because it may raise some issues that need to be drawn to my attention.