P136 CEEFAX 136 Thu 24 Mar 13:57/22
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/.%/.%/, j5pjuz5p POLITICS
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5 BENEFITS AGENCY "AT BREAKING POINT" j
5 The Benefits Agency system for j
5 handling claims from the disabled j
5 was brought near "breaking point," j
5 thj Ombudsman has warned. j
5 j
5 Heavy workloads, inexperienced j
5 staff and lower productivity than j
5 expected had led to the crisis, the j
5 Parliamentary Commissioner for j
5 Administration William Reid said. j
5 j
5 Mr Reid said there were backlogs of j
5 unprocessed claims and "heart- j
5 rending delays in paying benefits". j
5 j
5 But since 1992 the situation had j
5 significantly improved, he added. j
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