Reports by the DepartmentN.I.
76.—[F1(1) The Department shall prepare, either annually or at such times or intervals as may be prescribed, a report on—
(a)the standards achieved by the Department in the making of decisions against which an appeal lies to an appeal tribunal constituted under Chapter 1 of Part 2;
(b)the standards of advice and assistance provided under Article 138 of the Welfare Reform (Northern Ireland) Order 2015; and
(c)the operation of sanctions.
(1A) For the purposes of paragraph (1)(c) a sanction is—
(a)the reduction in the amount of an award of universal credit, a jobseeker's allowance, income support or an employment and support allowance on account of a failure by a person to comply with any requirement or any other conduct of a person;
(b)the loss of, or reduction in the amount of, any sanctionable benefit under the Social Security Fraud Act (Northern Ireland) 2001.
(1B) A report under paragraph (1)(c) must contain details of—
(a)the number of persons affected by sanctions;
(b)the periods for which such persons are affected;
(c)the reasons for which sanctions are imposed;
(d)the benefits or allowances which are reduced or lost.]
(2) A copy of every such report shall be laid before the Assembly.
F1Art. 76(1)-(1B) substituted for art. 76(1) (17.2.2016) by The Welfare Reform (Northern Ireland) Order 2015 (S.I. 2015/2006), arts. 2(2), 125; S.R. 2016/46, art. 3(4)(j)