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.