In Article 76 of the Social Security (Northern Ireland) Order 1998 (reports by Department) for paragraph (1) substitute—

“(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.”