§ 48. Lieut.-Colonel Sir Thomas Mooreasked the Attorney-General the number of appeals submitted to the independent appeal tribunals during the year 1947; the number of appeals that have been heard; and the number allowed by the tribunals.
§ The Attorney-GeneralDuring 1947, 17,492 appeals in entitlement cases were 827 received from the Ministry of Pensions by the pensions appeal tribunals in the United Kingdom. In the same year, the tribunals finally disposed of 14,113 appeals, some of which would have been appeals submitted by the Ministry in the last few weeks of the previous year. Of these appeals 5,075 were allowed and 9,038 disallowed. In the course of the year, 9,058 appeals were adjourned, mainly for further evidence, and on the 31st December, 1947, 4,574 appeals in all remained adjourned, the rest having been relisted and disposed of amongst the 14,113 appeals to which I have already referred.
§ Sir T. MooreIn view of the fact that 5,075 appeals were allowed, can the Attorney-General explain why it was necessary to bring these cases to an independent appeal tribunal? Why could they not have been decided by the Ministry of Pensions appeal tribunals in the first instance?
§ The Attorney-GeneralIt often happens that further evidence is adduced which leads a different tribunal to take a different view.
§ Sir T. MooreIs not the Attorney-General aware that the evidence he refers to is produced by the Ministry of Pensions themselves and sent to the independent appeal tribunals?