§ 34. Mr. Weitzmanasked the Minister of Pensions whether he is aware that, in appeals to the Pensions Tribunal, periods of 16 months have elapsed from the date the notice of appeal is entered until the hearing; and whether he will take steps to see that hearings are expedited and that there is no injustice by reason of delay of this kind.
§ The Minister of Pensions (Mr. Marquand)I would refer the hon. Member to the full information about this matter which I gave to the House on the Second and Third Reading of the Pensions Appeal Tribunals Bill and to similar information which was given by my noble Friend the Lord Chancellor in Debates on the Bill in another place. I am happy to assure my hon. Friend that an appellant does not suffer financially by reason of this delay in the event of his appeal succeeding.
§ Mr. WeitzmanDoes my right hon. Friend appreciate that, although the appellant may not suffer financially in the end, he suffers from a serious injustice in having to wait as long as 16 months before he can get his case heard by the tribunal?
§ Mr. MarquandHe does not always suffer an injustice if the delay is caused by a search to find information which may help him, and, in many cases, that is just what it does. The number of new cases coming forward now is a great deal less than the number of cases being dealt with currently by the tribunals, so that the arrears are being overtaken.