§ Mr. Fittasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people have appeared before local tribunals in Northern Ireland in relation to their claims for unemployment benefit; and in how many cases their claim has been upheld and in how many refused.
§ Mr. CarterStatistics are available on the total number of unemployment benefit appeals heard and determined by local tribunals in Northern Ireland and the number allowed and the number disallowed. These figures for the past five years are given below
Year Allowed Disallowed Total 1974 173 493 666 1975 145 527 672 1976 88 359 447 1977 333 923 1,256 1978 139 932 1,071 878 3,234 4,112 In some cases appellants did not in fact appear at the tribunal either because cases were dealt with in their absence or because they had nominated a representative to act on their behalf. It would be disproportionately costly to extract the number of cases where an appellant was in fact present.
§ Mr. Fittasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people 669W in Northern Ireland have been refused unemployment benefit on the grounds that they had refused suitable employment.
§ Mr. CarterIn the year ended 31 December 1978, 633 persons were disqualified from receiving unemployment benefit because they refused to accept suitable employment. The number of claimants currently disqualified could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.