§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the number of individuals in the last year in (a) Merseyside and (b) Knowsley who have had applications for benefit turned down and the number of renewals of benefit refused at medical appeal tribunals; and what was the percentage in each case of total applicants.
§ Mr. NewtonI regret the information is not available in the form requested. The table gives details of the number of decisions made under the industrial injuries scheme by the medical appeal tribunal for the Merseyside region in 1983.
Cases come before the tribunal on appeal by the claimant or reference on behalf of the Secretary of State. The tribunal decides cases where no assessment of disablement has been made and cases where the amount of the assessment is being challenged. A Tribunal's decision which is unfavourable to the claimant does not necessarily mean that entitlement is extinguished.
Number Percentage of total number Number of appeals and references decided 879 — Decision Favourable to claimant 468 53 Unfavourable to claimant 53 6 Not changed 358 41 I regret that similar information is not available for mobility allowance cases which can also be referred to medical appeal tribunals.