§ Mr. Humeasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many appeals have been heard by each of the social security appeal tribunals in Northern Ireland and their predecessors over the past five and a half years; how many of these were upheld; and if there are figures to 142W indicate how many such appeals and decisions related to eligibility for benefits, single payments, additional requirements, urgent needs payments, overpayments, conditions for payment of benefit, amount of benefit awarded, capability of employment or availability for employment.
§ Mr. Chris PattenThe available information is as follows:
Supplementary Benefit Appeals Tribunal Numbers heard—year ended 31 March: 1980 1981 1982 1983 *1984 Armagh 84 61 35 39 71 Ballymena 241 184 157 171 212 Ballymoney 99 84 65 60 45 Banbridge 24 26 10 21 32 Belfast 874 1,032 511 669 756 Coleraine 92 71 55 76 128 Cookstown 193 110 64 74 56 Downpatrick 57 35 14 42 57 Dungannon 140 145 78 84 128 Enniskillen 164 143 79 6C 43 Limavadie 58 46 15 24 16 Lisburn 76 70 44 49 26 Londonderry 302 487 226 461 591 Lurgan 74 114 33 48 38 Magherafelt 106 92 53 60 43 Newcastle 48 45 28 46 48 Newry 169 205 159 126 192 Newtownards 62 57 59 75 113 Omagh 77 121 95 127 125 Portadown 62 60 29 24 42 Strabane 173 109 80 73 179 TOTAL 3,175 3,297 1,889 2,409 2,941 Numbers upheld 2,183 2,160 1,334 1,581 1,886 * The latest year for which figures are held.
Category 1980 1981 1982 1983 *1984 Eligibility † † 107 159 112 Single payments 1,768 2,003 965 1,454 2,081 Additional requirements 40 15 19 26 44 Urgent needs payments † † 15 6 10 Overpayments 90 66 70 103 105 Amount of benefit † † 331 305 236 Condition of registration 42 27 37 39 22 Others 1,235 1,186 345 317 331 TOTAL 3,175 3,297 1,889 2,409 2,941 * The latest year for which figures are held. † Not available.