§ Mr. Maudeasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will arrange for expedited appeal hearings for mineworkers who have taken voluntary redundancy under the redundant mineworkers payments scheme and who have been disqualified from receiving unemployment benefit.
§ Mr. NewtonWe are aware of the considerable number of appeals by redundant miners disqualified for receiving unemployment benefit, which are awaiting hearing by social security appeal tribunals. In most of these cases the hearing has been adjourned to await the decisions of a Tribunal of Social Security Commissioners to whom a number of similar cases have been referred. We have no power to intervene in these matters but I understand that arrangements have been made to expedite the hearing of these cases by the Commissioners and that this is now due to take place on 16–17 April 1985. The Commissioners' decisions will provide authoritative case law for the guidance of the social security appeal tribunals who will then be in a position to arrange re-hearings of their outstanding appeals as soon as practicable.
§ Mr. Maudeasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many mineworkers who took voluntary 249W redundancy under the redundant mineworkers payments scheme during the recent dispute have been disqualified from receiving unemployment benefit.
§ Mr. NewtonThe information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.