§ Mr. HumeTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many mobility allowance appeals were heard by medical appeal tribunals at each venue in Northern Ireland in the past three years.
§ Mr. Needham[holding answer 9 February 1988]: The information is as follows:
Year Belfast Londonderry 1985 226 58 1986 262 62 1987 295 43
§ Mr. HumeTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the waiting times for appeals regarding mobility allowance, indicating any local differences in those waiting times.
§ Mr. Needham[holding answer 9 February 1988]: Medical questions arising on mobility allowance appeals are decided in the first instance by medical boards and thereafter, if necessary, by medical appeal tribunals. Boards are held in Belfast and Londonderry although most appellants are examined at home. It takes just under five weeks on average from the time an appeal is received until the board makes its decision. There are no local differences. Non-medical questions are decided, on appeal, by social security appeal tribunals. The administration of both medical and social security appeal tribunals is the responsibility of the president of social security and medical appeal tribunals, Mr. C. G. MacLynn, LL.B and the hon. Gentleman should write to him as regards waiting times for appeals to those tribunals.
§ Mr. HumeTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the length of time taken to process claims for mobility allowance.
§ Mr. Needham[holding answer 9 February 1988]: Eight weeks.
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§ Mr. HumeTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many claims and appeals regarding mobility allowance are pending at present.
§ Mr. Needham[holding answer 9 February 1988]: At 1 January 1988 there were 1,529 claims and 342 appeals pending.
§ Mr. HumeTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people are in receipt of mobility allowance in Northern Ireland.
§ Mr. Needham[holding answer 9 February 1988]: Some 11,600 at 31 December 1987.
§ Mr. HumeTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many staff there are by grade in the mobility allowance branch of the Department of Health and Social Security in Northern Ireland.
§ Mr. Needham[holding answer 9 February 1988]: The information is as follows:
Grade Number of staff Deputy principal1 1 Staff officer1 1 Executive officer I 1 Executive officer II 1 Administrative officer 4 Administrative assistant 2 10 1 These grades have additional staff responsibilities.
§ Mr. HumeTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many renewed mobility allowance claims, from those who had been in receipt of the allowance, have been disallowed in each of the past three years, indicating how many were subsequently awarded on appeal.
§ Mr. Needham[holding answer 9 February 1988]: The information is as follows:
Year Renewed claims disallowed Subsequently award on appeal 1985 148 30 1986 224 48 1987 209 52 Appeal figures related to appeals decided in the relevant years and do not necessarily reflect claims disallowed in those years.