§ Mr. Jon Owen JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the grounds for the Benefits Agency to appeal against a decision of the social security appeal tribunal to the Social Security Commissioner; and how long, on average, this process takes from the date of the appeal tribunal's decision.
§ Mr. BurtAppeals against a decision of a social security appeal tribunal are made by adjudication officers based at the central adjudication services. An appeal can be made only on the basis of a point of law. It is not possible to provide the information on how long this process takes as figures do not distinguish between appeals by adjudication officers and others.
§ Mr. Jon Owen JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how long, on average, appeals to the social security appeal tribunal take to be heard from the dale they are lodged.
§ Mr. BurtThe average length of time from lodgement of appeal to the date of hearing before a social security appeal tribunal in the quarter ending December 1993 was 28.4 weeks.