§ Mr. CummingsTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will list the average length of time taken to hear appeals from people whose incapacity606W benefit has been withdrawn under the all-work-test in the Seaham and Peterlee areas; and how many appeals remain outstanding. [37865]
§ Mr. Keith BradleyThe operation of the appeals system is a matter for the Independent Tribunal Service (ITS) who report that the statistics it maintains do not differentiate between those appeals which concern the All Work Test and those which concern other aspects of entitlement to Incapacity Benefit.
Incapacity Benefit appeals for people living in the Seaham area are heard at ITS's Sunderland tribunal venue, whilst those for people living in the Peterlee area are heard at Durham. The latest available figures show that the average length of time between lodgement and hearing of an Incapacity Benefit appeal in Sunderland is 20 weeks and in Durham is 23 weeks. For the North East Region of ITS as a whole, the average time is 20 weeks. Figures for the number of Incapacity Benefit appeals awaiting determination are not available for the individual tribunal venues, but for the North East Region as a whole the current total is 4,306.