§ Mr. Bob RussellTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he issues guidelines to Chairmen of Independent Tribunal Service hearings; what is the recommended time for them to provide appellants with written explanations for decisions; what is the average time currently taken; and if he will make a statement. [113733]
§ Angela EagleWe do not issue guidelines to Chairmen of the Appeals Service (formerly the Independent Tribunal Service) tribunals. The President of appeal tribunals, Judge Michael Harris, is responsible for the functions of appeal tribunals. We cannot intervene in the matters for which the President is responsible.
Judge Harris is working to develop standards for all areas of interlocutory work, including provision of written explanations for decisions and he will write to the hon. Member when these are in place.
The average time for an appellant to receive a written explanation for the decision of a tribunal is 5.3 weeks. The average time for the Chairman to provide the written reasons is 4.0 weeks. This is calculated from the date that the Chairman received the appellant's request to the date that the reasons were passed to the administrative clerk.
Source:
100 per cent. download from the Appeals Service Generic Appeals Processing System. The figures are based on requests for reasons received between 1 August 1998 and 31 July 1999.
§ Mr. WoolasTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the cost of the administration of the Benefits Agency Independent Tribunal Service in the last year for which figures are available. [113474]
§ Angela EagleThe Independent Tribunal Service was not part of the Benefits Agency.
The cost of the administration of the Independent Tribunal Service (now the Appeals Service) for the 1998–99 financial year was £55.890 million.