§ Mr. Kenneth Clarkeasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what is the average time which elapses between an appeal being lodged against an award or refusal of war disability pension and the preparation of a statement of case being completed prior to the hearing of such an appeal;
(2) what is now the average time which elapses betwen an appeal being lodged against an award or refusal of war disability pension benefit and a hearing taking place before the pensions appeal tribunal; and what steps she is taking to reduce that time.
§ Mr. Robert C. BrownAn appellant receives a statement of case—which incorporates his medical history—on average 28 weeks after lodging an entitlement appeal and 18 weeks after lodging an assessment appeal. There is then a statutory period of four weeks in which the appellant may submit an answer. Thereafter the papers are sent to the Pensions Appeal Tribunals Office to arrange a nearing, which on average lakes place 50 weeks and 36 weeks respectively after the appeal was first lodged with the Department. My right hon. Friend is concerned that the time taken in the preparation of
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Staff Group London Teaching Hospitals Undergraduate Postgraduate MEDICAL Hospital medical and dental staff recruited through agencies as percentage of total at 31st August 1972 (in whole-time equivalent terms) 0.1 Negligible NURSING Agency nurses and midwives as percentage of total qualified nurses and midwives at 30th September 1973 (in whole-time equivalent terms) 19.8 18.1 SECRETARIAL Agency staff in administrative and clerical grades as percentage of total at 30th September 1973 (in whole-time equivalent terms) 9.0 8.0 RADIOGRAPHERS Agency radiographers as percentage of total radiographers (in whole-time equivalent terms) (Agency radiographers as at 30th April 1973, others as at 30th September 1973) 8.6 14.4 PHYSIOTHERAPISTS I am not aware that any agency physiotherapists have been employed in London teaching hospitals. statements should be as short as is consistent with providing the medical evidence which the Pensions Appeal Tribunals Rules require. To this end a briefer form of statement has recently been introduced for the more straightforward assessment appeals which together with a number of other improvements in procedures has already brought down the average preparation period from 26 weeks to 18 weeks.