§ Mr. Maddenasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people claiming industrial disability benefit before pneumoconiosis medical boards, have had their claims rejected in each year since 1969.
§ Mr. OrmeThe figures are set out below:
Year Rejections 1969 … … … … 2,591 1970 … … … … 2,224 1971 … … … … 2,086 1972 … … … … 1,916 1973 … … … … 1,922 1974 … … … … 2,234 1975 … … … … 3,793 1976 … … … … 2,821
§ Mr. Maddenasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people, whose claims for industrial disability benefit have been rejected by pneumoconiosis medical boards, have appealed against such decisions to a medical arbitration tribunal since regulations providing for such appeals were introduced in January 1977.
§ Mr. OrmeTwenty appeals have been received from people satisfying the prescribed conditions for an appeal. In addition, there have been 14 cases where the person does not satisfy the conditions for an appeal but my right hon. Friend is referring the diagnosis question to a medical appeal tribunal.