HC Deb 19 January 1983 vol 35 cc131-2W
Mr. Alfred Morris

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many applications there were for mobility allowance in the last year for which figures are available and in each of the preceding two years nationally and in each social security region; and in each case what proportion (a) was awarded by the insurance officer, (b) was awarded by a medical board on reference from an insurance officer, (c) was awarded by a medical board on appeal against the decision of an insurance officer and (d) was awarded by a medical appeal tribunal on appeal by the claimant against the decision of a medical board; what was the proportion of cases where the medical board awarded the allowance in which the insurance officer referred the case to a medical appeal tribunal on his instructions; and in what proportion of these cases the medical appeal tribunal confirmed the award;

(2) how many applications there were for renewal of mobility allowance in the last year for which figures are available and in each of the preceding two years nationally and in each social security region; in each case what proportion (a) was awarded by the insurance officer, (b) was awarded by a medical board on reference from an insurance officer, (c) was awarded by a medical board on appeal against the decision of an insurance officer and (d) was awarded by a medical appeal tribunal on appeal by the claimant against the decision of a medical board; what was the proportion of cases where the medical board awarded the allowance in which the insurance officer referred the case to a medical appeal tribunal on his instructions; and in what proportion of these cases the medical appeal tribunal confirmed the award.

Mr. Rossi

[pursuant to his reply, 22 December 1982, c. 587]: I regret that information is not available in the

(b) The number and result of review of awards requested by claimants during 1981 is as follows:

detail requested. The available information is as follows. It relates to decisions given in the relevant years, not to the results of claims made in those years.

Mobility Allowance 1980–82
1982 1981 1980
Number of decisions:
Initial claims 88,100 60,800 85,700
Renewal claims 21,200 * *
Proportion: Per cent. Per cent. Per cent.
(a) awarded by insurance officer or (b) awarded by medical board on reference from insurance officer 65.8 * *
(c) awarded by medical board on appeal by claimant from insurance officer's decision 3.3 * *
{d) awarded by medical appeal tribunal on appeal by claimant from medical board's decision 0.6 * *
Proportion of medical board decisions to award confirmed by medical appeal tribunal following reference by insurance officer 38.0 44.0 33.0
Total number of decisions on such references shown in brackets (68) (78) (39)
* Not available.

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