§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what are the latest available figures for the average waiting time to hear appeals by the supplementary benefit appeal tribunals in England; and what was the longest waiting time of any known appeal during 1983;
(2) what was the average waiting time for appeals to be heard by the supplementary benefits appeal tribunal in Wales, during the first six months of 1984; and how this compares with the corresponding waiting time during 1983.
§ Mr. NewtonDue to the effects of current industrial action within the Department recent information about the waiting time for appeals to be heard by supplementary benefit appeal tribunals is not at present available. For the same reason information regarding the longest waiting time for an individual appeal is not available.
1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 Industrial Death Benefit Awards 75 55 75 84 60 74 78 65 70 76 Industrial Disablement Benefit Awards 119 142 169 145 132 135 150 153 185 212 Claims where asbestosis not diagnosed 166 207 296 357 357 322 283 277 353 393 Total seen by Pneumoconiosis Medical Boards 360 304 540 586 549 531 511 495 608 681