§ Mr. Tony Lloydasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has any information on waiting times to an appeal hearing against refusal of single payments or other benefits in the Manchester area.
§ Mr. LyellNational administrative statistics for social security appeals are not disaggregated for areas smaller than a social security region and the figures given relate to the north-western region, which includes the Manchester area. The boundaries of the region are shown in appendix 4 of "Social Security Statistics 1985". The most recent statitics available are for appeals heard and decided in the three-month period ended 31 December 1985. Details of the average number of weeks between the lodgement of an appeal and the tribunal hearing, in the north-western region, for supplementary benefit single payment appeals and appeals for other benefits are given in the table.
North-western social security region: three months ended 31 December 1985 Type of benefit Average time between lodgement of appeal and tribunal hearing (weeks) All social security benefit appeals 14.3 Supplementary benefit: single payments 12.9 Supplementary benefit: other payments 14.7