§ Dr. Godmanasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will list in the Official Report the number of appeals heard by Social Security Appeals Tribunals in Scotland in the years 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985 and 1986; and what the average length of time was for an appeal to be heard in each of these years;
(2) what is the average length of time now being taken to hear an appeal against an adjudication officer's decision in (a) Scotland, (b) Strathclyde and (c) Greenock and Port Glasgow.
§ Mr. LyellNational administrative statistics for social security appeals are not disaggregated for areas smaller than a social security region. Information on the total number of social security appeals heard and the average length of time between lodgement and hearing in Scotland is available from April 1984.
Appeals heard and decided Average time between lodgement and hearing (weeks) April to December 1984 18,945 11.7 April to December 1985 19,003 12.3 January to March 1986 5,033 14.1