§ Mr. MaddenTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people suspended from receipt of unemployment benefit in the Bradford travel-to-work area in the last year to date have appealed against suspension; how many such appeals have been heard; how many appeals have been upheld; how many refused; in how many decisions are outstanding; and what is the average waiting time for an appeal hearing.
§ Mr. LeeInformation is not available in the precise form requested, as there is no right of appeal against suspension of benefit. However, in the Bradford travel-to-work area, of those persons disallowed unemployment benefit between 1 July 1987 and 30 June 1988, 1,201 lodged an appeal. Examination of the available records indicates that 651 appeals have been heard in the same period and 195 appeals are outstanding.
Information on the average waiting time for an appeal hearing in the Bradford travel-to-work area is included with that for north-east region. At December 1987 (the latest date for which figures are available) the average time between the date on which an appeal against an unemployment benefit decision was lodged and the date on which it was heard was 23.5 weeks.
Information is not readily available on the number of appeals which were allowed or disallowed in the period and this could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. MaddenTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many people have been suspended from unemployment benefit in the Bradford travel-to-work area since 1 January; how many were suspended during the same period of 1987; how many in each period were suspended for the maximum period; and what proportion of the total of those receiving unemployment benefit were represented by those suspended for the maximum period;
(2) how many people have been suspended from unemployment benefit in the United Kingdom since 1 January; how many people were suspended during the same period of 1987; how many in each period were suspended for the maximum period; and what proportion of the total of those receiving unemployment benefit were represented by those suspended for the maximum period.
§ Mr. LeeNo figures are held on the number of people who have been suspended from receiving unemployment benefit. However, the following table shows the number of 483W persons whose benefit was disallowed in the Bradford travel-to-work area and the United Kingdom between 1 January and 30 June 1987 and 1988:
Number of disallowances of benefit in the Bradford travel-to-work area and the United Kingdom Period Bradford travel-to-work area United Kingdom 1 January 1987 to 30 June 1987 24,177 518,843 1 January 1988 to 30 June 1988 22,269 n/a n/a Figures not yet available.