§ Mrs. BeckettTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average time taken between the date of claim for severe disablement allowance and the date of the decision on that claim where(a) the claimant is not required to undergo the 80 per cent. disablement test and (b) the claimant is required to undergo the 80 per cent. disablement test.
§ Mrs. BeckettTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many claims for severe disablement allowance were made in each of the years 1984 to 1988.
§ Mr. ScottThe information is as follows, based on calendar years.
Claims 1984 19,398 1985 46,997 1986 38,508 1987 41,323 1988 221,835 1 Severe disablement allowance first became payable on 29 November 1984. 2 Up to 30 April, the latest date for which figures are available.
§ Mrs. BeckettTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what is the classification of refusals of severe disablement allowance to(a) men, (b) single women and (c) married women according to the following reasons: (i) over pension age, (ii) not incapable of work, (iii) failed the 80 per cent. disablement test, (iv) failed the residence and presence conditions and (v) other;
(2) what is the classification of awards of severe disablement allowance to date to (a) men, (b) single women and (c) married women according to whether they (i) were exempt from the 80 per cent. of disablement, (ii) were passported to the 80 per cent. test or (iii) passed the 80 per cent. test;
(3) how many (a) favourable and (b) unfavourable decisions on applications for severe disablement allowance have been made to date.
§ Mr. ScottI refer the hon. Member to my replies to her on 23 July 1987 at columns488–90. Since April 1987 statistics for severe disablement allowance have been collected on the same basis as those for sickness and invalidity benefit and updated information in the form requested is not available.
§ Mrs. BeckettTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many appeals there were, for each of the years 1984 to 1988, against refusals of severe disablement allowance because the claimant was judged not to satisfy the test of 80 per cent. disablement; and how many of these appeals resulted in the claimant being awarded severe disablement allowance.
§ Mr. ScottInformation is not readily available on the grounds of appeal or the satisfaction or otherwise of the 80 per cent. disablement test. The available information on severe disablement is provided in the table. National administrative statistics for social security appeal tribunals are not available in the equivalent form prior to the second quarter of 1984, while the latest available figures are for the third quarter of 1987.
545W
Social Security Appeal Tribunals (Great Britain) Severe Disablement Allowance Appeals Period Number of appeals lodged Number of appeals heard Number decided in claimants favour April—December 1984 118 1 — Year ending December 1985 1204 87 14 Year ending December 1986 1227 138 53
Period Number of appeals lodged Number of appeals heard Number decided in claimants favour Quarter ending March 1987 151 27 12 Quarter ending June 1987 60 32 9 Quarter ending September 1987 54 30 11 1 Estimated.