Dr. ThomasTo ask the Attorney-General during 1987 how many visiting social security commissioners sat in Wales; at what centres they sat; and in each case, what facilities were available at these centres for handicapped claimants and those suffering from industrial injuries.
§ The Attorney-GeneralIn 1987 10 commissioners sat on a total of 10 occasions in Cardiff to deal with 49 oral hearings of appeals. On nine of those occasions oral hearings were held in the Crown court, where all public facilities are concentrated on the ground floor; these include a waiting area, cafeteria and a toilet for the use of disabled persons. On the remaining occasion, hearings took place in Cardiff county court, where there are no facilities specifically for disabled persons.
Dr. ThomasTo ask the Attorney-General how many(a) full-time and (b) part-time social security commissioners there are in (i) London, (ii) Edinburgh, (iii) Cardiff and (iv) Northern Ireland; and whether there are plans to increase the numbers of part-time or full-time commissioners in any of these centres.
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Attorney-GeneralThe information is given in the table:
Location Full-Time Commissioners Part-Time Commissioners London 13 1 Edinburgh 2 — Cardiff — — Northern Ireland 2 — A commissioner travels to Cardiff to deal with individual cases as required.
In view of the work load in Scotland, the Lord Chancellor has authorised the appointment of an additional full-time commissioner in Scotland who will be based in Edinburgh. He has no plans to make further appointments at the present time.