§ Mr. Barry FieldTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the average length of time for the determination of an application for war disablement pension; and what is the reason for the delay after notifying the applicant that the injury has been accepted before a final decision is made.
§ Mrs. Gillian ShephardThe average length of time for the determination of a claim for a war disablement pension is about 36 weeks. The notification to a claimant that an injury has been accepted as attributable to or aggravated by service is normally in effect the final decision on the claim. If my hon. Friend has a particular case in mind I should be pleased to look into it.