§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what fees are payable to members of social security appeal tribunals and disability appeal tribunals; and what are the reasons for any differences.
§ Mr. ScottThe chairmen of social security appeal tribunals and disability appeal tribunals receive fees of £230 per day. Members of SSATs receive no fees. The fees paid to the medical member of a DAT are £176.80 per day, while the other member receives a fee of £106 per day. Members of DATs receive fees in recognition of the very special expertise required to consider disability appeals.
§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will provide a breakdown of people recruited to serve on disability appeal tribunals on the grounds of personal or professional experience of disability by(a) number and percentage of people with disabilities and (b) number and percentage of people without disabilities.
§ Mr. ScottResponsibility for the recruitment of people to serve as members of disability appeal tribunals lies with the president of the independent tribunal service, his honour Judge Holden, and the hon. Member may wish to contact his office direct to obtain this information.
§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to extend the provisions for disregarding tribunal fees in the benefit assessment of members in receipt of severe disablement allowance and invalidity benefit to people in receipt of income support, disability working allowance and invalid care allowance to ensure that people with disabilities and their carers in receipt of either of these benefits are able to serve on disability appeal tribunals without loss of benefit.
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§ Mr. ScottWe have no such plans. The fees paid to disability appeal tribunal members are set at a high enough level—about £106 per day—to cover reasonably any reduction in the rate of income support, disability working allowance or invalid care allowance.