HC Deb 10 March 1997 vol 292 cc90-1W
Mr. Flynn

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 18 February,Official Report, column 503, if the April 1997 reprint of leaflet NI 246 will make it clear that an appellant who has not opted for an oral hearing within 10 days, or such other period as the clerk or chairman may have decided, will not be entitled to an oral hearing unless the chairman is satisfied that an oral hearing is necessary to enable the tribunal to reach a decision. [19353)

Mr. Roger Evans

The leaflet will make it clear that it will be for the chairman to decide whether to hold an oral hearing in any case where the appellant did not originally opt for one.

Mr. Flynn

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answers of 23 January,Official Report, column 721, 30 January, Official Report, column 363 and 17 February, Official Report, column 423, if he will list the changes in his policy regarding the provision of information in reply to questions about appeals; and if he will ensure that information on appeals is published. [19033]

Mr. Evans

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 4 March,Official Report, column 561.

Mr. Flynn

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many members of disability appeal tribunals carried out medical examinations for the purpose of the all-work test in the most recent month for which information is available. [19280]

Mr. Evans

The information requested is obtainable only by matching the independent tribunal service's records of medical members of disability appeal tribunals against current information held by the Benefits Agency medical services.

The results of such an exercise indicate that, during November 1996, the latest month for which information is available, 66 medical members of disability appeal tribunals carried out medical examinations for the purpose of the all work test.

Mr. Flynn

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of the degree of compliance with the requirement of section 40(2) of the Social Security Administration Act 1992 relating to the composition of the tribunal where an appeal is dealt with by a social security appeal tribunal without an oral hearing. [19278]

Mr. Evans

The composition of the panel of members for social security appeal tribunals is a matter for the president of the independent tribunal service, his honour Judge Bassingthwaighte.