HL Deb 02 March 1998 vol 586 c129WA
Earl Russell

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What performance indicators, if any, will be used for members of the social security appeals tribunals. [HL652]

Baroness Hollis of Heigham

Tribunal members are judicial appointees and their performance is a matter for the President of the Independent Tribunal Service. The president monitors the performance of appeal tribunals to ensure maintenance of standards and this will continue.

However, the Government are determined to speed up the administration of the appeals service and measures contained in the Social Security Bill currently before Parliament are intended to address the lengthy delays in the system. The Secretary of State will assume personal responsibility for the administration of appeals and intends to create a new appeals agency. She will set and publish demanding targets for administration and report on the results.