§ Mr. BrowneTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many doctors who are panel members for the Independent Tribunal Service are also employed by SEMA to report on the condition of applicants for incapacity or disability benefit. [113647]
§ Mr. BayleyThe Contractual Terms of employment for Sema Group Medical Services state that any employee must not, at any time during their employment with Sema Group, enter into any contract of employment with an outside employer which might lead to a conflict of interest.
In view of the conflict of interest, which would arise if a doctor employed by Sema Group Medical Services were to be employed by the Tribunal Service, no doctors would be given permission to work for the tribunal service.
We do know that some doctors employed by Nestor Disability Analysis (NDA) to work on a sessional/EMP basis for Medical Services sit on Appeals Services panels. Neither we, nor Sema Medical Services, have any details of numbers. It is however for the Appeals Service and the Lord Chancellor to ensure that panellists they appoint are sufficiently independent and impartial under paragraph 6 of the Social Security Act 1998.