HL Deb 17 July 2001 vol 626 cc118-9WA
Lord Burlison

asked Her Majesty's Government:

When he will publish the first annual report of the president of appeal tribunals on the standards of decision-making in cases coming to appeal tribunals. [HL399]

Baroness Hollis of Heigham

I am pleased to publish today the first report by the president of appeal tribunals. Of those cases where the appeal tribunal overturned or amended the decision, the main reasons given were because they took a different view of the same evidence, the presence of the appellant at the hearing shed new light on the existing evidence or new evidence was produced at the hearing.

The president has highlighted some areas where he feels decision-making could improve; for example, placing greater weight on the claimant's oral or written evidence. These points will be carefully considered by the agency chief executives, who are now responsible for monitoring and reporting on the standards of decisions made by their staff. To assist them with this, both the Benefits Agency and the Child Support Agency have set up standards committees, on which the president is represented. I welcome the president's report, which provides an independent view of the standard of Secretary of State decision-making in cases coming to the appeal tribunal.

Copies of the report have been placed in the Library and will be available on the Internet.