§ Mr. CatonTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of requests for ill health early retirement under the Teachers' Pensions Regulations were agreed on application in each of the last three years; and what percentage of appeals against refusal were successful over the same period. [14724]
§ Mr. TimmsApplications for ill health benefits are considered on the medical evidence provided in support of the application. There is no time limit on appeals and they are often therefore associated with the submission 867W of further medical evidence. The percentages of all recommendations leading to acceptance in the last three years are:
Percentage April 1998-March 1999 79 April 1999-March 2000 78 April 2000-March 2001 75 Separate figures for appeals are only available from 2000–01. Of the 47 per cent. of teachers who appealed against the rejection of their application, 65 per cent. were ultimately awarded ill-health retirement benefits.