§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the cost-effectiveness of the Pensions Appeal Tribunals (Posthumous Appeals) Amendment Order 2001; and if he will make a statement. [51393]
§ Dr. MooniePosthumous appeals allow the representative of a deceased ex-serviceman or woman to continue an appeal against a decision to reject their claim to a war disablement pension lodged before their death or to appeal against a decision to reject such a claim which is received after their death.
The Pensions Appeal Tribunals (Posthumous Appeals) Amendment Order 2001 was a consequence of extending time limits on war pension appeals from 9 April 2001. The 2001 amendment to the Pensions Appeal Tribunals (Posthumous Appeals) Order 1980 ensures, for parity, that similar time limits are applied to posthumous appeals.
Cost effectiveness was not a consideration.