§ Mr. McGradyTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many cases are waiting to be listed for social security appeals tribunals; how long these cases have waited; how many of these cases are for692W (a) disability living allowance and (b) incapacity benefit; what centres these hearings will be listed for; and if he will make a statement. [82762]
§ Mr. BrowneThe total number of social security cases waiting to be listed for hearing by an appeal tribunal was 5,368 at I October 2002. This included 3,111 appeals relating to disability living allowance and 1,644 relating to incapacity benefit. The current average waiting time to list an appeal for a first hearing is 19 weeks for disability appeals, nine weeks for social security appeals and 13 weeks for medical appeals. The number of cases to be held in each centre is set out in the following table.
The hearings for the cases waiting to be listed are likely to be held at the following locations:
Tribunal centre Number of cases to be heard Armagh 60 Banbridge 37 Belfast 1,765 Ballymena 191 Ballymoney 30 Cookstown 55 Craigavon 223 Coleraine 197 Dungannon 124 Downpatrick 125 Enniskillen 156 Londonderry 254 Limavady 51 Magherafelt 80 Newcastle 18 Newtownards 176 Newry 270 Omagh 122 Strabane 84