HC Deb 26 March 2003 vol 402 cc290-1W
Mr. Heald

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many appeals relating to bereavement(a) allowance and (b) payments have been made in each month since the allowance was introduced; how many such appeals were in respect of claims made outside the time limit; and how many such appeals were successful. [88469]

Malcolm Wicks

The available information is in the table. Information in the format requested could be obtained only by a clerical examination of all cases which would incur disproportionate cost.

Appeals found in favour of the appellant at hearing for

bereavement and widows benefits1

Received by

the Appeals

Service

Cleared at

hearing2

Found in

favour

April 2001 55 50 10
May 2001 60 60 15
June 2001 70 50 5
July 2001 55 45 5
August 2001 75 40 5
September 2001 75 40 5
October 2001 85 65 5
November 2001 60 50 5
December 2001 45 35 0
January 2002 70 40 5
February 2002 70 55 10
March 2002 60 45 10
April 2002 70 45 5
May 2002 90 55 10
June 2002 65 25 5

Appeals found in favour of the appellant at hearing for bereavement and widows benefits1
Received by

the Appeals

Service

Cleared at

hearing2

Found in

favour

July 2002 90 65 10
August 2002 75 60 10
September 2002 65 45 5
October 2002 90 45 10
November 2002 115 55 10

Notes:

1. All figures are subject to change as more up to date data becomes available.

2. Some appeals will be cleared without a hearing by an appeal tribunal.

3. Figures are rounded to the nearest five.

4. Figures are for all "bereavement/widow's benefits" and cannot be split into various components. Therefore figures will include Widow's Benefit appeals.

Source:

100 per cent. download of the Generic Appeals Processing System.

Mr. Heald

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) pursuant to his answer of 13 January 2003,Official Report, column 365W, what the total (a) annual and (b) monthly expenditure by his Department and its predecessor on (i) bereavement allowance, (ii) bereavement payments and (iii) widowed parent's allowance has been since the introduction of bereavement benefit in April 2002; and if he will make a statement; [91612]

(2) pursuant to his answer of 13 January 2003, Official Report, columns 364–5W, what the total (a) annual and (b) monthly expenditure by his Department and its predecessor on (i) bereavement allowance, (ii) bereavement payments and (iii) widowed parent's allowance has been since the introduction of bereavement benefit in April 2001; and if he will make a statement. [92643]

Malcolm Wicks

The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is published in the Department Report, a copy of which is available in the Library.