To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many appeals have been made to (a) medical appeals tribunals and (b) social security tribunals in each standard planning region in each of the last 10 years; how long on average it has taken to deal with these appeals each year; and what has been the shortest and longest time any appellant has had to wait for a decision in each year.
I regret the Department does not hold the information requested for medical appeals tribunals. However, the office of the president of social security and medical appeal tribunals keeps certain statistics and the hon. Member may care to contact him direct.Information is also not available in the form requested for social security tribunals prior to 1984. The tables give the required information from 1984 to the quarter ending 30 September 1989 (the latest figures available). Statistics are not kept on the shortest and longest time any appellant has had to wait for a decision.
| Social Security appeal tribunal: Statistics all benefits | ||
| Period | New lodgements | Average weekly clearance time of appeals heard |
| Great Britain | ||
| 9 months to 31 December 1984 | 190,290 | 13·5 |
| Year to 31 December 1985 | 290,488 | 14·8 |
| Year to 31 December 1986 | 352,535 | 16·0 |
| Year to 31 December 1987 | 323,160 | 21·7 |
| Year to 31 December 1988 | 261,798 | 24·7 |
| 3 months to 31 March 1989 | 43,573 | 27·8 |
| 3 months to 30 June 1989 | 41,221 | 25·0 |
| 3 months to 30 September 1989 | 38,483 | 23·7 |
| Scotland | ||
| 9 months to 31 December 1984 | 27,203 | 11·7 |
| Year to 31 December 1985 | 45,532 | 12·3 |
| Year to 31 December 1986 | 63,056 | 14·0 |
| Year to 31 December 1987 | 60,960 | 23·3 |
| Year to 31 December 1988 | 52,664 | 24·9 |
| 3 months to 31 March 1989 | 6,631 | 32·7 |
| 3 months to 30 June 1989 | 5,444 | 28·9 |
| 3 months to 30 September 1989 | 4,442 | 23·8 |
| Wales | ||
| 9 months to 31 December 1984 | 9,808 | 13·2 |
| Year to 31 December 1985 | 14,998 | 15·6 |
| Year to 31 December 1986 | 20,287 | 15·5 |
| Year to 31 December 1987 | 18,567 | 18·6 |
| Year to 31 December 1988 | 16,198 | 19·7 |
| 3 months to 31 March 1989 | 2,875 | 19·7 |
| 3 months to 30 June 1989 | 2,872 | 16·8 |
| 3 months to 30 September 1989 | 2,553 | 19·5 |
| North East | ||
| 9 months to 31 December 1984 | 29,209 | 10·4 |
| Year to 31 December 1985 | 45,553 | 12·6 |
| Year to 31 December 1986 | 55,589 | 14·7 |
| Year to 31 December 1987 | 58,349 | 21·4 |
| Year to 31 December 1988 | 48,364 | 26·1 |
| 3 months to 31 March 1989 | 7,166 | 26·2 |
| 3 months to 30 June 1989 | 6,420 | 21·1 |
| 3 months to 30 September 1989 | 5,991 | 19·9 |
| London North | ||
| 9 months to 31 December 1984 | 26,250 | 14·5 |
| Year to 31 December 1985 | 39,861 | 16·0 |
| Year to 31 December 1986 | 44,059 | 17·8 |
| Year to 31 December 1987 | 34,659 | 20·6 |
| Year to 31 December 1988 | 26,550 | 21·3 |
| 3 months to 31 March 1989 | 5,542 | 26·0 |
| 3 months to 30 June 1989 | 5,221 | 22·7 |
| 3 months to 30 September 1989 | 4,750 | 23·1 |
| London South | ||
| 9 months to 31 December 1984 | 22,540 | 14·4 |
| Year to 31 December 1985 | 34,893 | 17·2 |
| Year to 31 December 1986 | 39,636 | 20·0 |
| Year to 31 December 1987 | 30,663 | 21·8 |
| Year to 31 December 1988 | 23,310 | 23·4 |
| 3 months to 31 March 1989 | 4,614 | 26·7 |
| 3 months to 30 June 1989 | 5,358 | 27·4 |
| 3 months to 30 September 1989 | 6,736 | 28·6 |
| South Western | ||
| 9 months to 31 December 1984 | 12,514 | 12·7 |
| Year to 31 December 1985 | 19,710 | 14·7 |
| Year to 31 December 1986 | 23,464 | 15·7 |
| Year to 31 December 1987 | 18,334 | 18·1 |
| Year to 31 December 1988 | 13,891 | 19·2 |
| 3 months to 31 March 1989 | 2,801 | 20·2 |
| 3 months to 30 June 1989 | 2,415 | 18·6 |
| 3 months to 30 September | 2,305 | 19·5 |
| Midlands | ||
| 9 months to 31 December 1984 | 32,367 | 15·5 |
| Year to 31 December 1985 | 43,666 | 16·3 |
| Period | New lodgements | Average weekly clearance time of appeals heard |
| Year to 31 December 1986 | 55,142 | 16·2 |
| Year to 31 December 1987 | 48,961 | 23·6 |
| Year to 31 December 1988 | 38,004 | 26·3 |
| 3 months to 31 March 1989 | 6,662 | 26·9 |
| 3 months to 30 June 1989 | 6,546 | 23·3 |
| 3 months to 30 September 1989 | 5,555 | 24·6 |
| North West | ||
| 9 months to 31 December 1984 | 30,399 | 15·3 |
| Year to 31 December 1985 | 46,275 | 15·1 |
| Year to 31 December 1986 | 51,302 | 15·0 |
| Year to 31 December 1987 | 52,667 | 21·7 |
| Year to 31 December 1988 | 42,817 | 26·9 |
| 3 months to 31 March 1989 | 7,282 | 30·8 |
| 3 months to 30 June 1989 | 6,945 | 30·3 |
| 3 months to 30 September 1989 | 6,151 | 26·7 |
| Period | New lodgements | Average weekly clearance time of appeals heard |
| Wales and South West | ||
| 9 months to 31 December 1984 | 22,322 | 12·9 |
| Year to 31 December 1985 | 34,708 | 15·1 |
| Year to 31 December 1986 | 43,751 | 15·6 |
| Year to 31 December 1987 | 36,901 | 18·3 |
| Year to 31 December 1988 | 30,089 | 19·5 |
| 3 months to 31 March 1989 | 5,676 | 20·0 |
| 3 months to 30 June 1989 | 5,287 | 17·6 |
| 3 months to 30 September 1989 | 4,858 | 19·5 |
Note:
New lodgements—up to 31 December 1986 the figures reflect "all appeals" which includes appeals outstanding from the previous quarter.
From 1 January 1987 the figures are for new lodgements only.