To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many cases at Pensions Appeal Tribunal by wives claiming an increased state pension because their husband has reached 65 have (a) failed and (b) succeeded in each year since 1997; and in how many cases succeeding at Tribunal payments were not fully backdated. [113851]
This is a matter for Christina Townsend, Chief Executive of the Appeals Service. She will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Christina Townsend to Mrs. Lait dated, 4 June 2003:
The Secretary of State has asked me to respond to your question regarding the number of appeals in respect of wives claiming increased state pension because their husband has reached 65 in each year since 1997, and how many successful cases were not fully backdated.
No information is available on the number of appeals where the issue was solely an increase of state pension or on how many successful cases were not fully backdated. However, the attached table shows the total number of Retirement Pension appeals cleared, as well as how many had the original decision upheld and how many were found in favour of the appellant. We began collecting information for the first full year in 1998 so no information is available for 1997.
I hope this reply is helpful
Table 1
| |||
Retirement pension appeals cleared in the calendar years shown, and wheteher original decision upheld or found in favour of the appellant
| |||
Appeals cleared
| Decision upheld
| Found in favour
| |
| 1998 | 1,270 | 1,115 | 140 |
| 1999 | 1,385 | 1,210 | 160 |
| 2000 | 965 | 815 | 135 |
| 2001 | 1,130 | 60 | 55 |
| 2002 | 1,170 | 1,010 | 150 |
Notes:
All figures are subject to change as more up to date data becomes available. Figures for the latest months may rise significantly as information feeds through to the Appeals Service. Figures are rounded to the nearest five.
Source:
100 per cent. download of the Generic Appeals Processing System.