To ask the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice if she will put in place a mechanism to record details about the nature of medical conditions of people who attend benefit appeal tribunals, in order to ensure that people with (a) chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis and (b) other illnesses are not discriminated against; and if she will make a statement. (138383)

Details of individual appellants’ disabilities are not recorded when cases come before tribunals. However, the benefit type and the issue to be decided is recorded on the Tribunals Service processing system in all benefit cases.

In the case of disability appeals involving medical issues, a medically qualified panel member sits as a member of the tribunal and all panel members have equality and diversity training to enable them to deal with the full range of disability issues arising from benefit claims. Judicial office holders who are members of appeals tribunals are independent of the administration.