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Written question asked by Iris Robinson (Democratic Unionist Party) on Monday, 24 July 2006, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 9 October 2006. It was answered by Lord Hanson of Flint (Labour) on Monday, 9 October 2006 on behalf of the Northern Ireland Office.

Tribunals (Irish Language)

Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many requests for (a) disability living allowance tribunals and (b) incapacity benefit tribunals to be heard in the Irish language there have been in Northern Ireland in each of the last 10 years.
Answer

As the Appeals Service (NI) was only established in April 2000 it is not possible to provide the requested information for years prior to 2000-01. The information has therefore been provided for each full year from April 2000 to March 2006.

Appeals received and requests for tribunals to be heard in Irish language by benefit type—1 April 2000 to 31 March 2006
Disability appeals Incapacity benefit
Appeals received Requests to be heard in Irish language Appeals received Requests to be heard in Irish language
2001 10,517 0 6,808 0
2002 11,760 0 4,879 0
2003 8,823 0 4,614 0
2004 9,120 0 3,905 0
2005 6,584 0 4,164 0
2006 5,553 0 4,678 0
Total 52,357 0 29,048 0
Note: Prior to April 2004 each component (care and mobility) of disability living allowance was counted as a separate appeal. This practice changed from 1 April 2004, when a disability living allowance appeal was counted as one appeal regardless of the number of components involved. The decrease in disability appeals received from April 2004 reflects this change.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
450 c353W;450 c357W; 89269
Session
2005-06
Subjects
Irish language Tribunals
Link
View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk