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Dept for Constitutional Affairs

Answer

Hywel Williams: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs (1) what the average waiting time from application to hearing for cases before the Social Security Commissioners was in the last three years in (a) Wales and (b) England; [167983] (2) what the average waiting time from application to hearing for cases before the Social Security Commissioners was in each of the last three years for cases heard (a) wholly or partly in Welsh and (b) in English. [167986] Mr. Lammy: The Social Security Commissioners receive applications from the claimant, which are then considered by the Commissioners, and a ruling issued. The Commissioners will either grant or refuse leave to appeal. If leave to appeal is granted the appeal then proceeds to hearing. No cases before the Social Security Commissioners have been heard either wholly or partly in Welsh during the last three years. The Office of the Social Security Commissioners does not hold separate statistical information relating to waiting times for cases in either Wales or England. The average waiting times for an application for leave to appeal, and for appeals granted leave to proceed to hearing, over the last three years, are as follows: Weeks _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Period Average waiting time for application Average waiting time from decision to decision hearing1 2001-02 16 34 2002-03 10 21 2003-04 8 20 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. 1 Please note that waiting time figures have been rounded up or down where appropriate.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

420 c1246-7W; 167983;167986

Session

2003-04

Subjects

Appeals Applications Social security benefits Waiting lists Tribunals Social Security Commissioners

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk