Oral Answers to Questions

Ronnie Cowan Excerpts

Tuesday 7th March 2017 Commons Chamber

[Sir Oliver Heald]

As the hon. Gentleman knows, we are plagued by a series of minor, exaggerated and fraudulent whiplash claims, and we want to tackle that. We believe that the combination of no settlement of claims without a medical report, the tariffs in the Bill, and the raising of the small claims threshold will disincentivise those claims. The hon. Gentleman should also bear in mind that the limit for ordinary money small claims is £10,000.

[Ronnie Cowan (Inverclyde) (SNP)]

5. What proportion of appeals against personal independence payment awards in Inverclyde were successful in (a) 2015 and (b) 2016.

[The Minister for Courts and Justice (Sir Oliver Heald)]

In 2015, 52% of appeals against personal independence payment awards heard in Greenock were successful. Between January and September 2016, the latest period for which data are available, the proportion was 57%.

[Ronnie Cowan]

I thank the Minister for that catch-up on Greenock.

It is clear that a rapidly increasing number of constituents are losing their benefits, and subsequently winning their appeals. My constituents inform me daily that they are without benefit entitlements for eight to 10 weeks, and many are losing their Motability cars as well. Does the Minister agree that sanctions should not be enforced until the appeals process has been exhausted?

[Sir Oliver Heald]

I think that the hon. Gentleman should view the position in context. The Government are spending £50 billion a year on supporting people with disabilities and health conditions, and the new PIP arrangements mean that 65% of PIP recipients with mental health conditions are receiving the highest rate; the proportion used to be only 22%. Overall, the system works, and the fact that there are appeals and they succeed shows that it works.