Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the trends in the level of delays to employment support allowance hearing as a result of the absence Departmental representatives at those hearings.

Departmental representatives are not required to attend all appeal hearings at the First-tier Tribunal. When Employment and Support Allowance Presenting Officers do attend their role is to support the Tribunal to make the correct decision. They also provide valuable insight into why decisions are overturned, and are helping to identify improvements that could be made to the claimant journey.