Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that face-to-face meetings are available to claimants during the Personal Independence Payment appeals process.

Listing appeals, including the mode of hearing, is a judicial function, and HM Courts & Tribunals Service cannot comment on decisions made by independent tribunal judiciary.

As part of the appeal process, appellants are given the option to select the most suitable hearing types for them. This includes attending a tribunal venue for a face-to-face hearing; a video or telephone hearing; or for the appeal to be determined on the papers. The Department for Work and Pensions, as Respondent to the appeal, is also given the opportunity to express their preference for the type of hearing they would like. Most hearings are currently held in person at a tribunal venue.

The President of the First-Tier Social Entitlement Chamber has published a Guidance Note on the Courts and Tribunals Judiciary Website covering the mode of hearing in Social Security and Child Support Tribunal Appeals here: Chamber President's Guidance Note No. 5 Mode of hearing in Social Security and Child Support Appeals.