Senator MacGIBBON --In the annual review, page 41, in reference to pensions and in reference to new claims to service pension age and service pension invalidity, the processing targets are still not being met despite an admitted decrease of about seven per cent in the number of new claims. Why, in the face of a lesser workload, are the targets still not being obtained?

Mr Harrison --I am sorry, I do not have in front of me the performance over the last few years. I believe that the performance in the report you have in front of you is in fact an improvement on previous years but, as you rightly say, is still short of the targets that we have set.

The service pension area during this year has been under significant pressure primarily because of the significant increase in case numbers--I am talking about the widows who have come back to us from social security who have placed an additional workload on that area. There have been a number of what we call pensioner initiated reviews where the workload again has increased as a result of the pensioner activity. I think it is true to say that our new claim performance has suffered as a result.

Senator MacGIBBON --But the overall number of applicants is down on the year before, is it not?

Mr Harrison --I am not denying that.

Senator MacGIBBON --What is the percentage of successful challenges to an adverse ruling in this area?

Mr Harrison --I do not have the exact number. I can take that on notice but I understand it to be less than one per cent of all decisions.