NAWRA
Friday 3rd September 2004
House 5, Council Chambers, Elmbank Street, Glasgow
AGENDA
9.30 Registration and coffee
10.00 Welcome - Richard Gass, Rights Advice Scotland
10.05 Apologies, Minutes of Last Meeting & Matters Arising
10.15 Speaker – Gill Saunders, SSAC ‘The Work of the SSAC’
10.45 Steering Group Report
11.00 Information Exchange
12.00 Lunch
13.30 Responding to SSAC Consultations
(Gill Saunders, SSAC)
Evidence and the benefits decision-making process
(Jon Laidler, South Tyneside MBC)
Tax Credit Issues
(Lee Oliver, Rights Advice Scotland)
Incapacity Benefit Pilots
(Alison Murray, Rights Advice Scotland)
14.30 Coffee break
14.45 Responding to SSAC Consultations
(Gill Saunders, SSAC)
Evidence and the benefits decision-making process
(Jon Laidler, South Tyneside MBC)
Tax Credit Issues
(Lee Oliver, Rights Advice Scotland)
Incapacity Benefit Pilots
(Alison Murray, Rights Advice Scotland)
15.45 Feedback from workshops and AOB
16.00 CLOSE
Workshops Info
Evidence and the benefits decision-making process (Jon Laidler, South Tyneside MBC)
The theme of this workshop is the framework of evidential rules and principles within which cases should be decided. It will give advisors an opportunity to discuss a variety of issues relating to evidential matters. These will range from basic issues such as legal concepts and weighing of evidence, to issues highlighted in recent appeal decisions about the limits of judicial interference in decision-making on appeal.
The workshop will consist of general discussion and case studies. It is hoped that the participants will contribute their experiences and opinions. The facilitator will attempt to direct the discussion to address the following three interrelated areas:
1) Evidential concepts
· The burden of proof
· The standard of proof
· Can these concepts be of practical use?
2) Weighing of evidence
· The process of weighing evidence
· Weighing medical evidence?
· How can we improve evidence?
3) Law and discretion in decision making
a. The distinction between evidential/factual matters and legal matters.
b. Importance of the distinction.
c. Recent case law.
Getting there…
By Car
See details below the map
By Train
Charing Cross station is on the low level line between Queen Street (connections with main line trains and Buchanan Street Underground) and Partick (connection with Underground) stations.
For full timetable information call National Rail Enquiries on 08457 484950 or click on the link below for information from RailTrack.
Rail Transport Information
By Bus
Routes 42, 57 and 18 go past theKing's theatre on Bath Street travelling west and along Sauchiehall Street travelling east. For full local timetable information call Traveline on 0870 608 2608. For other bus information, including fares and ticket information, please call 0141 423 6600 between 8.30am and 6pm Monday to Friday and 8.30am to 12.30pm Saturday.
From GlasgowAirport
A brief outline of bus timetable: route 905, departs Glasgow Airport Stance 1 from 6am, every 10 minutes from 8am, arriving in Glasgow 15 minutes later, stopping at Bothwell Street, Hope Street, George Street, Queen Street Station, Hanover Street, and Buchanan Bus Station.
There is a taxi rank at Central Station
Accommodation
There is a travel lodge in Hill Street (near Cambridge Street) which does cheap deals but they might be booked up,a visit to the travel lodge website would let you know. This is fairly close to the NAWRA meeting that will be held in a building in a complex situated between Holland Street and Elmbank Street.
There is an IBIS Hotel across the road from the back entrance to the venue for the NAWRA meeting. Another one on the venue doorstep is the Charring Cross Tower in Elmbank Crescent that is a Premiere Lodge hotel.
http://www.scotland-glasgow.co.uk/glasgow3/area/ibis%20hotels%20glasgow
http://www.uk-hotel-accommodation.co.uk/Scotland/hotels/premierlodgeglasgow.cfm