Mr. Barry Quinlan:

We are reviewing the appeals tribunal. In terms of the volume, etc. of appeals that came to us, that increased with our Reval work. A little piece of work will do that. It would be better to reduce that time so that the piece is more known. In a way we have the flexibility. If the risk of leakage on appeals is reduced because appeals are quicker then that can be taken into account and that would be a low element of the extra ceiling that is needed. In the interim it could be a significant loss to a local authority. That is not the way the system was designed to be because the rate limitation order has been based on a figure that in actual fact may not materialise because of these appeals.