[2006] UKSSCSC CP_1240_2005 (21 June 2006)

Y COMISIYNWYR NAWDD CYMDEITHASOL		THE SOCIAL SECURITY COMMISSIONERS	

Rhif Achos y Comisiynwyr.: CP 1240 2005		Commissioners Case No.: CP 1240 2005	

			
DEDDFAU NAWDD CYMDEITHASOL 1992 - 1998		SOCIAL SECURITY ACTS
1992 – 1998	

			

			
			
APÊL YN ERBYN PENDERFYNIAD Y TRIBIWNLYS APÊL YNGHYLCH CWESTIWN O GYFRAITH 		APPEAL FROM A DECISION OF AN APPEAL TRIBUNAL
ON A QUESTION OF LAW	

			
PENDERFYNIAD Y COMISIYNYDD NAWDD CYMDEITHASOL		DECISION OF THE SOCIAL SECURITY COMMISSIONER	
			
COMISIYNYDD: 
Dr David Williams		COMMISSIONER: 
Dr David Williams	

			
CP 1240 2005

PENDERFYNIAD Y COMISIYNYDD NAWDD CYMDEITHASOL		DECISION OF THE SOCIAL SECURITY COMMISSIONER	
			
1.	Yr wyf yn gwrthod yr apêl. Am y rhesymau isod, nid yw penderfyniad y tribiwnlys yn gyfreithiol anghywir. Mae’r hawlydd a’r apelydd (”Mrs J”) yn apelio, gyda fy nghaniatâd i, yn erbyn penderfyniad tribiwnlys apêl Abertawe ar 15/09/2004 o dan gyfeirif  U 03 196 2004 00137.		1.	I dismiss the appeal. For the reasons below, the decision of the tribunal is not wrong in law. The claimant and appellant  (“Mrs J”) is appealing, with my permission, against the decision of the Swansea appeal tribunal on 15/09/2004 under reference 
U 03 196 2004 00137.	
			
2.	Cynhaliwyd yr apêl yma yn unol â thelerau Memorandwm Ymarfer Rhif 3 y Prif Gomisiynydd: Defnyydio’r Gymraeg yn Achosion y Comisiymwyr. Gofynnodd yr hawlydd a’i chynrychiolydd am gael cynnal yr apêl yn Gymraeg. Ni ofynnodd yr un o’r ddwy ochr am wrandawiad llafar ac nid wyf wedi cynnal un. Cyhoeddaf y penderfyniad hwn yn Gymraeg, gyda chyfieithiad Saesneg. Yr wyf yn cyfarwyddo bod y penderfyniad yn cael ei gofnodi yn y ddwy iaith.		2.	This appeal has been conducted in accordance with the terms of Practice Memorandum No 3 of the Chief Commissioner: Use of Welsh in Commissioners’ Cases. The claimant and representative asked for the appeal to be in Welsh. Neither party asked for an oral hearing and I have not held one. I issue this decision in Welsh, with an official English translation. I direct that the decision be recorded in both languages. 	
			
RHESYMAU DROS Y PENDERFYNIAD 		REASONS FOR THE DECISION	
			
Y ffeithiau
		The facts	
3.	Nid oes anghytundeb ynghylch y ffeithiau. Mae Mrs J yn byw yng Nghymru ac yn siarad Cymraeg. Cyrhaeddodd yr oed y gallai godi pensiwn y wladwriaeth ar 8/08/2003. Derbyniodd yr Ysgrifennydd Gwladol ei bod wedi hawlio ei phensiwn ar 6/01/2004. Cafodd y pensiwn ei roi a’i dalu o 6/10/2003 ymlaen. Mae hefyd yn hawlio y dylai’r pensiwn gael ei dalu rhwng 8/08/2003 a 5/10/2003.		3.	The facts are not in dispute. Mrs J lives in Wales and speaks Welsh. She reached state pensionable age on 8/08/2003. The Secretary of State accepted that she claimed her pension on 6/01/2004. She was awarded and paid the pension from 6/10/2003. She also claims payment of the pension from 8/08/2003 to 5/10/2003.	
			
4.	Anfonodd y Gwasanaeth Pensiwn bapurau hawlio pensiwn at Mrs J (yn Saesneg) ar 3/04/2003. Cysylltodd hi â’i chanolfan bensiwn leol (yng Nghymru) ym mis Medi 2003. Gofynnodd am fersiwn Gymraeg o’r ffurflen hawlio. Ni dderbyniodd y ffurflen honno. Ac ni hawliodd yn ysgrifenedig bryd hynny. Cafodd wybod gan gynghorydd ariannol ym mis Rhagfyr 2003 beth oedd y dyddiad terfynol ar gyfer hawlio pensiwn y wladwriaeth. Cysylltodd y cynghorydd ariannol â’r Gwasanaeth Pensiwn yn Newcastle upon Tyne. Anfonodd y Gwasanaeth ffurflen hawlio pensiwn iaith Gymraeg ati ar 10/12/2003. Ni lenwodd y ffurflen honno. Cwynodd i’w chanolfan bensiwn leol ar 5/01/2004. Daeth swyddog ar ymweliad i’w gweld yn ei chartref y diwrnod canlynol. Derbyniwyd ei hawliad y diwrnod hwnnw. Gwrthododd y sawl a wnaeth y penderfyniad ar ran yr Ysgrifennydd Gwladol ôl-ddyddio ei phensiwn i’r cyfnod cyn 6/10/2003.		4.	The Pension Service sent Mrs J papers for a pension claim (in English) on 3/04/2003. She contacted her local pension centre (in Wales) in September 2003. She asked for a Welsh language version of the claim form. She did not receive that form. And she did not claim in writing at that time. She was advised by a financial adviser in December 2003 about the time limit for claiming a state pension. The financial adviser contacted the Pension Service in Newcastle upon Tyne. The Service sent her a claim form in Welsh on 10/12/2003. She did not complete that form. She complained to her local pension centre on 5/01/2004. A visiting officer saw her at her home the following day. Her claim was accepted that day. The decision maker for the Secretary of State refused to backdate the pension before 6/10/2003. 	
			
Y penderfyniadau ynghylch yr hawliad
		The decisions on the claim	
5.	Gwrthododd yr Ysgrifennydd Gwladol dalu’r pensiwn cyn 6/10/2003 oherwydd gofynion Rheoliadau Nawdd Cymdeithasol (Hawliadau a Thaliadau) 1987. O dan Reoliad 4(1) yn y rheoliadau hynny, rhaid i bob hawliad am fudd-dâl “gael ei wneud yn ysgrifenedig ar ffurflen a gymeradwyir gan yr Ysgrifennydd Gwladol i bwrpas y budd-dâl y gwneir yr hawliad amdano, neu mewn ffurf arall, a honno’n ysgrifenedig, a allai fod yn dderbyniol i’r Ysgrifennydd Gwladol yn amgylchiadau unrhyw achos arbennig”. Yn ôl Rheoliad 6(1), rhaid i’r dyddiad y gwneir hawliad fod y dyddiad y derbynnir yr hawliad mewn swyddfa briodol. O dan Reoliad 19(2) a (3), rhaid i hawliad gael ei wneud o fewn tri mis i’r diwrnod y mae gan yr hawlydd hawl i dderbyn y budd-dâl. 		5.	The Secretary of State refused to pay the pension before 6/10/2003 because of the requirements of the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations 1987. Regulation 4(1) of those regulations provides that every claim for benefit “shall be made in writing on a form approved by the Secretary of State for the purpose of the benefit for which the claim is made or in such other manner, being in writing, as the Secretary of State may accept as sufficient in the circumstances of any particular case”.  According to Regulation 6(1), the date on which a claim is made shall be the date on which the claim is received in an appropriate office. Under Regulation 19(2) and (3), a claim must be made within three months of the day on which the claimant is entitled to the benefit. 	
			
6.	Apeliodd Mrs J yn erbyn y gwrthodiad. Ei seiliau dros apelio oedd ei bod wedi gofyn am fersiwn Gymraeg o’r ffurflen hawlio pensiwn ym mis Medi 2003 a’i bod wedi rhoi ei manylion i gyd dros y ffôn yn Rhagfyr 2003. Ni ddylai gael ei chosbi am ddiffygion y Gwasanaeth Pensiwn gyda thrin hawliadau Cymraeg.		6.	Mrs J appealed against that refusal. Her grounds of appeal were that she had asked for a Welsh language version of the claim form in September 2003 and that she had given all her details over the telephone in December 2003. She should not be penalised for the shortcomings of the Pension Service in handling Welsh language claims. 	
			
7.	Cynhaliodd y tribiwnlys apêl wrandawiad llafar ar gyfer ei hapêl yn Gymraeg. Cadarnhaodd benderfyniad yr Ysgrifennydd Gwladol. Nododd sylwadau Mrs J ynghylch defnyddio’r Gymraeg. Ond daeth i’r casgliad bod y rheoliadau yn bendant ac yn ddiamwys a bod yr Ysgrifennydd Gwladol wedi eu cymhwyso’n gywir.		7.	The appeal tribunal held an oral hearing of her appeal in Welsh. It confirmed the decision of the Secretary of State. It noted Mrs J’s comments about the use of Welsh. But it concluded that the regulations were precise and unambiguous and that the Secretary of State had applied them properly.	
			
8.	Ar wahân i unrhyw faterion sy’n codi yng nghyswllt defnyddio’r Gymraeg, cymerodd yr Ysgrifennydd Gwladol a’r tribiwnlys yr unig benderfyniad y gellid fod wedi eu cymryd o dan Reoliadau Nawdd Cymdeithasol (Hawliadau a Thaliadau) 1987 ar sail y ffeithiau. Ni dderbyniais unrhyw gŵyn ynghylch y modd yr ymdriniodd y tribiwnlys apêl â’r hawliad yn Gymraeg. Felly, yr unig fater sy’n weddill yw a oes gan yr hawlydd unrhyw ddadl o dan y gyfraith y dylai’r tribiwnlys fod wedi ei hystyried o ran methiant y Gwasanaeth Pensiwn i ddarparu ffurflen Gymraeg pan ofynnwyd amdani gyntaf, neu fel arall o ran defnyddio’r Gymraeg.		8.	Save for any issue that arises in the use of Welsh, the Secretary of State and tribunal took the only decision that could be taken under the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations 1987 on the basis of the facts. I did not receive any complaint about the way that the appeal tribunal handled the claim in Welsh. Therefore, the only issue that remains is whether the claimant has any argument in law that the tribunal should have considered about the failure by the Pension Service to provide a Welsh language form when first requested, or otherwise about the use of Welsh. 	
			
Defnyddio’r Gymraeg yn yr achos hwn
		The use of Welsh in this case	
9.	Gan nad yw’r mater wedi dod gerbron Comisiynwyr mewn unrhyw apêl gynharach, cyfarwyddais yr Ysgrifennydd Gwladol dros Waith a Phensiynau i wneud cyflwyniad llawn ar ddefnyddio’r Gymraeg wrth ymdrin â’r hawliad hwn a rhai tebyg. Gofynnais hefyd i’r Ysgrifennydd Gwladol wneud sylw ar ba mor berthnasol yw Deddf Iaith Gymraeg 1993 a Deddf Hawliau Dynol 1998 i apêl Mrs J. Hefyd, gwahoddais sylwadau ar Gynllun Iaith Gymraeg yr Adran Gwaith a Phensiynau. Derbyniais gyflwyniad llawn gan yr Ysgrifennydd Gwladol mewn ymateb, ac yr rwyf yn ddiolchgar am natur drylwyr yr ateb hwnnw (yn Gymraeg a Saesneg). 
		9.	As the matter has not come before Commissioners in any earlier appeal, I directed the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to make a full submission on the use of Welsh in handling this and similar claims. I also asked the Secretary of State to comment on the relevance of both the Welsh Language Act 1993 and the Human Rights Act 1998 to Mrs J’s appeal. In addition, I invited comments about the Welsh Language Scheme of the Department for Work and Pensions. I received a full submission from the Secretary of State in reply, and I am grateful for the thorough nature of that reply (in English and Welsh).                                                                       
	
10.	Yn gryno, derbyniodd yr Ysgrifennydd Gwladol fod y Gwasanaeth Pensiwn wedi methu â chwrdd â’r safonau ar gyfer defnyddio’r Gymraeg a gytunwyd arnynt gyda Bwrdd yr Iaith Gymraeg. Ond methiant gweinyddol oedd hwnnw ac nid gwall cyfreithiol. Efallai fod materion y gellid ymchwilio iddynt fel camweinyddu, neu gan weithdrefn gwyno Bwrdd yr Iaith Gymraeg. Ond nid yw’r rhain yn codi cwestiynau sydd o fewn maes awdurdod tribiwnlys apêl neu Gomisiynydd Nawdd Cymdeithasol.		10.	In summary, the Secretary of State accepted that the Pension Service failed to meet the standards for the use of Welsh agreed with the Welsh Language Board. But that was an administrative failure and not an error of law. There may be issues to be investigated as maladministration or by the Welsh Language Board complaints procedure. But these do not raise questions within the jurisdiction of an appeal tribunal or Social Security Commissioner.	
			
11.	Mewn ateb, dywedodd cynrychiolydd Mrs J fod yr anghydfod wedi’i gyfeirio at Fwrdd yr Iaith Gymraeg. Yr oedd yn dadlau bod y fersiwn Gymraeg o’r ffurflen bensiwn a dderbyniwyd mewn Cymraeg gwael ac na allai fod yn ffurflen swyddogol. Ond ni chynigiodd unrhyw gyflwyniad llawn ei hun am unrhyw un o’r materion eraill a godwyd gan gynrychiolydd yr Ysgrifennydd Gwladol. Gofynnodd fy mod i yn penderfynu’r materion cyfreithiol sy’n codi yn yr apêl yma.		11.	In reply, Mrs J’s representative commented that the dispute had been referred to the Welsh Language Board. He objected that the Welsh language version of the pension form issued was in poor Welsh and could not be an official form. But he offered no full submission himself on any of the other issues raised by the secretary of state's representative. He asked that I determine the issues of law that arise in this appeal. 	
			
Fy mhenderfyniad i
		My decision	
12.	Dadleuodd cynrychiolydd yr Ysgrifennydd Gwladol yn gryf nad yw Deddf Hawliau Dynol 1998 yn berthnasol o gwbl i’r apêl. Yn ei gyflwyniad, nid ”dioddefwr” oedd Mrs J i bwrpas y Ddeddf honno. Nid oedd ei chynrychiolydd yn dadlau’r farn honno. Am y rheswm hwnnw, nid wyf yn ystyried y materion hynny ymhellach yma, ac yr wyf yn ymatal rhag cyflwyno unrhyw farn am yr agwedd honno ar yr apêl.		12.	The secretary of state's representative argued strongly that the Human Rights Act 1998 has no relevance to the appeal. In his submission, Mrs J was not a “victim” for the purposes of that Act. Her representative did not contest that view. For that reason, I do not consider those issues any further here, and I refrain from indicating any view on that aspect of the appeal. 	
			
13.	Yr wyf eisoes wedi nodi bod y tribiwnlys wedi cymryd yr unig benderfyniad a oedd ar gael iddo os yw’r mater o ran defnyddio’r Gymraeg yn cael ei eithrio o’r ddadl. Yr wyf hefyd o’r farn bod y tribiwnlys wedi delio’n briodol â’r mater o’r Gymraeg a oedd ger ei fron.		13.	I have already indicated that the tribunal took the only decision that it could if the issue of the use of Welsh is excluded from the argument. I am also of the opinion that the tribunal dealt appropriately with the issue of the Welsh language that was before it. 	
			
14.	Gwrthodaf y ddadl na allai’r fersiwn Gymraeg o’r ffurflen bensiwn fod yn fersiwn swyddogol. Er fy mod wedi nodi beirniadaeth fanwl y cyfieithiad, mae er hynny’n swyddogol gan ei bod wedi’i chyhoeddi ar ran yr Ysgrifennydd Gwladol. Efallai mai mater i Fwrdd yr Iaith Gymraeg ei ystyried yw’r gwrthwynebiad i safon y cyfieithiad, ond nid yw’n achosi unrhyw wall cyfreithiol o fewn y maes awdurdod hwn.		14.	I reject the argument that the Welsh language version of the pension claim form could not be an official version. While I have noted the detailed criticism of the translation, it is nonetheless official because it was issued for the Secretary of State. It may be for the Welsh Language Board to consider the standard of the translation, but it does not give rise to any error of law in this jurisdiction. 	
			
15.	Nid yw methu â darparu ffurflen Gymraeg ym mis Medi 2003 yn esgusodi methiant Mrs J i hawlio ei phensiwn yn ysgrifenedig ar yr adeg iawn. Ac nid yw unrhyw fethiant i’w hysbysu o’i hawliau yn Gymraeg yn hytrach nag yn Saesneg ychwaith. Y rheswm am hyn yw nad oes ganddi hawl i gael ei hysbysu yn y naill iaith neu’r llall. Mae’r hysbysiad (yn Gymraeg neu yn Saesneg), eto, yn fater gweinyddol ac nid yn fater o gyfraith. Gwrthodaf y ddadl fod y camweinyddu a gyfaddefwyd o ran methu ag ymateb i gais Mrs J am ffurflen Gymraeg ym mis Medi 2003 yn wall cyfreithiol oherwydd methiant ydoedd i ddelio â’r mater yn Gymraeg. Roedd y rheoliadau’n mynnu bod hawliad ysgrifenedig yn cael ei wneud. Ni wnaeth yr hawlydd hyn. Ni ddychwelodd y ffurflen Gymraeg yn ddi-oed pan anfonwyd hi ati ychwaith.		15.	The failure to provide a Welsh language form in September 2003 does not excuse the failure of Mrs J to claim her pension in writing at the right time. Nor does any failure to notify her of her rights in Welsh rather than English. The reason for this is that she does not have a right to be notified in either language.  The notification (in English or Welsh), again, is a matter of administration and not a matter of  law. I also reject the argument that the admitted maladministration in failing to reply to Mrs J’s request for a Welsh language form in September 2003 was an error of law because it was a failure to deal with the matter in Welsh. The regulations required that a written claim be made. The claimant did not make one. Nor did she return the Welsh language form promptly when it was sent to her. 	
			
16.	Yr ohebiaeth ysgrifenedig gyntaf gan Mrs J yn Saesneg neu yn Gymraeg yn hawlio ei phensiwn oedd y ffurflen bensiwn iaith Gymraeg a dderbyniwyd ar 6/01/2004. Mae wedi derbyn yr uchafswm pensiwn am hawliad a wnaed ar y dyddiad hwnnw, o 6/10/2003. Cytunaf â’r Ysgrifennydd Gwladol a’r tribiwnlys nad oes sail gyfreithiol dros ôl-ddyddio ei hawliad fwy na thri mis o 6/01/2004.		16.	The first written communication from Mrs J in English or Welsh claiming her pension was the Welsh language claim form received on 6/01/2004.  She has been awarded the maximum pension for a claim made on that date, from 6/10/2003. I agree with the Secretary of State and tribunal that there is no basis in law on which her claim can be backdated more than three months from 6/01/2004. 	

David Williams
Comisiynydd
21. 06. 2006