More watchful on granting social benefits

Minister Dolores Cristina has given Parliament figures showing how many applications for invalidity pensions and sickness benefits have been rejected in the first five months of the year because they were not considered justified.

Answering two parliamentary questions by Labour MP Noel Farrugia, she said 242 had applied for an invalidity pension. Of these applications, 74 had been approved, 88 had been rejected and 80 others were still pending.

Of the 840 applications received for sickness benefit, 298 had been approved, 385 rejected and 157 were pending.