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1140519

registered interest
date	19/07/2019
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Universal Credit
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the implications for her Department's policies of the statement in the press release by Save the Children on 3 July 2019, that 30,000 families on universal credit face paying up to £800 in childcare costs this summer.
tabling member constituency	Liverpool, West Derby
tabling member printed	Stephen Twigg
uin	279359
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/07/2019 answer text <p>The Department listens to a range of stakeholders and considers recommendations, such as those from Save the Children’s recent report, that may improve support for our claimants. We have already improved Universal Credit’s (UC) childcare support; for example, our Work Coaches are already providing increased support through the Flexible Support Fund to help eligible claimants who need help with paying upfront childcare costs, as well as allowing greater flexibility in when claimants can report their childcare costs.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>As UC is paid as a single monthly amount directly into people’s bank accounts, it helps families have control over their own budget and making the move into work easier. However, we recognise that childcare costs can affect parents’ decisions to both obtain and maintain employment and we are committed to removing barriers that prevent parents moving into work.</p><p> </p><p>Claimants are able to claim up to 85% of their childcare costs on UC, compared to 70% on the legacy system. This can be worth up to £13,000 a year for families with two children. The UC childcare policy aligns with the wider government childcare offer, which includes free childcare hours and tax free childcare and, during 2019/20, a record amount of £6 billion is being spent on childcare support overall. This offer means that reasonable childcare costs should not form a barrier to work.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>We are aware of the difficulty that some claimants might have in paying childcare costs over the summer holidays and our work coaches are able to discuss this with them and explain and promote both the UC childcare offer and the wider government childcare offer. In addition to this, budgeting advances are available for eligible claimants that can be used to cover the cost of paying additional upfront childcare cost or a deposit that might be needed during the school holidays.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 23/07/2019 11:10:11 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	167 label Biography information for Stephen Twigg

1140166

registered interest
date	18/07/2019
answering body	Cabinet Office
answering dept id	53
answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
hansard heading	Huawei: 5G
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 17 July 2019 to Question 276281 on Huawei: 5G, if he will meet with operators to raise cybersecurity CNI standards.
tabling member constituency	Leigh
tabling member printed	Jo Platt
uin	279146
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/07/2019 answer text <p>As stated in my answer to Question 276281 of 16 July, regular meetings take place between telecommunications operators and HM Government officials from the National Cyber Security Centre, Cabinet Office and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.</p> answering member constituency Aylesbury answering member printed Mr David Lidington question first answered 23/07/2019 09:04:48 answering member 15 label Biography information for Sir David Lidington
tabling member	4673 label Biography information for Jo Platt

1140175

registered interest
date	18/07/2019
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Further Education
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the potential merits in extending consumer protection law to cover further education courses.
tabling member constituency	Canterbury
tabling member printed	Rosie Duffield
uin	279134
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/07/2019 answer text <p>An assessment of the potential merits of extending consumer protection law to cover further education (FE) courses has not been made. However, the government promotes high quality FE within a regulatory framework, that aims to protect the rights of learners accessing FE courses.</p><p> </p><p>FE college corporations operate as independent charities and are subject to robust accountability arrangements for the public funding they receive. Ofsted inspects and publicly reports on the quality of education within FE providers. The Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) allocates significant annual funding to providers of education and skills training for young people and adults. ESFA holds providers to account for their performance to ensure they consistently raise standards.</p><p> </p><p>The FE Choices learner satisfaction survey 2017-18 captures learners’ experiences of their college or training organisation. The most recent survey was published by the department on 19 July and reports that 82% of learners were ‘likely’ or ‘extremely likely’ to recommend their learning provider to friends or family.</p><p>FE providers must also ensure that complaint handling processes and practices are accessible, clear and fair to learners.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Guildford answering member printed Anne Milton question first answered 23/07/2019 07:13:04 answering member 1523 label Biography information for Anne Milton
tabling member	4616 label Biography information for Rosie Duffield

1140188

registered interest
date	18/07/2019
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Employment and Support Allowance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 8 May 2019 to Question 237584, if she will place in the Library a copy of letter from the Minister for Disabled People clarifying previous answers on the ministerial requirement to amend the wording of the ESA65B letter to claimants’ doctors.
tabling member constituency	Liverpool, West Derby
tabling member printed	Stephen Twigg
uin	278886
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/07/2019 answer text <p>A copy of this letter has been placed in the library of the House.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 23/07/2019 10:24:31 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	167 label Biography information for Stephen Twigg

1140217

registered interest
date	18/07/2019
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Employment: Autism
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking further to the Disability Confident Scheme and the Disability Confident Toolkit to ensure people with autism spectrum conditions are supported within the workplace through (a) peer and (b) mentor support.
tabling member constituency	Motherwell and Wishaw
tabling member printed	Marion Fellows
uin	279085
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/07/2019 answer text <p>Access to Work offers eligible individuals practical advice and a discretionary grant of up to £59,200 per year to fund support above the level of an employer’s statutory obligation to make reasonable adjustments, and this can include specialist mentoring. DWP is working with the Supported Business Alliance (SBA) and The British Association for Supported Employment (BASE) to develop a new long term element of Access to Work, to support people working for a supported business, many of whom have autism spectrum conditions.</p><p> </p><p>DWP, in partnership with Department of Health and Social Care, has published a consultation: ‘Health is everyone’s business: proposals to reduce ill health-related job loss’ on how employers can best support disabled people and people with long-term health conditions, including those with autism spectrum conditions, to stay and thrive in work.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 23/07/2019 10:18:10 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4440 label Biography information for Marion Fellows

1140219

registered interest
date	18/07/2019
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Employment: Autism
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking, in addition to the Disability Confident Scheme and the Disability Confident Toolkit, to ensure people with autism spectrum conditions are supported in the workplace in relation to the working environment and their sensory needs.
tabling member constituency	Motherwell and Wishaw
tabling member printed	Marion Fellows
uin	279086
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/07/2019 answer text <p>Access to Work staff have a specialist knowledge of disabilities and health conditions, including autism spectrum conditions, which enables them to offer customers tailored packages of support, and the scheme offers eligible individuals a workplace assessment to establish what personalised support would be most appropriate to support them at work.</p><p> </p><p>DWP is working with the Supported Business Alliance (SBA) and The British Association for Supported Employment (BASE) to develop a new long term element of Access to Work, to support people working for a supported business, many of whom have autism spectrum conditions.</p><p> </p><p>DWP is also working in partnership with Department of Health and Social Care to publish a consultation on how employers can best support disabled people and people with long-term health conditions, including those with autism spectrum conditions, to stay and thrive in work.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 23/07/2019 10:24:38 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4440 label Biography information for Marion Fellows

1140220

registered interest
date	18/07/2019
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Employment: Autism
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if her Department will offer people with autistic spectrum conditions of working age access to interview training designed and delivered by individuals with extensive knowledge of autism spectrum conditions through Jobcentres.
tabling member constituency	Motherwell and Wishaw
tabling member printed	Marion Fellows
uin	279087
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/07/2019 answer text <p>The new Health and Work Conversation allows work coaches to build engagement with claimants with disabilities and health issues. Work Coaches are given comprehensive training to build their empathy skills and help them to actively listen to claimants. In addition, two new specialist job roles were introduced into Jobcentres from April 2019 - a revised Disability Employment Adviser role, bringing together the current role and incorporating elements of the Community Partner and Small Employer Adviser roles, and a new Disability Employment Adviser Leader role. These new roles will be instrumental in driving the government’s commitment to providing high quality support to disabled people and those with health conditions, including autism spectrum conditions. In total, more than 800 people will be employed in these new roles.</p><p> </p><p>Work Coaches can refer individuals to a range of personalised support, which can include specialist interview training, through programmes like The Work and Health Programme. Work and Health Programme providers have links to organisations with extensive knowledge of autism spectrum conditions, including Autism Plus, Triple A (All About Autism), Autism Anglia, Autism Spectrum Connections CYMRU (ASCC), Gwent Integrated Autism Service, and The Autism Directory.</p><p> </p><p>By the end of 2019 we will have rolled out our new Intensive Personalised Employment Support Programme, which will provide highly personalised packages of employment support for disabled people, including people with autism spectrum conditions, who are at least a year away from moving into work.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 23/07/2019 10:10:39 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4440 label Biography information for Marion Fellows

1140242

registered interest
date	18/07/2019
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Social Security Benefits: Disability
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the effect of the two-child limit for universal credit and tax credits on disabled parents with more than two children.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
uin	278905
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/07/2019 answer text <p>It is the Department’s view that providing support for a maximum of two children or qualifying young persons in Universal Credit and Child Tax Credit ensures fairness between those supporting themselves solely through work and those receiving benefits.</p><p> </p><p>The Government assessed the impact of the policy from an equality and human rights perspective throughout its development and in preparation for its implementation. The Department published statistics related to the first year of policy implementation in June 2018 and will publish updated statistics on 31<sup>st</sup> July.</p><p> </p><p>An impact assessment of the policy of providing support for a maximum of two children in Child Tax Credits and Universal Credit, which considered the impact of the policy on families and other protected groups, including those with disabilities, was published in July 2015 and is available at:</p><p><a href="https://www.parliament.uk/documents/impact-assessments/ia15-006e.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.parliament.uk/documents/impact-assessments/ia15-006e.pdf</a></p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 23/07/2019 09:26:16 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

1140243

registered interest
date	18/07/2019
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Social Security Benefits: Disability
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to work with (a) charities and (b) advice centres to improve the advice and support provided to disabled people completing applications and undergoing assessments for benefits.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
uin	278906
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/07/2019 answer text <p>We are absolutely committed to improving the overall claimant experience as this is what claimants rightly expect and deserve. We continue to engage with charities, academics, think tanks, and disabled people through several forums to ensure that options for improvement are informed by a wide variety of perspectives and views.</p><p> </p><p>Stakeholders are currently involved in our ongoing work on improving the PIP2 questionnaire and design of the Light Touch Review. The PIP Toolkit is accessible to all third parties to assist in the PIP application process. In addition, there is signposting for additional resources on www.gov.uk/PIP. In the 2017 “Improving Lives: The Future of Health, Work and Disability” Command Paper, we committed to reforming the WCA, and to working with external stakeholders to ensure that we get any future changes right.</p><p> </p><p>From 1 April 2019 Citizens Advice and Citizens Advice Scotland are now delivering the Help to Claim service which supports claimants in making a new Universal Credit claim or moving from a legacy benefit to Universal Credit because of a change of circumstances. Help to Claim runs alongside the support that Jobcentres can provide and offers tailored, practical support to help people make their claim up to receiving their first full correct payment on time. It is widely available online, through a Freephone number and face to face through local Citizens Advice services. There is early evidence that the Help to Claim service is supporting those who most struggle to access DWP’s services, particularly those with multiple complex needs and health conditions.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 23/07/2019 10:03:01 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

1140275

registered interest
date	18/07/2019
answering body	Scotland Office
answering dept id	2
answering dept short name	Scotland
answering dept sort name	Scotland
hansard heading	Public Expenditure: Scotland
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will make a comparative assessment of total public spending per capita in Scotland with that in (a) Northamptonshire and (b) England, in the latest period for which data is available.
tabling member constituency	Kettering
tabling member printed	Mr Philip Hollobone
uin	278931
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/07/2019 answer text <p>The latest official figures and analyses of public expenditure by country, region and function were published by HM Treasury on Thursday 18 July 2019. This provides comparable per capita spending figures for the UK as a whole, its regions and countries.</p><p> </p><p>Total identifiable expenditure per head in Scotland was £10,881 in 2017/18, this compares to £9,080 in England for the same period. This publication does not provide comparable statistics for Northamptonshire.</p> answering member constituency Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale answering member printed David Mundell question first answered 23/07/2019 09:49:20 answering member 1512 label Biography information for David Mundell
tabling member	1537 label Biography information for Mr Philip Hollobone