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1673906

registered interest
date	29/11/2023
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	Work Capability Assessment: Parkinson's Disease
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 adequacy of the role of informal observations made by PIP assessors in mandatory reconsiderations for PIP where the claimant has a diagnosis of Parkinson’s.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	4431
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/12/2023 answer text <p>Entitlement to PIP is assessed based on the needs arising from a long-term health condition or disability, not the health condition or disability itself. The PIP Assessment Guide, used by health professionals who conduct PIP assessments, sets out how informal observations of functional limitations should be used.</p><p> </p><p>Informal observations can be a way to reveal abilities and limitations not mentioned in the claimant questionnaire, supporting evidence, or history taking during the consultation. However, they are only part of the suite of evidence considered by health professionals during an assessment. They must also consider the invisible nature of some symptoms, such as fatigue and pain which may be less easy to identify through observation.</p><p> </p><p>Informal observations included in a health professional’s advice to DWP are not viewed in isolation; they are considered alongside all other available evidence to determine PIP entitlement.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove question first answered 05/12/2023 11:59:04 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1672148

registered interest
date	22/11/2023
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	Personal Independence Payment: Parkinson's Disease
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to page 10 of Parkinson's UK's publication entitled Nowhere near enough, published in April 2023, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his Department’s policies of the finding on the proportion of PIP claims made by people with Parkinson's that were initially assessed incorrectly compared with the general PIP claimant population.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	3228
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/11/2023 answer text <p>We are working hard to make the right decision, first time, every time. We continue to review our processes and decision-making and work closely with the assessment providers who carry out the assessments and provide feedback to ensure that they provide decision-makers with the highest quality reports.</p><p> </p><p>Condition Insight Reports are also available to PIP assessors to gain a better understanding of a condition and its impact, including Parkinson’s disease. This insight report highlights the importance of exploration of the fluctuation of the condition and was completed in collaboration with relevant charities.</p><p> </p><p>The Mandatory Reconsideration process is a key element of the department’s decision-making process for all benefits and offers claimants an early opportunity to challenge decisions and get them changed quickly. It offers the department an equally timely remedy for correcting decisions and means that fewer decisions progress to appeal, which is stressful and time consuming for claimants and costly for government. It is worth highlighting that in many cases, decisions can be changed as a result of new evidence or information being made available.</p><p> </p><p>We published <em>Transforming Support: The Health and Disability White Paper</em> on 15 March 2023. Changes set out in the White Paper include those aiming to improve our assessment of fluctuating conditions, such as the way we use medical evidence, and developing the capability of our assessors. We will also explore options for introducing a new way of gathering evidence of fluctuation in a person’s condition before their assessment. The department continues to closely monitor all aspects of the assessment process, including how we assess fluctuating conditions.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove question first answered 28/11/2023 16:51:38 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1672149

registered interest
date	22/11/2023
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	Personal Independence Payment: Medical Examinations
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will take steps to ensure that PIP assessors receive adequate training relating to (a) Parkinson’s disease, (b) multiple sclerosis, (c) Crohn’s disease and (d) colitis.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	3229
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/11/2023 answer text <p>Personal Independence Payment assessments are carried out by qualified health professionals (HPs), who receive comprehensive training in assessing functional capability relating to both physical and mental health conditions, including Parkinson’s disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Crohn’s disease, and Colitis.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>HPs have access to a range of resources and experienced clinicians to support them in assessing individuals with specific conditions. Assessment providers engage with medical experts, charities, and relevant stakeholders to strengthen their training programmes.</p><p> </p><p>This year’s Health &amp; Disability White Paper committed to developing the skills of HPs. As a result, the department began a proof of concept to match an individual’s primary health condition to a HP who has professional experience in their condition. In addition to their professional experience, HPs will also take part in training to specialise in the functional impacts of specific health conditions.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove question first answered 27/11/2023 16:59:19 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1666494

registered interest
date	23/10/2023
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	Personal Independence Payment: Medical Examinations
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 adequacy of initial PIP assessments.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	203840
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/10/2023 answer text <p>Assessment quality is a priority for both the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) providers and the department. The department works extensively with providers to make improvements to guidance, training, and audit procedures, to ensure a quality service. A high standard is maintained by having an independent audit function that continually monitors performance and provides feedback to providers.</p><p> </p><p>DWP monitors providers against a range of measures and monthly performance meetings are in place to support delivery of the contracts and ensure that where action is required, it can be focused and targeted. Improvements in the PIP assessment process have been supported by two independent reviews and DWP has also taken on board recommendations from the Work and Pensions Committee.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>In addition, the department’s Health Transformation Programme (HTP) is modernising Health and Disability benefit services. It will create a more efficient service and a vastly improved claimant experience, reducing journey times and improving trust in our services and decisions. Furthermore, an ongoing programme of engagement and research has been established to ensure that the design and delivery of the HTP is rooted in evidence.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove question first answered 25/10/2023 10:42:29 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1662754

registered interest
date	13/10/2023
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	Personal Independence Payment: Medical Examinations
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make it his Department's policy to conduct all Personal Independence Payment assessments in person.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	200608
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/10/2023 answer text <p>There are no plans to conduct all Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessments in person. PIP assessments are undertaken by telephone, video and face to face, all following the same structure. Since telephone and video assessments were introduced, there has been no evidence to suggest these delivery channels are less effective than face to face.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove question first answered 23/10/2023 13:22:51 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1663372

registered interest
date	13/10/2023
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	Cystic Fibrosis: Employment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Employment and Support Allowance claimants with cystic fibrosis as their main disabling condition have been (a) placed in the support group, (b) placed in the work-related activity group and (c) found fit for work at Work Capability Assessments in each year since 2013.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	201226
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/10/2023 answer text <p>The following table shows the volume of Work Capability Assessments (WCAs) for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) claimants with Cystic Fibrosis as their main disabling condition, by outcome and year.</p><p> </p><p>Volumes cover all WCA outcomes including initial assessments (the first assessment of the ESA claim), repeat assessments (subsequent assessments after prognosis period of previous assessment of the ESA claim expires), and initial assessments for those moving over from Incapacity Benefit (IB). IB was replaced by ESA and claimants are re-assessed for ESA under the WCA.</p><p> </p><p>Due to Covid, WCA repeat assessments were paused in March 2020, department-led reassessments began again in June 2023.</p><p> </p><p><strong>ESA WCAs with Cystic Fibrosis as the main condition </strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p><strong>Support Group</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Work Related Activity Group</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Fit for Work</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Total</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2013</strong></p></td><td><p>510</p></td><td><p>50</p></td><td><p>10</p></td><td><p>570</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2014</strong></p></td><td><p>380</p></td><td><p>10</p></td><td><p>10</p></td><td><p>400</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2015</strong></p></td><td><p>280</p></td><td><p>10</p></td><td><p>10</p></td><td><p>300</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2016</strong></p></td><td><p>310</p></td><td><p>10</p></td><td><p>20</p></td><td><p>340</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2017</strong></p></td><td><p>310</p></td><td><p>20</p></td><td><p>20</p></td><td><p>340</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2018</strong></p></td><td><p>280</p></td><td><p>10</p></td><td><p>10</p></td><td><p>300</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2019</strong></p></td><td><p>260</p></td><td><p>10</p></td><td><p>10</p></td><td><p>270</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2020</strong></p></td><td><p>100</p></td><td><p>..</p></td><td><p>..</p></td><td><p>100</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2021</strong></p></td><td><p>20</p></td><td><p>..</p></td><td><p>..</p></td><td><p>20</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2022</strong></p></td><td><p>10</p></td><td><p>..</p></td><td><p>..</p></td><td><p>10</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p><em>Notes:</em></p><p><em>&quot;..&quot; denotes a nil or negligible number of claimants.</em></p><p><em>Figures may not sum to total due to rounding.</em></p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove question first answered 23/10/2023 14:21:44 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1663373

registered interest
date	13/10/2023
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	Cystic Fibrosis: Employment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Universal Credit claimants with cystic fibrosis as their main disabling condition have been (a) placed in the limited capability for work-related activity group, (b) placed in the limited capability for work group and (c) found fit for work at Work Capability Assessments in each year since 2013.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	201227
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/10/2023 answer text <p>Official Statistics for <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/universal-credit-work-capability-assessment-statistics" target="_blank">Universal Credit Work Capability Assessments</a> (UC WCA) cover key metrics on the number of people on the UC health journey, as well as WCA decisions and outcomes, from April 2019. As set out in the published <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-credit-wca-statistics-release-strategy/universal-credit-work-capability-assessment-statistics-release-strategy" target="_blank">release strategy</a> we are taking a phased approach to development and publication of additional statistics, accounting for the complexity of source data that is in discovery. Future releases are planned to include new/repeat claims, medical conditions, Mandatory Reconsiderations and Appeals, and clearance times.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove question first answered 23/10/2023 13:00:27 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1660141

registered interest
date	12/09/2023
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	Personal Independence Payment: Parkinson's Disease
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to ensure that Personal Independent Payment assessors receive training on the (a) symptoms of Parkinson's disease and (b) effects that Parkinson's disease has on people's lives.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	199101
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/09/2023 answer text <p>Health Professionals (HPs) delivering Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessments receive comprehensive training in assessing functional capability relating to physical and mental health conditions. They also have access to a wide range of clinical resources to research any conditions presented. Both PIP providers have condition specific information on Parkinson’s disease, which has been quality assured by relevant external experts.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Understanding the effects of health conditions and impairments on the claimant’s daily life is fundamental. PIP providers ensure HPs are experts in disability analysis, focusing on the effects of health conditions and impairments on the claimant’s daily life.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove question first answered 18/09/2023 14:35:57 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1660148

registered interest
date	12/09/2023
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	Young People: Northern Ireland
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions he has had with the (a) Department for Communities and (b) Department of Education in Northern Ireland on (i) educational and (ii) work opportunities for young people aged 18-24 in Northern Ireland.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	199104
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/09/2023 answer text <p>Education and employment support are transferred matters in Northern Ireland, and educational opportunities in England are a matter for the Secretary of State for Education. My department is in frequent discussion with the Department for Communities on a number of matters, but these have not specifically covered work opportunities for young people aged 18-24 in Northern Ireland.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove question first answered 18/09/2023 14:36:34 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon