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1301871

	registered interest
	date	11/03/2021
	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	Department for Work and Pensions: Staff
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many additional staff her Department has employed during the covid-19 outbreak.
	tabling member constituency	Stalybridge and Hyde
	tabling member printed	Jonathan Reynolds
	uin	167195
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/03/2021 answer text <p><del class="ministerial">As of Friday 5 March 2021, the Department of Work and Pensions has recruited 21,709 staff on permanent, temporary, fixed term and agency contracts and also people loaned from other Government Departments</del></p><p><ins class="ministerial">From the start of April 2020 to the end of February 2021 an additional 13,242 people have joined DWP as staff employed on its payroll. This figure is based on new joiners only, doesn’t take account of any leavers, and does not include staff loaned from other government departments that didn’t join DWP payroll, or agency workers who are not directly employed by the Department. It also does not include internal movement within DWP into key roles as a result of the impact of COVID-19.</ins></p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 16/03/2021 16:56:30 question first ministerially corrected 09/04/2021 13:02:04 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman previous answer version 90758 answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4119 label Biography information for Jonathan Reynolds

1301873

	registered interest
	date	11/03/2021
	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	Department for Work and Pensions: Staff
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many additional staff her Department has employed on fixed-term contracts during the covid-19 outbreak; and if she will list when each of those contracts will end.
	tabling member constituency	Stalybridge and Hyde
	tabling member printed	Jonathan Reynolds
	uin	167196
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/03/2021 answer text <p><del class="ministerial">Since 1 April 2020 we have recruited 11,400 people on fixed term contracts. Of those who have started since 1 April 2020, we have 10,642 employees who remain in the business. Their contract end dates are set out in the following table reflecting, the position as at 28 February 2021, which is a continuously changing picture, given that people are actively being extended and recruited, and we will also lose people naturally through turnover before their end dates are due.</del></p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial"> </del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial"> </del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial"> </del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial"><strong>Contract end dates</strong></del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Mar-21</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">2102*</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Apr-21</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">417*</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">May-21</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">264*</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Jun-21</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">130*</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Jul-21</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">348*</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Aug-21</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">82*</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Sep-21</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">234</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Oct-21</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">135</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Nov-21</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">1523</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Dec-21</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">766</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Jan-22</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">1204</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Feb-22</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">1327</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Mar-22</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">16</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Apr-22</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">1063</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">May-22</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">728</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Jun-22</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">81</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Jul-22</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">142</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Aug-22</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">55</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Sep-22</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">1</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Oct-22</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">6</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Nov-22</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">7</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Dec-22</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">5</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Jan-23</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">6</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial"><strong>Total</strong></del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial"><strong>10642</strong></del></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p><del class="ministerial">*Some contract end dates for people due to leave in these months are in the process of being extended.</del></p><p> </p><p><ins class="ministerial">Since 1 April 2020 we have recruited 11,556 people on fixed term contracts. Of those who have started since 1 April 2020, we have 10,507 employees who remain in the business. Their contract end dates are set out in the following table reflecting, the position as at 28 February 2021, which is a continuously changing picture, given that people are actively being extended and recruited, and we will also lose people naturally through turnover before their end dates are due.</ins></p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial"><strong>Contract end dates</strong></ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">Mar-21</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">2102*</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">Apr-21</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">412*</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">May-21</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">261*</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">Jun-21</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">122*</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">Jul-21</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">348*</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">Aug-21</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">81*</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">Sep-21</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">228</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">Oct-21</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">135</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">Nov-21</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">1499</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">Dec-21</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">763</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">Jan-22</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">1176</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">Feb-22</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">1322</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">Mar-22</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">16</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">Apr-22</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">1056</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">May-22</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">707</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">Jun-22</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">78</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">Jul-22</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">125</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">Aug-22</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">54</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">Sep-22</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">1</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">Oct-22</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">6</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">Nov-22</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">4</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">Dec-22</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">5</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">Jan-23</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">6</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial"><strong>Total</strong></ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial"><strong>10507</strong></ins></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">*Some contract end dates for people due to leave in these months are in the process of being extended.</ins></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 16/03/2021 17:03:01 question first ministerially corrected 09/04/2021 13:02:22 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman previous answer version 90762 answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4119 label Biography information for Jonathan Reynolds

1240223

	registered interest
	date	05/10/2020
	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	Pension Credit
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of automatically registering all eligible pensioners for pension credit.
	tabling member constituency	Glasgow South West
	tabling member printed	Chris Stephens
	uin	99017
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/10/2020 answer text <p>It is a long-established policy of all governments, that provision of income-related benefits is contingent on a person making a valid claim. Like other means-tested benefits, Pension Credit eligibility and award amounts are determined by a person’s financial and personal circumstances and it is the responsibility of the person making a claim to provide the correct and accurate information required to establish entitlement.</p><p /><p>Pension Credit is intended to target help at the poorest pensioner households. It would not therefore be practical to automatically register everyone of State Pension age for Pension Credit when the majority of them will simply not qualify. There may also be pensioners, who might qualify for Pension Credit, who do not wish to claim it.</p><p> </p><p>In 2010 the Department ran an innovative pilot scheme to try to boost take-up of Pension Credit. The trial involved automatically paying Pension Credit to some 2,000 people who the Department had identified as possibly having entitlement to Pension Credit without them having to make an actual claim first. At the end of the trial the group were invited to go on and make a claim. The level of take-up was surprisingly low and disappointing, with less than 9% of those involved going on to take up their entitlement. It was therefore not considered a viable and cost effective mechanism to take forward. A copy of the evaluation of the pilot is available at <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/214583/rrep796.pdf" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/214583/rrep796.pdf</a>.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 08/10/2020 14:48:58 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4463 label Biography information for Chris Stephens

1240226

	registered interest
	date	05/10/2020
	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	Pension Credit
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of eligible pensioners in each parliamentary constituency are (a) in receipt of and (b) have made claims for pension credit.
	tabling member constituency	Glasgow South West
	tabling member printed	Chris Stephens
	uin	99018
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/10/2020 answer text <p>Information on the number of Pension Credit claimants in each parliamentary constituency as of February 2020 is published and available at <a href="https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk" target="_blank">https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk</a>.</p><p /><p>The information requested on the proportion of pensioners eligible to Pension Credit who are in receipt of the benefit is only available at the Great Britain level. The latest data for 2017/18 is available at <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/income-related-benefits-estimates-of-take-up-financial-year-2017-to-2018" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/income-related-benefits-estimates-of-take-up-financial-year-2017-to-2018</a>.</p><p> </p><p>The DWP publishes annual take-up statistics for income-related benefits, including Pension Credit. These are estimates based on data collected through the Family Resource Survey as well as DWP administrative data. However, the sample sizes available from the survey data are not large enough to enable reliable take-up statistics to be produced at sub-national level e.g. for parliamentary constituencies.</p><p> </p><p>We do not hold the information requested on the number and proportion of claims made by eligible pensioners for pension credit in each parliamentary constituency.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 08/10/2020 14:52:04 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4463 label Biography information for Chris Stephens

1452938

	registered interest
	date	21/03/2022
	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	Department for Work and Pensions: Artificial Intelligence
	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 10 November 2020 to Question 112080, Artificial Intelligence, what progress has been made with each of the items listed.
	tabling member constituency	Glasgow South West
	tabling member printed	Chris Stephens
	uin	143728
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/03/2022 answer text <p>There has been no fundamental change from the answer of 10 November 2020.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 24/03/2022 16:46:19 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4463 label Biography information for Chris Stephens

1503496

	registered interest
	date	02/09/2022
	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	Department for Work and Pensions: Telephone Services
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when she plans for the Welsh language telephone service to be fully functioning.
	tabling member constituency	Carmarthen East and Dinefwr
	tabling member printed	Jonathan Edwards
	uin	45155
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/09/2022 answer text <p>The Department for Work and Pensions has a made a commitment in our Welsh Language Scheme to treat the Welsh and English languages equally and ensure that all services provided for the public in Wales are available in Welsh, as well as English.</p><p> </p><p>All DWP customers are able to access telephony services in Welsh either directly through a dedicated Welsh language helpline or by selecting the required Interactive Voice Response option. Callers to Carer’s Allowance (CA) and Attendance Allowance (AA) helplines who wish to speak to someone in Welsh currently receive a call-back from a Welsh speaker. A Welsh language option will be implemented on these telephone helplines in October 2022.</p><p> </p><p>All our service line telephone numbers are available on GOV.UK.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 07/09/2022 13:55:22 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	3943 label Biography information for Jonathan Edwards

1542909

	registered interest
	date	16/11/2022
	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: Disqualification
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many benefit claims were subject to sanctions in the last three months for which data is available by constituency; and how much was the (a) total and (b) average sum of benefit income lost by claimants due to sanctions in each constituency.
	tabling member constituency	Glasgow South West
	tabling member printed	Chris Stephens
	uin	88916
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/11/2022 answer text <p>Monthly Universal Credit full service sanction rate statistics are published every three months on <a href="https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/" target="_blank">Stat-Xplore</a>.</p><p>The information requested for part a) and b) is provided in the attached spreadsheet.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 22/11/2022 17:56:40 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman attachment 1 file name 88916 wo.xlsx title 88916 workbook previous answer version 36037 answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4463 label Biography information for Chris Stephens

1240820

	registered interest
	date	06/10/2020
	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	Attendance Allowance: Mobility
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make it her policy to provide help, through the benefits system, with mobility costs for people in receipt of attendance allowance; what assessment she has made of the level of need of that support; and if she will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
	tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
	uin	99582
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/10/2020 answer text <p>Attendance Allowance helps those with a severe disability, who have long term care or supervision needs, where those needs arise after reaching State Pension age. Entitlement is based on the on-going need for frequent personal care and attention, or supervision to ensure personal safety. There is no constraint on what the benefit can be used for, and individual recipients can choose to use their Attendance Allowance to fund mobility aids.</p><p> </p><p>Latest published figures at end of February 2020, show that nationally there were 1.44m claimants of attendance allowance; In terms of expenditure - nationally this was forecast to be £5.9 billion in 2019/20.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 12/10/2020 12:47:13 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

1240862

	registered interest
	date	06/10/2020
	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	State Retirement Pensions: Age
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether it is the Government's policy to increase the state pension age to 68.
	tabling member constituency	Carmarthen East and Dinefwr
	tabling member printed	Jonathan Edwards
	uin	99588
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/10/2020 answer text <p>The Labour government passed the Pensions Act 2007 which legislated for State Pension age to increase to 68 by 2046.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 12/10/2020 12:37:28 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	3943 label Biography information for Jonathan Edwards

1240961

	registered interest
	date	06/10/2020
	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	State Retirement Pensions: British Nationals Abroad
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of uprating in line with inflation the state pensions of British nationals living in (a) Commonwealth countries and (b) other countries.
	tabling member constituency	Wrexham
	tabling member printed	Sarah Atherton
	uin	99784
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/10/2020 answer text <p>The policy on the up-rating of UK State Pensions paid to recipients living outside of the UK is clear and is a long-standing policy of successive post-war Governments that has been in place for over 70 years. The UK State Pension is payable worldwide and the annual index-linked increases are paid to UK State Pension recipients where there is a legal requirement to do so. For example, where UK State Pension recipients are living in countries where there is a reciprocal agreement that provides for the uprating of the UK State Pension. The Government has no plans to change this policy.</p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 12/10/2020 12:41:00 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4855 label Biography information for Sarah Atherton