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717841

	registered interest
	date	04/04/2017
	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	Workplace Pensions: Pension Funds
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to introduce legislation (1) prohibiting companies withdrawing moneys from their pension funds for any reason, or (2) requiring them to keep their funds topped up to the level recommended by actuaries.
	tabling member printed	Lord Blencathra
	uin	HL6650
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/04/2017 answer text <p><ins class="ministerial">Current legislation already requires schemes to have sufficient and appropriate assets to cover the cost of paying future pensions when they fall due, or to put in place a recovery plan to ensure that the scheme returns to full funding within a reasonable period. It also prohibits the transfer of funds from the scheme to the employer apart from some limited circumstances and where there is a surplus.</ins></p><p>The Government’s Security and Sustainability in Defined Benefit Pension Schemes Green Paper explores a number of aspects of defined benefit pensions, including scheme funding arrangements and invites views. This paper was laid before Parliament on 20 February 2017.</p><p>The closing date for comments is 14 May 2017; responses can be submitted to the following postal address:</p><p>DB Consultation Private Pensions</p><p>First Floor</p><p>Caxton House</p><p>6-12 Tothill Street</p><p>London</p><p>SW1A 9NA</p> answering member printed Lord Henley question first answered 20/04/2017 09:35:00 question first ministerially corrected 20/04/2017 13:45:24 answering member 2616 label Biography information for Lord Henley previous answer version 44619 answering member printed Lord Henley answering member 2616 label Biography information for Lord Henley
	tabling member	497 label Biography information for Lord Blencathra

663119

	registered interest
	date	21/12/2016
	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: Reviews
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many reviews have been announced in Parliament by the Department for Work and Pensions in the last six years; how many have been completed; how many are still ongoing; and what is the timescale for completion of those reviews still ongoing.
	tabling member printed	Lord Kennedy of Southwark
	uin	HL4334
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/01/2017 answer text <p>There is no formal definition of “reviews”. The Department regularly reviews policies, programmes, projects and pilots to ensure that they meet their objectives. All important announcements are made to Parliament first by way of ministerial statements, replies to parliamentary questions, or in debate contributions by Ministers.</p><p> </p><p>The information requested is not collated centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.</p> answering member printed Lord Henley question first answered 09/01/2017 15:46:49 answering member 2616 label Biography information for Lord Henley
	tabling member	4153 label Biography information for Lord Kennedy of Southwark

673695

	registered interest
	date	16/01/2017
	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	Workplace Pensions
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is (1) the percentage, and (2) the number, of workers earning more than £5,824 and less than the earnings trigger of £10,000, who are over the age of 22 and below the state pension age and who have opted into pension auto-enrolment, by (a) gender and (b) earnings band, according to the most recent available statistics.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Hollis of Heigham
	uin	HL4687
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/01/2017 answer text <p>The opt out rate for those automatically enrolled into workplace pensions is significantly lower than anticipated by government. The Employers’ Pension Provision (EPP) Survey 2015 estimated this to be less than 10 per cent.</p><p> </p><p>The government does not collect information about opt in rates for individual workers. Some workforce data is available via the EPP Survey 2015 but it is not possible to break down the data in the way sought by the question.</p><p><strong></strong></p> answering member printed Lord Henley question first answered 27/01/2017 12:19:42 answering member 2616 label Biography information for Lord Henley
	tabling member	1845 label Biography information for Baroness Hollis of Heigham

673703

	registered interest
	date	16/01/2017
	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	Lone Parents
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimate they have made of the increase in the number of children in the UK being brought up in a family with only one resident parent, and in particular of the number of boys being brought up in a family with no resident father; and what policy they have developed in this regard.
	tabling member printed	Lord Northbourne
	uin	HL4695
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/01/2017 answer text <p>The information requested is not collected.</p><p> </p><p>This government is committed to providing the best outcomes for children. The Department’s forthcoming Green Paper on Social Justice will outline how it plans to improve children’s outcomes.</p> answering member printed Lord Henley question first answered 30/01/2017 15:50:43 answering member 2616 label Biography information for Lord Henley
	tabling member	3201 label Biography information for Lord Northbourne

674017

	registered interest
	date	17/01/2017
	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: Housing
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether claimants of Universal Credit are always told when housing costs revert to them at the end of any set period for Alternative Payment arrangements, or when those arrangements are due for renewal.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Thomas of Winchester
	uin	HL4740
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/01/2017 answer text <p>Alternative Payment Arrangements whereby an individual's housing costs are paid directly to their landlord are time-limited and delivered in conjunction with appropriate budgeting support to help claimants successfully make the transition to monthly budgeting. The Department's Work Coach maintains an ongoing conversation with the claimant about their financial capability, which includes reviewing the Alternative Payment Arrangement with the claimant when the review date matures.</p><p>When reviewing the Alternative Payment Arrangement the Work Coach considers the outcomes from the budgeting support and advice the claimant has received in the interim and discusses whether the claimant now feels financially capable to manage their Universal Credit payment themselves. The claimant’s Universal Credit records will be noted accordingly with the outcomes of the review and any new review date that may be set in conjunction with the claimant. The claimant is therefore kept informed as to whether or not they have responsibility for their own housing costs.</p> answering member printed Lord Henley question first answered 30/01/2017 17:02:05 answering member 2616 label Biography information for Lord Henley
	tabling member	3785 label Biography information for Baroness Thomas of Winchester

674018

	registered interest
	date	17/01/2017
	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: Housing
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of whether Alternative Payment arrangements to cover some of a Universal Credit claimant's housing costs, together with a local authority's discretionary housing payments for any shortfall, are working satisfactorily.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Thomas of Winchester
	uin	HL4741
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/01/2017 answer text <p>The Department works closely with Local Authorities to ensure tenants are able to meet their housing costs. Where it is in a claimant’s best interests to have their housing costs paid direct to the landlord, for example because they have difficulty budgeting or have problems with arrears, an alternative payment arrangement can be put in place. This does not change the overall amount of the Universal Credit award, simply how it is paid.</p><p> </p><p>Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) can be made to people who are in receipt of either Housing Benefit or a Universal Credit award that includes an amount for housing costs and who have difficulty meeting their rent commitments. These payments are very flexible and are made at the discretion of the Local Authority (LA) where they consider that further financial assistance towards housing costs are required. Universal Credit claimants who meet the eligibility criteria are considered for a DHP award in the same way as anyone else.</p><p> </p><p>DWP does not see any reason why Discretionary Housing Payments cannot be paid to Universal Credit claimants who have Managed Payments to their Landlord in place.</p><p> </p><p>However, if a Local Authority decides not to accept an application for DHP on the grounds that a managed payment to the landlord is in place, guidance is clear that DWP can, in agreement with the claimant, remove that arrangement to allow the application to be made.</p> answering member printed Lord Henley question first answered 30/01/2017 17:12:17 answering member 2616 label Biography information for Lord Henley
	tabling member	3785 label Biography information for Baroness Thomas of Winchester

674019

	registered interest
	date	17/01/2017
	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: Housing
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to ensure that there is adequate support for vulnerable Universal Credit claimants who do not have housing support staff.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Thomas of Winchester
	uin	HL4742
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/01/2017 answer text <p>The Universal Credit service is designed to support the needs of those claimants whose often complex, sometimes multiple, barriers and conditions are preventing them from finding and staying in work, or risk them struggling to engage independently with Universal Credit and the opportunities it offers.</p><p> </p><p>For example, as part of the first Interview, the Work Coach and the claimant will discuss the claimant’s ability to manage their monthly payment and pay bills on time. Where appropriate, the Work Coach will refer the claimant for Personal Budgeting Support including money advice. Health, disability and other personal circumstances may also be discussed.</p><p> </p><p>The Work Coach will also determine if an Alternative Payment Arrangement is needed. Alternative Payment Arrangements can include managed payment of Universal Credit housing costs to their landlord, more frequent payments; and split payments within a household in exceptional cases.</p><p> </p><p>As we continue to deliver the full Universal Credit service, with its expanded claimant base, we are continually reviewing and developing the current vulnerable claimant customer journey, including how vulnerable people are identified and how they are supported both internally and via referral to local services delivered in partnership activity.</p> answering member printed Lord Henley question first answered 30/01/2017 17:01:21 answering member 2616 label Biography information for Lord Henley
	tabling member	3785 label Biography information for Baroness Thomas of Winchester

677371

	registered interest
	date	23/01/2017
	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: Females
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what measures they will introduce to ensure that women who have multiple jobs, none of which are eligible for National Insurance credits, do not lose out on future state pension rights.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Altmann
	uin	HL4837
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/01/2017 answer text <p>The design of the new State Pension allows for considerable gaps, up to 15 years over a 50 year working life (based on an State Pension age of 66), without affecting a person’s ability to build up sufficient qualifying years to gain the full entitlement. Women in particular are likely to benefit from this arrangement. In addition those with multiple low-paid jobs are likely to already have some paid or credited contributions and there is little evidence that people are engaged in this type of work pattern for significant periods in their working life so many of those affected will have the opportunity to build up sufficient qualifying years in the future. There is also the option to pay voluntary National Insurance contributions for any week in which someone does not have paid or credited contributions. We have no plans to alter or extend these arrangements.</p> answering member printed Lord Henley question first answered 30/01/2017 17:13:42 answering member 2616 label Biography information for Lord Henley
	tabling member	4533 label Biography information for Baroness Altmann

678214

	registered interest
	date	24/01/2017
	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	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what reciprocal arrangements will be put in place to guarantee, after the UK leaves the EU, the annual increase of the basic state pension for UK citizens who have retired to countries in the European Union which do not currently have reciprocal arrangements with the UK.
	tabling member printed	Lord Jones of Cheltenham
	uin	HL4943
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/01/2017 answer text <p>The reciprocal rights and entitlements that will apply following the UK’s exit are subject to the wider negotiation on our future relationship with the EU and the Government has not yet begun these negotiations.</p> answering member printed Lord Henley grouped question UIN HL4944 question first answered 30/01/2017 16:52:36 answering member 2616 label Biography information for Lord Henley
	tabling member	248 label Biography information for Lord Jones of Cheltenham

678215

	registered interest
	date	24/01/2017
	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	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the annual increase of the basic state pension for UK citizens who have retired to Spain will continue after the UK leaves the EU.
	tabling member printed	Lord Jones of Cheltenham
	uin	HL4944
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/01/2017 answer text <p>The reciprocal rights and entitlements that will apply following the UK’s exit are subject to the wider negotiation on our future relationship with the EU and the Government has not yet begun these negotiations.</p> answering member printed Lord Henley grouped question UIN HL4943 question first answered 30/01/2017 16:52:36 answering member 2616 label Biography information for Lord Henley
	tabling member	248 label Biography information for Lord Jones of Cheltenham