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631257

	registered interest
	date	07/11/2016
	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	Disability Living Allowance: Children
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent estimate he has made of the number of foreign children adopted by UK parents who are not eligible for disability living allowance because of the past presence rule.
	tabling member constituency	Cambridge
	tabling member printed	Daniel Zeichner
	uin	52007
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/11/2016 answer text <p><del class="ministerial">I am replying to this question as assessments of the effect of the benefit cap are the responsibility of the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.</del></p><p><del class="ministerial">Evaluation evidence in relation to the existing cap showed very little, if any, impact on homelessness as a direct result of the cap. The small numbers of capped households who have been evicted were noted by Local Authorities as having other reasons for rent arrears and also failing to engage with relevant services; they were considered intentionally homeless.</del></p><p><del class="ministerial">Where claimants need further financial support with their housing costs in order to adjust to the benefit cap, for example while they find work or move to more suitable accommodation, Local Authorities can provide additional support through the use of Discretionary Housing Payments.</del></p><p><del class="ministerial">To help Local Authorities protect the most vulnerable and to support households adjusting to the reforms, the Government will provide £870 million funding for the Discretionary Housing Payments scheme over the next 5 years.</del></p><p> </p><p> </p><p><ins class="ministerial"> <p> </p><ins class="ministerial"><p>The information is not held.</p></ins><p> </p></ins></p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Portsmouth North answering member printed Penny Mordaunt question first answered 15/11/2016 15:05:14 question first ministerially corrected 16/11/2016 15:41:59 answering member 4017 label Biography information for Penny Mordaunt previous answer version 20545 answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes answering member 4048
	tabling member	4382 label Biography information for Daniel Zeichner

758321

	registered interest
	date	06/09/2017
	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	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, what transitional arrangements are in place for claimants whose health deteriorates when in receipt of jobseeker's allowance if their claim is stopped and they are advised to claim employment support allowance.
	tabling member constituency	East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow
	tabling member printed	Dr Lisa Cameron
	uin	9203
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/09/2017 answer text <p><del class="ministerial">Since August 2017 we have been focussing on more proactive case management to reduce delays and speed up the clearance of mandatory reconsiderations for personal independence payment. A similar exercise for mandatory reconsiderations for employment and support allowance has started, looking at the entire journey from when the customer first challenges the Department’s decision, from which we expect to be able to identify opportunities to reduce delays in the current process and speed up clearance of mandatory reconsiderations.</del></p><p> </p><p><del class="ministerial">The median monthly clearance time for employment and support allowance mandatory reconsiderations in July 2017 was 13 days, 1 day less than in April 2017. However it is important that sufficient time is allowed for customers to provide any additional evidence that will help to support their case. Accordingly there is no target time for clearing mandatory reconsiderations – each is done without delay, but based on its merits.</del></p><p> </p><p><ins class="ministerial"> <p><ins class="ministerial">If a JSA claimant’s health deteriorates, and the period of sickness is expected to exceed 13 weeks, a claim should be made to ESA or Universal Credit (UC) in relevant geographical areas.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">In this instance the claimant would need to close their JSA claim and make a new claim to ESA. ESA can be claimed immediately following the closure of a JSA claim and, provided the claim to ESA was made within 12 weeks of closing their JSA claim, the claimant would not have to serve waiting days.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">There are no transitional arrangements between the benefits however, the aim is for there to be no unnecessary interruption of funds to the individual. Where a claimant is in urgent financial need whilst their ESA claim is being processed, they can apply for additional support in the form of an advance on their first payment, known as a “short term benefit advance”, or a hardship payment. The claimant will receive a benefit advance payment on the same or next working day.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">If the JSA claimant’s period of sickness is likely to be for less than 13 weeks (referred to as an Extended Period of Sickness (EPS)), the claimant may choose to remain in receipt of JSA rather than claiming ESA/UC. If they choose to do this, they will receive the same amount of JSA benefit.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">To qualify for an EPS the claimant must not be fit for any work and this will be determined based on the medical evidence supplied. During this period the claimant will be treated as being available for work, and the Work Coach will tailor the conditionality requirements on their Claimant Commitment, taking into account the claimant’s health condition.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">An EPS can only be declared for one continuous period of sickness of 13 weeks or less in any 12 month period calculated from the start of the period of sickness. Once it is clear the period of sickness will last for 13 weeks or more, the claimant will be advised to make a claim to ESA or UC.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">In areas where UC Full Service is in place, the claimant will be advised to claim UC rather than ESA.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">One of the policy designs of Universal Credit is that it removes the need for claimants to switch between different benefits as their circumstances change, simplifying the system and ensuring continuity for claimants.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">As stated, there are no transitional arrangements for UC. Where a claimant advises they cannot manage financially until their pay day (UC is paid monthly, unlike JSA and ESA which are fortnightly), an advance can be made. This advance is recoverable from further payments of UC, at a rate agreed between the claimant and the Work Coach.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">Universal Credit is a much simpler system with clearer rules and clearer rates. It has an easy to use online account, where claimants can report changes of circumstance in real time. UC Support for disabled people under UC reflects two core components of the old ESA system, ensuring that more severely disabled people benefit from higher payments.</ins></p></ins></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Portsmouth North answering member printed Penny Mordaunt question first answered 28/09/2017 14:56:40 question first ministerially corrected 04/10/2017 11:07:49 answering member 4017 label Biography information for Penny Mordaunt previous answer version 13091 answering member constituency Portsmouth North answering member printed Penny Mordaunt answering member 4017 label Biography information for Penny Mordaunt
	tabling member	4412 label Biography information for Dr Lisa Cameron

536190

	registered interest
	date	13/07/2016
	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	Work Capability Assessment
	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 publish the evidence base for the choice of descriptors used in work capability assessments.
	tabling member constituency	East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow
	tabling member printed	Dr Lisa Cameron
	uin	42660
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/07/2016 answer text <p>Details of the evidence base and consultative group members involved in the development of the Work Capability Assessment can be found in the Transformation of the Personal Capability assessment reports of September 2006, February 2007 and November 2007.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><a href="http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20090605153301/http:/www.workandpensions.gov.uk/welfarereform/pca.asp" target="_blank"><strong>http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20090605153301/http:/www.workandpensions.gov.uk/welfarereform/pca.asp</strong></a></p> answering member constituency Portsmouth North answering member printed Penny Mordaunt grouped question UIN 42709 question first answered 21/07/2016 13:25:23 answering member 4017 label Biography information for Penny Mordaunt
	tabling member	4412 label Biography information for Dr Lisa Cameron

536317

	registered interest
	date	13/07/2016
	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	Work Capability Assessment
	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 proposed changes to the work related activity group on the effectiveness of the assessment process.
	tabling member constituency	East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow
	tabling member printed	Dr Lisa Cameron
	uin	42665
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/07/2016 answer text <p>The change is not related to the work capability assessment process, which happens prior to a claimant being placed in the work related activity group. Therefore no assessment of the change on the effectiveness of the work capability assessment process has been undertaken.</p> answering member constituency Portsmouth North answering member printed Penny Mordaunt question first answered 22/07/2016 11:49:09 answering member 4017 label Biography information for Penny Mordaunt
	tabling member	4412 label Biography information for Dr Lisa Cameron

536320

	registered interest
	date	13/07/2016
	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	Work Capability Assessment
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, which agents external to his Department (a) supplied and (b) analysed the evidence that his Department used to decide on the descriptors used for the work capability assessment.
	tabling member constituency	East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow
	tabling member printed	Dr Lisa Cameron
	uin	42709
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/07/2016 answer text <p>Details of the evidence base and consultative group members involved in the development of the Work Capability Assessment can be found in the Transformation of the Personal Capability assessment reports of September 2006, February 2007 and November 2007.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><a href="http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20090605153301/http:/www.workandpensions.gov.uk/welfarereform/pca.asp" target="_blank"><strong>http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20090605153301/http:/www.workandpensions.gov.uk/welfarereform/pca.asp</strong></a></p> answering member constituency Portsmouth North answering member printed Penny Mordaunt grouped question UIN 42660 question first answered 21/07/2016 13:25:23 answering member 4017 label Biography information for Penny Mordaunt
	tabling member	4412 label Biography information for Dr Lisa Cameron

536520

	registered interest
	date	14/07/2016
	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	Personal Independence Payment: Appeals
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reason Motability is required to repossess a claimant's vehicle before mandatory reconsideration or appeals related to personal independent payment claim applications.
	tabling member constituency	West Lancashire
	tabling member printed	Rosie Cooper
	uin	42852
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/07/2016 answer text <p>Motability is an independent charitable organisation wholly responsible for the Motability scheme. It is therefore Motability’s decision whether to allow claimants to keep their vehicle during this period.</p><p> </p><p>Claimants are allowed to keep their vehicle for up to seven weeks following a decision that they are no longer entitled to PIP, with Mandatory Reconsiderations normally completed well before this. Most are also eligible for a £2,000 transitional support payment. Those who win their appeal can normally reapply for the scheme immediately, providing they repay this; otherwise, they can re-join after 6 months.</p> answering member constituency Portsmouth North answering member printed Penny Mordaunt question first answered 22/07/2016 12:12:17 answering member 4017 label Biography information for Penny Mordaunt
	tabling member	1538 label Biography information for Rosie Cooper

539653

	registered interest
	date	18/07/2016
	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	Refugees: Disability
	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 policy to make financial support available to refugees and people in Britain with humanitarian protection status who are disabled.
	tabling member constituency	Kingston upon Hull North
	tabling member printed	Diana Johnson
	uin	43212
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/07/2016 answer text <p>Refugees and people in Great Britain with humanitarian protection status who are disabled and in need of financial support are entitled to claim Jobseeker’s Allowance, Employment Support Allowance or Universal Credit, and Personal Independence Payment, providing they meet all the necessary conditions of entitlement set out in regulations.</p> answering member constituency Portsmouth North answering member printed Penny Mordaunt question first answered 21/07/2016 12:27:17 answering member 4017 label Biography information for Penny Mordaunt
	tabling member	1533 label Biography information for Dame Diana Johnson

539711

	registered interest
	date	18/07/2016
	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	Employment: Young People
	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 support young people with (a) disabilities and (b) long-term health conditions to find permanent employment.
	tabling member constituency	Calder Valley
	tabling member printed	Craig Whittaker
	uin	43120
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/07/2016 answer text <p>We are committed to halving the disability employment gap between disabled and non disabled people and have introduced a number of measures to further the support available to young people with disabilities, and long-term health conditions.</p><p> </p><p>A Taskforce, led by Paul Maynard MP, has been looking at issues around apprenticeships for people with learning difficulties or disabilities. On 11 July the Department for Work and Pensions, the Department for Business, Innovation &amp; Skills and the Department for Education published their response to the task force accepting all their recommendations including adjustments in English and maths requirements for those with learning disabilities. The publication can be found here:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/apprenticeships-improving-access-for-people-with-learning-disabilities" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/apprenticeships-improving-access-for-people-with-learning-disabilities</a>.</p><p> </p><p>This Department has also developed a portal for young people with disabilities and health conditions to signpost them to available support. This can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/help-and-support-for-young-disabled-people-to-find-and-stay-in-work/help-and-support-for-young-disabled-people-to-find-and-stay-in-work" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/help-and-support-for-young-disabled-people-to-find-and-stay-in-work/help-and-support-for-young-disabled-people-to-find-and-stay-in-work</a>.</p><p> </p><p>Young disabled people and those with health conditions may also be supported by DWP’s specialist disability employment programmes such as Work Programme, Work Choice, Specialist Employment Support and Access to Work, subject to meeting eligibility criteria. Access to Work can provide support for young people participating on Traineeships or Supported Internships as well as those in work including apprenticeships. In 2015/16 Access to Work supported 2,830 young people aged 16-24, An increase of 12.7% over the previous year and the highest number since 2007/08 (beginning of our current records).</p><p> </p><p>In addition, we have expanded Access to Work’s Mental Health Support Service to conduct a two-year trial of targeted support for apprentices with mental health conditions.</p> answering member constituency Portsmouth North answering member printed Penny Mordaunt question first answered 21/07/2016 13:16:22 answering member 4017 label Biography information for Penny Mordaunt
	tabling member	3940 label Biography information for Craig Whittaker

539712

	registered interest
	date	18/07/2016
	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	Social Security Benefits: Refugees
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether people resident in Britain with (a) refugee or (b) humanitarian protection status can claim (i) personal independence payments and (ii) employment and support allowance.
	tabling member constituency	Kingston upon Hull North
	tabling member printed	Diana Johnson
	uin	43216
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/07/2016 answer text <p>Refugees and people in Great Britain with humanitarian protection status who are disabled and in need of financial support are entitled to claim Jobseeker’s Allowance, Employment Support Allowance or Universal Credit, and Personal Independence Payment, providing they meet all the necessary conditions of entitlement set out in regulations.</p> answering member constituency Portsmouth North answering member printed Penny Mordaunt question first answered 21/07/2016 15:40:52 answering member 4017 label Biography information for Penny Mordaunt
	tabling member	1533 label Biography information for Dame Diana Johnson

539714

	registered interest
	date	18/07/2016
	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	Fairgrounds: Accidents
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many accidents have occurred at funfairs and amusement parks in each of the last five years.
	tabling member constituency	Strangford
	tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
	uin	43042
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/07/2016 answer text <p>The figures in the table below provide the number of (a) workers and (b) members of the public who have been reported to HSE under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences 2013 (RIDDOR), as being injured in accidents at funfairs and amusement parks from 2012. Data collected prior to 2012 is not directly comparable due to changes in reporting and recording criteria.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Table 1 - Injuries to workers and members of the public in funfairs and amusement parks</strong><sup>1</sup><strong> as reported to all enforcing authorities 2012/13 – 2014/15p</strong></p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Year<sup>3</sup></strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Public</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Workers­­<sup>2</sup></strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012/13</p></td><td><p>479</p></td><td><p>64</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013/14</p></td><td><p>387</p></td><td><p>56</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2014/15<sup>4</sup></p></td><td><p>489</p></td><td><p>51</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>1 Statistics are identified by Standard Industrial Classification 2007 (SIC 2007) class 9321 – Activities of amusement parks and theme parks</p><p>2 The term worker includes employees and self-employed persons combined</p><p>3 Due to changes in legislation, the criteria for reporting injuries to workers changed in April 2012 and again in October 2013. Therefore annual estimates of injuries to workers over this period are not directly comparable</p><p>4 HSE’s analysis of the data for injuries to members of the public at fairgrounds and theme parks in 2014/15 found that upwards of 75% of reported injuries did not meet the criteria for a RIDDOR reportable injury.</p> answering member constituency Portsmouth North answering member printed Penny Mordaunt question first answered 26/07/2016 13:53:47 answering member 4017 label Biography information for Penny Mordaunt
	tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon