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1284768

	registered interest
	date	08/02/2021
	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	Social Security Benefits: Coronavirus
	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 potential merits of extending the one calendar month deadline to request a mandatory reconsideration to allow claimants sufficient time to compile necessary information in the context of delays caused by the covid-19 (a) outbreak and (b) lockdown announced in January 2021.
	tabling member constituency	York Outer
	tabling member printed	Julian Sturdy
	uin	150792
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/02/2021 answer text <p>The law provides that if an application is made outside the one month time limit but within 13 months of the decision being disputed, the application will be admitted as in time where the claimant can show there were special circumstances for the late application.</p><p> </p><p>Claimants do not have to submit all of the supporting information within one month. When they apply for a Mandatory Reconsideration, they can inform the Decision Maker they intend to provide further information. In these cases, more time will be allowed for this to be provided and no decision will be made until it is received.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 12/02/2021 14:20:34 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	4079 label Biography information for Julian Sturdy

390878

	registered interest
	date	16/07/2015
	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	Local Government: Pensions
	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 increase the £30,000 threshold for the Local Government Pension Scheme.
	tabling member constituency	York Outer
	tabling member printed	Julian Sturdy
	uin	7546
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/07/2015 answer text <p /> <p>Defined benefit pension arrangements offer a high level of security and, in some cases, very valuable guarantees. Therefore it is important that individuals carefully consider the implications of giving these guarantees up before proceeding with a decision to transfer out to access their benefits flexibly.</p><p> </p><p>The independent financial advice £30,000 threshold applies to transfers out of all funded defined benefit schemes, including public sector schemes such as the Local Government Pension Scheme. The Government has no plans to create a separate threshold for funded public sector schemes.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 22/07/2015 11:29:55 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	4079 label Biography information for Julian Sturdy

1132544

	registered interest
	date	17/06/2019
	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	Historic Buildings: Health Hazards
	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 the protections introduced in Germany and Austria for workers renovating or demolishing buildings against the risk of breathing in historical man-made mineral fibres which are now considered to pose a serious risk to health, what steps she is taking to introduce similar protections for UK workers.
	tabling member constituency	York Central
	tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
	uin	265555
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/06/2019 answer text <p>The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is aware of the guidelines that have been produced in Germany and Austria, advising companies on the measures they should take to protect workers against risks of breathing in historic man-made mineral fibres (MMMFs).</p><p>In Great Britain there is a statutory framework in place to protect workers who may be exposed to any hazardous substance, such as MMMFs, regardless of how that exposure occurs. This framework includes the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 which places a general duty on employers to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of people affected by their work activities.</p><p> </p><p>The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH), places specific duties on employers and implements several EU Directives on worker protection, ensuring our standards meet those required of all EU Member States. COSHH requires employers to carry out a risk assessment to establish the hazards associated with the tasks and processes they are undertaking and put in place suitable arrangements to either prevent or control those risks. Such a risk assessment would need to be carried out for workers renovating or demolishing buildings to enable suitable controls to be put in place for any hazardous substances that may be present or that may be produced, including MMMFs. HSE provides guidance, to help businesses comply with their legal duties.</p><p> </p><p>The regulatory framework, supported by guidance, is sufficient to control occupational exposure to MMMFs.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 24/06/2019 14:39:07 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1143767

	registered interest
	date	02/09/2019
	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	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 she will ensure that all personal independence payment assessments are recorded on the request of a claimant.
	tabling member constituency	York Central
	tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
	uin	285361
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2019 answer text <p>The audio recording of face-to-face consultations is not currently part of the contractual specification for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessments. However, claimants may use their own equipment to audio record their face-to-face consultation, should they wish to, subject to any reasonable conditions the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) chooses to impose on such recordings.</p><p> </p><p>We want to improve the service that PIP claimants receive and in response to the Paul Gray Independent review and feedback from the Work and Pensions Select Committee, we announced in June 2018 that we would be piloting video recording of PIP assessments. The pilot commenced on 26 November 2018 and 192 video recordings have been completed.</p><p> </p><p>We are currently evaluating the findings from the video recording pilot and will provide an update on our future plans once this has been completed.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 09/09/2019 10:50:15 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1170939

	registered interest
	date	15/01/2020
	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	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, how many and what proportion of unsuccessful claims for personal independence payments were overturned at the mandatory reconsideration stage in the last 12 months for which figures are available.
	tabling member constituency	York Central
	tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
	uin	3846
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/01/2020 answer text <p>Statistics on the numbers and proportions of unsuccessful claims for Person Independence Payment (PIP) following an initial PIP assessment where the award was changed at the Mandatory Reconsideration (MR) stage in the last 12 months are found in data Table 5C ‘PIP experimental statistics by period of initial decision, for initial disallowance decisions following a PIP assessment, MRs and appeals’ of the quarterly statistical publication ‘Personal Independence Payment: Official Statistics to October 2019’ published by the Department for Work and Pensions and available here:</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/personal-independence-payment-april-2013-to-october-2019" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/personal-independence-payment-april-2013-to-october-2019</a></p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 22/01/2020 11:28:27 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1190081

	registered interest
	date	24/04/2020
	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	Statutory Sick Pay
	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 level of the rate of statutory sick pay; and what discussions she has held with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on increasing that rate.
	tabling member constituency	York Central
	tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
	uin	39584
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/04/2020 answer text <p>Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) provides financial support to an employee when they are off work sick. Any increase to the rate of SSP would place an immediate, direct financial burden on employers at a time when we know many employers are struggling. This could put more jobs at risk.</p><p> </p><p>Statutory Sick Pay is just part of our welfare safety net and our wider government offer to support people in times of need. Those on low pay can receive more help through the welfare system, depending on their personal circumstances.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 29/04/2020 16:17:40 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1190082

	registered interest
	date	24/04/2020
	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	Statutory Sick Pay
	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 has taken to remove the (a) lower earnings limit and (b) 28-week cap for people claiming statutory sick pay.
	tabling member constituency	York Central
	tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
	uin	39585
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/04/2020 answer text <p>My department has been working with departments across government to ensure that there is an effective safety net for individuals who are unable to support themselves financially. Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is just one part of our welfare safety net and our wider offer to support people in times of need. Many of those earning below the Lower Earnings Limit (£120 per week), who are not eligible for SSP, are already in receipt of benefits. For those on Universal Credit, their award will rise if their income falls.</p><p> </p><p>Those who are not already in receipt of benefits may be able to claim Universal Credit and new style Employment and Support Allowance, depending on their personal circumstances, to support them when they are unable to work. We have ensured that benefits are easily accessible and more supportive for those who need to make a claim which will help millions of people most in need.</p><p> </p><p>Employees are eligible for up to 28 weeks of SSP per sickness absence. Sickness absences must be 8 or more weeks apart to count as separate periods of sickness. In any new period of sickness employees are eligible for 28 weeks of SSP.</p><p> </p><p>Employees who have received the maximum entitlement of SSP may be able to apply for <a href="https://www.gov.uk/universal-credit" target="_blank">Universal Credit</a> or new style <a href="https://www.gov.uk/employment-support-allowance" target="_blank">Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)</a>.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 29/04/2020 16:22:57 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1229603

	registered interest
	date	28/08/2020
	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	Migrants: York
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people living in (a) York Central constituency and (b) City of York Council area have No Recourse to Public Funds.
	tabling member constituency	York Central
	tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
	uin	82126
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/09/2020 answer text <p>I can confirm that we do not hold this information in DWP. We do not collect information on the number of individuals with No Recourse to Public Funds as a condition of their Immigration status.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 07/09/2020 14:40:00 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1329696

	registered interest
	date	04/06/2021
	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	Carer's Allowance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of the carers' allowance.
	tabling member constituency	York Central
	tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
	uin	10503
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2021 answer text <p>This Government continues to protect the value of benefits paid to carers whilst also spending record amounts in real terms.</p><p> </p><p>The level of Carer’s Allowance is protected by uprating it each April in line with inflation as measured by the CPI for the previous September. The purpose of benefit uprating is to ensure that the value of benefits stays in line with the general level of prices. From April 2021, the Carer’s Allowance payment was increased to £67.60. Since 2010, the rate of Carer’s Allowance has increased from £53.90 to £67.60 a week, providing an additional £700 a year for carers.</p><p> </p><p>Between 2021/22 and 2025/26 real terms expenditure on Carer’s Allowance is forecast to increase by nearly a third (around £0.8 billion). By 2025/26, the Government is forecast to spend just over £4bn a year on Carer’s Allowance.</p><p> </p><p>As well as Carer’s Allowance, carers have access to the full range of social security benefits. For example, carers on Universal Credit can receive around an additional £1,950 a year through the Carer Element. Carers receiving Universal Credit may also benefit from the temporary £20 a week increase in the Universal Credit standard allowance. Due to the temporary Covid-19 uplift, around 300,000 carer households receiving Universal Credit benefitted from an additional £1,040 during the 20/21 financial year. So this Government has chosen to focus extra support on those carers who need it most.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 10/06/2021 13:17:43 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1337444

	registered interest
	date	16/06/2021
	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	Social Security Benefits: Appeals
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what is the average time taken between people (a) submitting a mandatory reconsideration and (b) receiving an outcome in (i) York and (ii) England in the latest period for which that data is available.
	tabling member constituency	York Central
	tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
	uin	16890
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/06/2021 answer text <p>Information on Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) Work Capability Assessment (WCA) Mandatory Reconsideration (MR) clearances are available on GOV.UK:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/personal-independence-payment-statistics" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/personal-independence-payment-statistics</a></p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/employment-and-support-allowance-outcomes-of-work-capability-assessment" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/employment-and-support-allowance-outcomes-of-work-capability-assessment</a></p><p> </p><p>Additional breakdowns of the figures, including by Region, Local Authority and Parliamentary Constituency, are available on Stat-Xplore for PIP MR outcomes and ESA WCA MR outcomes and clearance times:</p><p><a href="https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/" target="_blank">https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/</a></p><p> </p><p>Guidance for users is available at:</p><p><a href="https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html" target="_blank">https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html</a></p><p> </p><p>PIP MR clearance times for financial year 2020-21 are shown in the table below. Additional figures by Region, Local Authority and Parliamentary Constituency, are available in the tables released with the PIP publication referenced above, specifically Tables 4B(i) and 4B(ii).</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>PIP MR Clearance Time (median calendar days)</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>England</p></td><td><p>40</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>York Local Authority</p></td><td><p>43</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>York Central Parliamentary Constituency</p></td><td><p>41</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Source: PIP Computer System claimant records</p><p> </p><p>Notes:</p><ul><li>Each PIP claim can have more than one MR registered against it.</li><li>Includes MRs against claims classified as ‘normal rules’ at point of registration</li><li>Based on clearance times from point of registration to the date the MR was cleared</li></ul><p> </p><p> </p><p>To provide information across all other DWP administered benefits would incur disproportionate cost.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson grouped question UIN 16891 question first answered 25/06/2021 12:16:11 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell