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166639

	registered interest
	date	27/11/2014
	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	Poverty: Children
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have carried out any forecasts of the level of child poverty between now and 2020; and if so, whether they will be made public.
	tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of St Albans
	uin	HL3230
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/12/2014 answer text <p /> <p>The Government does not produce forecasts of the number of children living in income poverty as the number of children in poverty is dependent on factors which cannot be reliably predicted, such as the median income.</p><p> </p><p>The Government does measure annual child poverty statistics through the National Statistics Households Below Average Income (HBAI) series. Estimates of the number and proportion of children in relative and absolute low income in the UK have consistently been reported since 1998/99; these are available for each financial year up to 2012/13, the latest period for which estimates are available.</p><p> </p><p>There has been no assessment of the impact on child poverty of the combined tax and benefit changes announced since May 2010. Available survey data does not allow the Government to robustly assess the combined effects of tax and benefit policy on households with children.</p><p> </p><p>However, this Government has taken unprecedented steps to assess the effects of its policy decisions across the distribution of household income, by publishing analysis of the cumulative effects of the tax and welfare measures announced at each fiscal event since the June Budget 2010. The latest analysis can be found in Chapter 2 of the attached report.</p> answering member printed Lord Freud grouped question UIN HL3231 question first answered 11/12/2014 16:55:04 answering member 3893 label Biography information for Lord Freud
	tabling member	4308 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of St Albans

166640

	registered interest
	date	27/11/2014
	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	Poverty: Children
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have calculated the impact on child poverty of the combined tax and benefit policy changes announced to date since May 2010.
	tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of St Albans
	uin	HL3231
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/12/2014 answer text <p>The Government does not produce forecasts of the number of children living in income poverty as the number of children in poverty is dependent on factors which cannot be reliably predicted, such as the median income.</p><p> </p><p>The Government does measure annual child poverty statistics through the National Statistics Households Below Average Income (HBAI) series. Estimates of the number and proportion of children in relative and absolute low income in the UK have consistently been reported since 1998/99; these are available for each financial year up to 2012/13, the latest period for which estimates are available.</p><p> </p><p>There has been no assessment of the impact on child poverty of the combined tax and benefit changes announced since May 2010. Available survey data does not allow the Government to robustly assess the combined effects of tax and benefit policy on households with children.</p><p> </p><p>However, this Government has taken unprecedented steps to assess the effects of its policy decisions across the distribution of household income, by publishing analysis of the cumulative effects of the tax and welfare measures announced at each fiscal event since the June Budget 2010. The latest analysis can be found in Chapter 2 of the attached report.</p> answering member printed Lord Freud grouped question UIN HL3230 question first answered 11/12/2014 16:55:04 answering member 3893 label Biography information for Lord Freud
	tabling member	4308 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of St Albans

49812

	registered interest
	date	06/05/2014
	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
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the financial impact on people on low incomes of uprating most cash benefits and tax credits by one per cent from April 2013 rather than in line with inflation.
	tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of St Albans
	uin	HL6828
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/05/2014 answer text <p /> <p /> <p>For 2013/14, the main rates of working-age benefits, statutory payments and tax credits were up-rated by one per cent in the Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order 2013. The Welfare Benefits Up-rating Act 2013 provided for the one per cent increase to apply for 2014/15 and 2015/16. Both of these were accompanied by Impact Assessments.</p><p> </p><p>As part of his ongoing public sector equality duty under the Equality Act 2010 to monitor impacts on ‘protected groups', the Secretary of State continues to monitor the impacts of the Welfare Benefits Up-rating Act 2013 in light of any changes to the underlying rate of inflation. The underlying rate of inflation for increases in 2014/15 is similar to that forecast by the Office for Budget Responsibility and used in the Impact Assessment. It is therefore likely that the impacts on affected households will be broadly similar to those detailed in the Impact Assessment.</p> answering member printed Lord Freud question first answered 12/05/2014 12:00:00 answering member 3893 label Biography information for Lord Freud
	tabling member	4308 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of St Albans

49813

	registered interest
	date	06/05/2014
	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
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether data on the provision of discretionary housing payments by local authorities are collected centrally.
	tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of St Albans
	uin	HL6829
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/05/2014 answer text <p /> <p /> <p>The Department asks local authorities to provide data on their use of Discretionary Housing Payments on a twice yearly basis. Information regarding April to September 2013 can be found at the following link:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/268411/use-of-discretionary-housing-payments-dec13.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/268411/use-of-discretionary-housing-payments-dec13.pdf</a></p><p> </p><p>The Department is currently gathering and quality assuring information regarding end of year spend from local authorities for 2013/14</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Freud question first answered 12/05/2014 12:00:00 answering member 3893 label Biography information for Lord Freud
	tabling member	4308 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of St Albans

155667

	registered interest
	date	17/11/2014
	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	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether people who are undergoing a work capability assessment because of mental health problems are guaranteed assessment by health professionals who have psychiatric expertise.
	tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of St Albans
	uin	HL2851
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/11/2014 answer text <p /> <p>All healthcare professionals who carry out work capability assessments on behalf of the DWP are fully trained in disability assessment and are registered with their respective Regulatory Body. Healthcare professionals receive comprehensive training in the functional effects of mental health conditions. In addition all health professionals are supported by mental function champions who have specialist knowledge of mental health conditions and provide support and best practice advice.</p> answering member printed Lord Freud question first answered 25/11/2014 14:38:05 answering member 3893 label Biography information for Lord Freud
	tabling member	4308 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of St Albans

79696

	registered interest
	date	28/07/2014
	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	Housing Benefit: Social Rented Housing
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to mitigate the impact of the under-occupancy charge on household debt.
	tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of St Albans
	uin	HL1588
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/07/2014 answer text <p> </p><p> </p><p>The removal of the spare room subsidy was a necessary change in order to get the housing benefit bill under control, return fairness to the system and make better use of social housing stock.</p><p> </p><p>For those that are vulnerable and who may require more time to make the transition to change, the Discretionary Housing Payment scheme administered by local authorities is available. Money management and budgeting and debt advice is also provided by many local authorities and social sector landlords.</p><p> </p><p>Additional Discretionary Housing Payment funding has been made available to local authorities to help them support vulnerable claimants to cope with the changes. For 2014/15 this totals £165m. At the end of 2013/14 £21m of the £180m central Government funding remained unspent. This included £7m from a bidding scheme fund that was available during the second half of the year and which all local authorities were encouraged to apply for.</p><p> </p><p>Recently published data from the Homes and Communities Agency shows housing association arrears in England falling for the two quarters to the end of March 2014 compared to the same period in the previous year. Rent collection remained at 99 per cent during the same period.</p><p> </p><p>We are continuing to monitor and evaluate the policy. The final report of the two year independent evaluation will be published during 2015.</p> answering member printed Lord Freud question first answered 30/07/2014 14:36:30 answering member 3893 label Biography information for Lord Freud
	tabling member	4308 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of St Albans

79697

	registered interest
	date	28/07/2014
	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	Housing Benefit: Social Rented 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 the impact of the under-occupancy charge on child poverty.
	tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of St Albans
	uin	HL1589
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/07/2014 answer text <p> </p><p> </p><p>This cost of providing this information is disproportionate.</p><p> </p><p>This Government has made good progress in tackling the root cause of child poverty and has recently published its 2014-17 child poverty strategy which outlines the actions being taken.</p><p> </p><p>The latest figures from 2012/13 show that the number of children in relative income poverty has fallen by 300,000 since 2009/10 representing the lowest level since the mid – 1980s.</p> answering member printed Lord Freud question first answered 30/07/2014 14:19:03 answering member 3893 label Biography information for Lord Freud
	tabling member	4308 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of St Albans

166641

	registered interest
	date	27/11/2014
	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
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what impact assessment they have made of further planned benefit freezes, including the impact on in-work poverty.
	tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of St Albans
	uin	HL3232
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/12/2014 answer text <p>This Government has no plans to further freeze benefits, so there are currently no plans to provide estimates of the potential effects or the impacts on in-work poverty.</p> answering member printed Lord Freud question first answered 02/12/2014 15:06:23 answering member 3893 label Biography information for Lord Freud
	tabling member	4308 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of St Albans

166642

	registered interest
	date	27/11/2014
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government by what date they expect that departments and the devolved administrations will have completed their consideration of extra-territorial jurisdiction in respect of offences established in accordance with the Istanbul Convention.
	tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of St Albans
	uin	HL3233
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/12/2014 answer text <p /> <p>This government takes its international obligations very seriously. That is why we signed the Istanbul Convention on 8 June 2012, to show our strong commitment to tackling violence against women and girls.</p><p> </p><p>The UK has some of the most robust laws in the world against violence towards women and girls. We have criminalised forced marriage but primary legislation will also be needed to comply with the extra-territorial jurisdiction provisions in Article 44 of the Convention before it can be ratified.</p><p> </p><p>Justice Ministers are currently considering the extent to which we need to amend the criminal law of England and Wales for compliance with Article 44 prior to ratification of the Convention.</p><p> </p><p>Any changes necessary to the criminal law in Scotland and Northern Ireland prior to ratification are matters for the devolved administrations. We will consult Ministers in the devolved administrations about whether legislative changes in England and Wales should extend to Scotland and Northern Ireland.</p> answering member printed Lord Faulks question first answered 08/12/2014 15:40:28 answering member 4183 label Biography information for Lord Faulks
	tabling member	4308 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of St Albans

79609

	registered interest
	date	24/07/2014
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	Angola
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with the government of Angola regarding food insecurity in that country; and whether they have encouraged that government to undertake an assessment of the situation.
	tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of St Albans
	uin	HL1505
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/08/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>Poor seasonal rainfall early in 2014 in parts of Western Angola has affected the harvest and food availability there. However, throughout most of the country production is considered to be good and expected to be higher than normal. This has helped to maintain reasonable food prices for urban populations.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Government has not had recent bilateral discussions with the Government of Angola regarding the food situation. The Government of Angola is leading the food assistance programme and is best placed to prepare for and lead such a response with the support of UN partners. The Government of Angola has set up an Inter-ministerial Commission to tackle the drought. The Government of Angola is also embarking on infrastructure projects, such as water supply projects, to mitigate drought impact in the future.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Northover question first answered 11/08/2014 10:41:05 answering member 2539 label Biography information for Baroness Northover
	tabling member	4308 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of St Albans