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1125532

	registered interest
	date	09/05/2019
	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	Unemployment
	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 her Department has made of the number of children in workless households.
	tabling member constituency	North East Hampshire
	tabling member printed	Mr Ranil Jayawardena
	uin	910855
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/05/2019 answer text <p>There are an estimated 1.2 million children living in workless households in the UK, down 67,000 on the year and down 665,000 since 2010. There are now a third less children living in workless households than in 2010.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 13/05/2019 14:55:43 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4498 label Biography information for Mr Ranil Jayawardena

1125261

	registered interest
	date	08/05/2019
	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	Discretionary Housing Payments: Domestic Abuse
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the discretionary housing payment funding allocated to claimants affected by domestic abuse in each of the last three years.
	tabling member constituency	Dulwich and West Norwood
	tabling member printed	Helen Hayes
	uin	252018
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/05/2019 answer text <p>Information on claimants affected by domestic abuse is not available to make an estimate of Discretionary Housing Payment funding allocated to domestic abuse victims due to data sensitivity.</p><p> </p><p>DHP guidance highlights the use of the fund in supporting victims of domestic abuse to move to a place of safety.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 13/05/2019 12:38:56 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4510 label Biography information for Helen Hayes

1125021

	registered interest
	date	07/05/2019
	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	Social Security Benefits: Coventry
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of the number of people affected by administrative errors made by her Department which led to the overpayment of benefits in Coventry.
	tabling member constituency	Coventry South
	tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
	uin	251210
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/05/2019 answer text <p>The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is focused on paying people their correct entitlement.</p><p> </p><p>Administrative errors are referred to as ‘official errors’ which have arisen from processing errors or delays by DWP or a Local Authority.</p><p> </p><p>A quality checking regime is in place and this is helping address official error.</p><p> </p><p>National Statistics Fraud and Error 2018/19 published 9 May 2019, indicate that estimated losses from official error account for 0.4% of total benefit expenditure.</p><p> </p><p>Internal Management Information shows that 48k claimants with a CV postcode had an actual ‘official error’ overpayment in 2018/19.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 13/05/2019 16:33:14 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

1124957

	registered interest
	date	07/05/2019
	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	Universal Credit: Mortgages
	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 difficulties faced by universal credit claimants applying for a mortgage; and if she will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	East Ham
	tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
	uin	251193
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/05/2019 answer text <p>The Financial Conduct Authority Handbook sets out rules and guidance for lenders. This provides that, prior to entering into a mortgage, a lender must assess whether the customer will be able to pay the sums due and must not enter into the transaction unless it can demonstrate that the mortgage is affordable for the customer (and any guarantor).</p><p> </p><p>It is up to individual lenders to determine how to ensure adherence to this requirement. Each lender is required to publish a written statement setting out the factors it will take into account in assessing a customer's ability to pay. This must, inter alia, address how income and expenditure is to be assessed, including details of the types of income which are acceptable.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 13/05/2019 12:55:26 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

1124632

	registered interest
	date	02/05/2019
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Students: Loans
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many individuals have received compensation or redress from the Student Loans Company as a result of wrongful decisions under its approach to combatting fraud.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Garden of Frognal
	uin	HL15500
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/05/2019 answer text <p>The Student Loans Company (SLC) carries out investigations where fraud is suspected, as well as sample checks to identify possible fraud. The SLC accesses a wide range of publicly available information for the purposes of verifying a customer’s eligibility and detecting and preventing fraud, and this may include publicly available social media content. The SLC only accesses information that is in the public domain; it does not use information sourced from social media in isolation to make a determination on a case; and it does not conduct ongoing monitoring or surveillance of students’ social media.</p><p> </p><p>The SLC provides a privacy notice to all students during their application for finance, which is also available on the SLC’s website. This notice sets out how students’ personal information is processed and used by the company, including that both the information provided by the student during their application and publicly available information, such as that on social media and other public platforms, may be used to detect, investigate and prevent crime including fraud.</p><p> </p><p>The SLC is also in the final stages of drafting a social media acceptable use policy, which covers all aspects of the company’s social media use. This policy is due to be published on the SLC’s website next month.</p><p> </p><p>The policy covers any publicly available social media platform. Currently, the SLC accesses publicly available content on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.</p><p> </p><p>The policy will be reviewed at least annually or more often if business requirements, legislation, or regulations change.</p><p> </p><p>In 2018-19, the SLC investigated 3,829 cases in relation to potential application fraud (out of a total of 2.8 million applicants and students). A further 5,289 cases were investigated in relation to repayment evasion (out of a total 5.7 million repayers). As part of the process for both preventing application fraud and eliminating repayment evasion, investigators may review publicly available information, such as that on social media and other public platforms. This does not occur in every investigation.</p><p> </p><p>To date in financial year (FY) 2019-20, and in FY 2018-19, no individuals received compensation or redress from the SLC as a result of wrongful decisions by the SLC's Counter Fraud Team. In FY 2017-18, one individual received an ex-gratia payment of £100.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Viscount Younger of Leckie grouped question UIN HL15498 HL15499 question first answered 13/05/2019 16:50:45 answering member 4169 label Biography information for Viscount Younger of Leckie
	tabling member	3842 label Biography information for Baroness Garden of Frognal

1124631

	registered interest
	date	02/05/2019
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Students: Loans
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many individuals' social media accounts the Student Loans Company has surveilled as part of its approach to combatting fraud.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Garden of Frognal
	uin	HL15499
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/05/2019 answer text <p>The Student Loans Company (SLC) carries out investigations where fraud is suspected, as well as sample checks to identify possible fraud. The SLC accesses a wide range of publicly available information for the purposes of verifying a customer’s eligibility and detecting and preventing fraud, and this may include publicly available social media content. The SLC only accesses information that is in the public domain; it does not use information sourced from social media in isolation to make a determination on a case; and it does not conduct ongoing monitoring or surveillance of students’ social media.</p><p> </p><p>The SLC provides a privacy notice to all students during their application for finance, which is also available on the SLC’s website. This notice sets out how students’ personal information is processed and used by the company, including that both the information provided by the student during their application and publicly available information, such as that on social media and other public platforms, may be used to detect, investigate and prevent crime including fraud.</p><p> </p><p>The SLC is also in the final stages of drafting a social media acceptable use policy, which covers all aspects of the company’s social media use. This policy is due to be published on the SLC’s website next month.</p><p> </p><p>The policy covers any publicly available social media platform. Currently, the SLC accesses publicly available content on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.</p><p> </p><p>The policy will be reviewed at least annually or more often if business requirements, legislation, or regulations change.</p><p> </p><p>In 2018-19, the SLC investigated 3,829 cases in relation to potential application fraud (out of a total of 2.8 million applicants and students). A further 5,289 cases were investigated in relation to repayment evasion (out of a total 5.7 million repayers). As part of the process for both preventing application fraud and eliminating repayment evasion, investigators may review publicly available information, such as that on social media and other public platforms. This does not occur in every investigation.</p><p> </p><p>To date in financial year (FY) 2019-20, and in FY 2018-19, no individuals received compensation or redress from the SLC as a result of wrongful decisions by the SLC's Counter Fraud Team. In FY 2017-18, one individual received an ex-gratia payment of £100.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Viscount Younger of Leckie grouped question UIN HL15498 HL15500 question first answered 13/05/2019 16:50:45 answering member 4169 label Biography information for Viscount Younger of Leckie
	tabling member	3842 label Biography information for Baroness Garden of Frognal

1124630

	registered interest
	date	02/05/2019
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Students: Loans
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government (1) what is the current policy of the Student Loans Company on the surveillance of students’ social media; (2) whether any such policy is publicly available; (3) which social media platforms may fall under this policy; and (4) what measures are in place to oversee this policy.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Garden of Frognal
	uin	HL15498
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/05/2019 answer text <p>The Student Loans Company (SLC) carries out investigations where fraud is suspected, as well as sample checks to identify possible fraud. The SLC accesses a wide range of publicly available information for the purposes of verifying a customer’s eligibility and detecting and preventing fraud, and this may include publicly available social media content. The SLC only accesses information that is in the public domain; it does not use information sourced from social media in isolation to make a determination on a case; and it does not conduct ongoing monitoring or surveillance of students’ social media.</p><p> </p><p>The SLC provides a privacy notice to all students during their application for finance, which is also available on the SLC’s website. This notice sets out how students’ personal information is processed and used by the company, including that both the information provided by the student during their application and publicly available information, such as that on social media and other public platforms, may be used to detect, investigate and prevent crime including fraud.</p><p> </p><p>The SLC is also in the final stages of drafting a social media acceptable use policy, which covers all aspects of the company’s social media use. This policy is due to be published on the SLC’s website next month.</p><p> </p><p>The policy covers any publicly available social media platform. Currently, the SLC accesses publicly available content on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.</p><p> </p><p>The policy will be reviewed at least annually or more often if business requirements, legislation, or regulations change.</p><p> </p><p>In 2018-19, the SLC investigated 3,829 cases in relation to potential application fraud (out of a total of 2.8 million applicants and students). A further 5,289 cases were investigated in relation to repayment evasion (out of a total 5.7 million repayers). As part of the process for both preventing application fraud and eliminating repayment evasion, investigators may review publicly available information, such as that on social media and other public platforms. This does not occur in every investigation.</p><p> </p><p>To date in financial year (FY) 2019-20, and in FY 2018-19, no individuals received compensation or redress from the SLC as a result of wrongful decisions by the SLC's Counter Fraud Team. In FY 2017-18, one individual received an ex-gratia payment of £100.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Viscount Younger of Leckie grouped question UIN HL15499 HL15500 question first answered 13/05/2019 16:50:45 answering member 4169 label Biography information for Viscount Younger of Leckie
	tabling member	3842 label Biography information for Baroness Garden of Frognal

1123775

	registered interest
	date	29/04/2019
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Universities: Disclosure of Information
	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 use of non-disclosure agreements by universities.
	tabling member printed	Lord Storey
	uin	HL15413
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/05/2019 answer text <p>Many organisations, including universities, use non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) and confidentiality agreements legitimately. Universities are autonomous institutions and the Department for Education has not made any specific analysis of their use of NDAs.</p><p>We expect universities to only use NDAs where necessary and appropriate. Any misuse of these agreements to intimidate and silence people is completely unacceptable.</p><p>In a speech on 7 May at the London School of Economics, my hon. Friend, the Minister for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation, said that non-disclosure clauses should only be used in appropriate circumstances, like protecting valuable research findings should a staff member change jobs. He added that they should not be used to cover up inappropriate behaviour or conduct.</p><p>The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy recently consulted on the best way to tighten the laws around NDAs for workers, ensuring workers are clear on their rights and making it clear in law that people cannot be prevented from speaking to the police or reporting a crime regardless of any NDA. Responses to the consultation are currently being analysed.</p> answering member printed Viscount Younger of Leckie question first answered 13/05/2019 16:50:10 answering member 4169 label Biography information for Viscount Younger of Leckie
	tabling member	4238 label Biography information for Lord Storey

1125360

	registered interest
	date	08/05/2019
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Theft: Wales
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment his Department has made of trends in the level of reported incidents of (a) burglary and (b) petty theft in Wales in the last five years.
	tabling member constituency	Cardiff Central
	tabling member printed	Jo Stevens
	uin	252052
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/05/2019 answer text <p>We are committed to tackling all forms of acquisitive crime, including burglary. The Minister for Policing and the Fire Service chaired the first meeting of a new Burglary Taskforce which brings together the police, industry, charities and others to look at what more can be done to tackle this crime.</p><p>The Office for National Statistics publishes on a quarterly basis the numbers of crimes reported to and recorded to the four police forces in Wales. Data can be found in the police force area tables: <a href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/datasets/policeforceareadatatables" target="_blank">https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/datasets/policeforceareadatatables</a></p><p>This includes breakdowns of burglary and other types of theft. There is no specific classification of ‘petty theft’ and such incidents will be included across a range of theft types.</p> answering member constituency Louth and Horncastle answering member printed Victoria Atkins question first answered 13/05/2019 16:03:16 answering member 4399 label Biography information for Victoria Atkins
	tabling member	4425 label Biography information for Jo Stevens

1124361

	registered interest
	date	01/05/2019
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Home Office: Emerdata
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether (a) his Department, (b) his Department's agencies and (c) his Department's associated public bodies have entered into contracts with Emerdata Limited in the last year.
	tabling member constituency	Edinburgh North and Leith
	tabling member printed	Deidre Brock
	uin	250038
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/05/2019 answer text <p>Our records show that neither; (a) the Home Department, (b) the Department’s agencies, or (c) the Department’s associated public bodies have entered into any contracts with Emerdata Limited in the last year.</p><p><br>Home Office are committed to the HMT Transparency Agenda and EU Competition regulations and therefore all contract requirements and awards that exceed the EU procurement directives' financial thresholds are advertised in the <a href="http://ted.publications.eu.int/official/" target="_blank">Supplement to the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU)</a> via contract notices. Furthermore, all requirements and contract awards over £10,000 are published on <a href="https://online.contractsfinder.businesslink.gov.uk/" target="_blank">Contracts Finder</a> at this link: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/contracts-finder" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/contracts-finder</a> .</p> answering member constituency Louth and Horncastle answering member printed Victoria Atkins question first answered 13/05/2019 15:59:04 answering member 4399 label Biography information for Victoria Atkins
	tabling member	4417 label Biography information for Deidre Brock