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1135888

	registered interest
	date	01/07/2019
	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	Funeral Payments
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how long on average it takes to (a) agree and (b) allocate the Social Fund funerals expense payment.
	tabling member constituency	Stroud
	tabling member printed	Dr David Drew
	uin	271339
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/07/2019 answer text <p>On average, it takes The Department for Work &amp; Pensions 2-3 weeks to process a Social Fund Funeral Payment from the point of claim, to the decision maker determining whether entitlement exists. In the instances when entitlement exists, it then takes an additional 3-5 working days for the payment to credit to either the Funeral Director’s or claimant’s bank account.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 04/07/2019 14:46:16 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	252 label Biography information for Dr David Drew

1135889

	registered interest
	date	01/07/2019
	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	Funerals
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has plans to increase awareness among the relatives of deceased people of (a) direct funerals and (b) other funeral options; and if she will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Stroud
	tabling member printed	Dr David Drew
	uin	271340
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/07/2019 answer text <p>My officials regularly engage with funeral and bereavement stakeholders to help them build awareness of the support available</p><p> </p><p>In August 2018, the GOV.UK website was updated with a step-by-step guide about to do after someone has died, including arranging a funeral and applying for a Funeral Expenses Payments.</p><p> </p><p>DWP is currently updating the leaflet that registrars give to people registering deaths. The revised version will include details of Funeral Expense Payments, and direct people to the GOV.UK step-by-step guide. DWP staff can also provide this information over the phone or in Jobcentres.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince grouped question UIN 271352 question first answered 04/07/2019 13:27:45 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	252 label Biography information for Dr David Drew

1135890

	registered interest
	date	01/07/2019
	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	Public Health Funerals
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many pauper funerals were held in England in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and whether local authorities are in all cases able to claim back the costs of those funerals through the Social Fund funeral expenses fund.
	tabling member constituency	Stroud
	tabling member printed	Dr David Drew
	uin	271341
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/07/2019 answer text <p>The Social Fund Funeral Expenses Payments scheme is available to people on qualifying income based benefits. It does not provide funding for local authorities.</p><p> </p><p>My department does not collect data on the number of Local Authority funerals. MHCLG own the policy for Public Health (LA) funerals, but do not collect information on the number of public health funerals held.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 04/07/2019 13:17:47 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	252 label Biography information for Dr David Drew

1136078

	registered interest
	date	01/07/2019
	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	Funeral Payments
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans she has to increase (a) knowledge of, (b) access to and (c) take-up of social fund funeral payments.
	tabling member constituency	Stroud
	tabling member printed	Dr David Drew
	uin	271352
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/07/2019 answer text <p>My officials regularly engage with funeral and bereavement stakeholders to help them build awareness of the support available</p><p> </p><p>In August 2018, the GOV.UK website was updated with a step-by-step guide about to do after someone has died, including arranging a funeral and applying for a Funeral Expenses Payments.</p><p> </p><p>DWP is currently updating the leaflet that registrars give to people registering deaths. The revised version will include details of Funeral Expense Payments, and direct people to the GOV.UK step-by-step guide. DWP staff can also provide this information over the phone or in Jobcentres.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince grouped question UIN 271340 question first answered 04/07/2019 13:27:45 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	252 label Biography information for Dr David Drew

1136197

	registered interest
	date	02/07/2019
	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	Funeral Payments
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans she has to ensure that the Social Fund Funeral Payments meet the costs of cremation.
	tabling member constituency	Stroud
	tabling member printed	Dr David Drew
	uin	272119
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/07/2019 answer text <p>The Social Fund Funeral Expenses Payments scheme, provides a significant contribution towards funeral costs for claimants in receipt of a qualifying benefit. It continues to meet the legislated necessary costs of a cremation, with the amount of the average award increasing year-on-year to meet these costs. It also provides up to £700 towards other costs, such as flowers, coffin and funeral director fees.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 09/07/2019 14:37:06 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	252 label Biography information for Dr David Drew

1027375

	registered interest
	date	17/12/2018
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Vetting: Standards
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps the Government is taking to reduce waiting times for checks by the Disclosure and Barring Service; and what support is being given to local police forces to help with the workload these checks require of them.
	tabling member constituency	Stroud
	tabling member printed	Dr David Drew
	uin	202698
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/12/2018 answer text <p>The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) process over 4 million checks every year and operate to published service standards set out here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dbs-business-plan-2018-2019" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dbs-business-plan-2018-2019</a> The Home Office, as the sponsoring Department for the DBS, monitors performance to track attainment of these standards.</p><p>The Home Office has published statutory guidance to assist chief officers of police to provide the correct information for enhanced criminal record certificates. The guidance is published here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/statutory-disclosure-guidance" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/statutory-disclosure-guidance</a></p><p>The DBS monitor and work closely with local police forces to minimise any delays to applications being processed. All police force disclosure unit performance data is published in line with DBS’ publication scheme. This can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/dbs-dataset-5-police-disclosure-unit-performance%20" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/dbs-dataset-5-police-disclosure-unit-performance </a></p> answering member constituency Louth and Horncastle answering member printed Victoria Atkins question first answered 20/12/2018 16:37:36 answering member 4399 label Biography information for Victoria Atkins
	tabling member	252 label Biography information for Dr David Drew

971296

	registered interest
	date	10/09/2018
	answering body	Women and Equalities
	answering dept id	31
	answering dept short name	Women and Equalities
	answering dept sort name	Women and Equalities
	hansard heading	Single People: Discrimination
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps she has taken to ensure that single people are not discriminated against in relation to those who are married or in civil partnerships.
	tabling member constituency	Stroud
	tabling member printed	Dr David Drew
	uin	172406
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/09/2018 answer text <p>Although being single is not a protected characteristic (unlike, for example, race or sex) in the Equality Act 2010, single people can particularly benefit from other protec-tions in that legislation - for example, provisions which allow shops and attractions to charge older or younger people less than working-age adults. These concessions, for example cheaper haircuts for pensioners or discounted entry to events and museums for students and pensioners, are likely to be of particular benefit to single people, who are strongly represented in these groups.</p> answering member constituency Louth and Horncastle answering member printed Victoria Atkins question first answered 28/09/2018 10:16:26 answering member 4399 label Biography information for Victoria Atkins
	tabling member	252 label Biography information for Dr David Drew

1027578

	registered interest
	date	18/12/2018
	answering body	House of Commons Commission
	answering dept id	18
	answering dept short name	House of Commons Commission
	answering dept sort name	House of Commons Commission
	hansard heading	House of Commons: Hearing Impaired
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the right hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington, representing the House of Commons Commission, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the loop system in the House of Commons for people with hearing difficulties.
	tabling member constituency	Stroud
	tabling member printed	Dr David Drew
	uin	203233
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/01/2019 answer text <p>Since January 2018, Parliament’s Sound and Vision Contractor, NEP Bow Tie TV, have been conducting monthly checks with the support of the In-House Services Team on 69 assistive listening systems throughout the main rooms on the Parliamentary Estate to the current BS/IEC standards (BS8594 and 601884IEC). Prior to January 2018, these checks were carried out on an annual basis. A report is supplied each month to the contract owner, the Parliamentary Broadcasting Unit, and the In-House Services Team and Diversity and Inclusion teams.</p><p>Independent audits are also conducted by Action on Hearing Loss.</p><p>In addition to monthly checks, a comprehensive, annual &quot;Commissioning&quot; test is carried out by NEP Bow Tie TV. This checks for Background Noise; Field Strength; Frequency Response; Live Listening; Live Signal; System Noise; Overspill; and Venue Accessibility.</p><p>Where high quality sound systems are installed, such as in the Chamber and in committee rooms, audio quality is generally good. However, a report by Wave Science Technology has highlighted that further improvements could be achieved in meeting rooms. The recommendations from the external audio consultant relating to assistive listening will be considered in January as part of an on-going review of audio/video provision in committee and other meeting rooms. This work has been undertaken by Parliament’s AV Programme which has been delivering other improvements to audio video systems across the Estate.</p> answering member constituency Carshalton and Wallington answering member printed Tom Brake question first answered 17/01/2019 19:44:18 answering member 151 label Biography information for Tom Brake previous answer version 94296 answering member constituency Carshalton and Wallington answering member printed Tom Brake answering member 151 label Biography information for Tom Brake
	tabling member	252 label Biography information for Dr David Drew

1041331

	registered interest
	date	14/01/2019
	answering body	House of Commons Commission
	answering dept id	18
	answering dept short name	House of Commons Commission
	answering dept sort name	House of Commons Commission
	hansard heading	Members: Official Hospitality
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the right hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington, representing the House of Commons Commission, how much money is now owed by (a) hon. Members and (b) former hon Members for unpaid catering and hospitality bills at the House of Commons (i) in total, and (ii) as a proportion of the turnover of catering and hospitality in the House of Commons; and what steps the Commission is taking to ensure the collection of those debts.
	tabling member constituency	Stroud
	tabling member printed	Dr David Drew
	uin	208188
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/01/2019 answer text <p>The House of Commons has a debt management process regarding the recovery of monies owed by all parties. In relation to Members’ catering accounts, all sums due are expected to be settled within six weeks. Statements are sent out monthly and undisputed amounts owed are charged ten days later to the Members nominated card. Any amounts outstanding after the settlement date are followed up by emails, letters and telephone calls.</p><p>As shown in table 1, a total sum of £440 currently outstanding against catering and banqueting accounts is related to Member expenditure. There are no amounts outstanding in relation to former Members.</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td colspan="2"><p><strong>Amount outstanding relating to Members</strong></p></td><td colspan="2"><p><strong>Amount outstanding relating to former Members</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>FY 2018/19 Budget</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p><strong>£</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>% of budget</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>£</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>% of budget</strong></p></td><td><p><strong> </strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Banqueting</p></td><td><p>-</p></td><td><p>0%</p></td><td><p>-</p></td><td><p>0%</p></td><td><p>£6,502,522</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Catering</p></td><td><p>£440</p></td><td><p>0.009%</p></td><td><p>-</p></td><td><p>0%</p></td><td><p>£4,668,756</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Total</p></td><td><p>£440</p></td><td><p>0.004%</p></td><td><p>-</p></td><td><p>0%</p></td><td><p>£11,171,278</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br>Table 2 sets out the outstanding amounts owed to the House, broken into Member and non-member categories, where non-members consist of trade and internal customers.<strong> </strong></p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td colspan="2"><p><strong>Outstanding – Trade and internal customers</strong></p></td><td colspan="2"><p><strong>Outstanding - Members</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>FY 2018/19 Budget</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p><strong>£</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>% of budget</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>£</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>% of budget</strong></p></td><td><p><strong> </strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Banqueting</p></td><td><p>£278,815</p></td><td><p>4.29%</p></td><td><p>-</p></td><td><p>0%</p></td><td><p>£6,502,522</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Catering</p></td><td><p>£7,233</p></td><td><p>0.15%</p></td><td><p>£440</p></td><td><p>0.009%</p></td><td><p>£4,668,756</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Total</p></td><td><p>£286,048</p></td><td><p>2.56%</p></td><td><p>£440</p></td><td><p>0.004%</p></td><td><p>£11,171,278</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p> answering member constituency Carshalton and Wallington answering member printed Tom Brake question first answered 30/01/2019 11:23:19 answering member 151 label Biography information for Tom Brake previous answer version 96135 answering member constituency Carshalton and Wallington answering member printed Tom Brake answering member 151 label Biography information for Tom Brake
	tabling member	252 label Biography information for Dr David Drew

1054999

	registered interest
	date	05/02/2019
	answering body	House of Commons Commission
	answering dept id	18
	answering dept short name	House of Commons Commission
	answering dept sort name	House of Commons Commission
	hansard heading	House of Commons: Security
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the right hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington, representing the House of Commons Commission, for what reasons the terms, conditions and rates of overtime pay of House of Commons security staff have been altered.
	tabling member constituency	Stroud
	tabling member printed	Dr David Drew
	uin	216913
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/02/2019 answer text <p>The terms and conditions and rates of overtime pay for House of Commons security staff have not been altered.</p><p>Approximately 55% of security staff in the Parliamentary Security Department, are former employees of the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) and transferred to the House Service on 1 April 2016. Their MPS terms and conditions are honoured under the Transfer of Undertaking (Protection of Employment) Regulations (TUPE). New recruits are employed on House of Commons terms and conditions which differ in a number of ways including the rates of overtime paid. The overall value of these terms is broadly equivalent to the MPS TUPE terms.</p><p>In late 2016, an error was identified in the contracts for a small number of staff employed on House of Commons terms which resulted in overtime being paid at an incorrect rate. Affected staff were informed of the error and given a notice period for a variation to their contracts during which they were paid at the higher rate. Any overtime paid during the relevant period (between date of appointment and date of variation to contract) was paid at the higher rate and not recovered. This issue was also heard at an Employment Tribunal which ruled in favour of the House.</p><p>The unions have asked us to consider changes to overtime rates for those staff on House of Commons contracts which we will consider as part of pay negotiations for 2019/20.</p> answering member constituency Carshalton and Wallington answering member printed Tom Brake question first answered 12/02/2019 12:19:10 answering member 151 label Biography information for Tom Brake previous answer version 101144 answering member constituency Carshalton and Wallington answering member printed Tom Brake answering member 151 label Biography information for Tom Brake
	tabling member	252 label Biography information for Dr David Drew