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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

388163

	registered interest
	date	07/07/2015
	answering body	Ministry of Defence
	answering dept id	11
	answering dept short name	Defence
	answering dept sort name	Defence
	hansard heading	Mediterranean Sea: Refugees
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many refugees the Royal Navy has rescued in the Mediterranean (a) in total and (b) as a proportion of all those rescued.
	tabling member constituency	Kettering
	tabling member printed	Mr Philip Hollobone
	uin	6011
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/07/2015 answer text <p>To date, the Royal Navy has rescued <del class="ministerial">4,752</del> <ins class="ministerial">4,747</ins> persons under its Search and Rescue mission in the Mediterranean. The Royal Navy does not record whether a rescued person is a refugee or an economic migrant; this is the responsibility of the receiving nation (in this instance, Italy). The Ministry of Defence does not hold overall statistics of all those rescued at sea by other nations.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Portsmouth North answering member printed Penny Mordaunt question first answered 13/07/2015 16:24:35 question first ministerially corrected 23/07/2015 11:40:32 answering member 4017 label Biography information for Penny Mordaunt previous answer version 13486 answering member constituency Portsmouth North answering member printed Penny Mordaunt answering member 4017 label Biography information for Penny Mordaunt
	tabling member	1537 label Biography information for Mr Philip Hollobone

426496

	registered interest
	date	05/11/2015
	answering body	Ministry of Defence
	answering dept id	11
	answering dept short name	Defence
	answering dept sort name	Defence
	hansard heading	Syria: Refugees
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, in what conditions the 114 Syrian refugees are being held at RAF Dhekelia in Cyprus; and if he will undertake to ensure that these conditions are inspected as to their appropriateness.
	tabling member constituency	Tottenham
	tabling member printed	Mr David Lammy
	uin	15067
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/11/2015 answer text <br /><p>The <del class="ministerial">temporary accommodation</del><ins class="ministerial">transit</ins> facility at Dhekelia Station in Cyprus where the migrants are being held provides access to three meals a day, shelter <del class="ministerial">with heaters</del>, duvets and blankets, privacy and communications as well as facilities for religious worship. <ins class="ministerial">The electrical supply is being upgraded to provide heaters for when the weather turns colder.</ins>Medical care is being provided if needed. The Ministry of Defence was advised by the Department for International Development (DFID) when designing and constructing the facility, and DFID continue to provide support and advice on the ground. It has been visited by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees representative in Cyprus, who has said that the conditions of the facility exceeds the standard of comparable set-ups.</p><br /><br /> answering member constituency Portsmouth North answering member printed Penny Mordaunt question first answered 10/11/2015 16:24:35 question first ministerially corrected 13/11/2015 15:00:00 answering member 4017 label Biography information for Penny Mordaunt previous answer version 28737 answering member constituency Portsmouth North answering member printed Penny Mordaunt answering member 4017 label Biography information for Penny Mordaunt
	tabling member	206 label Biography information for Mr David Lammy

432246

	registered interest
	date	25/11/2015
	answering body	Ministry of Defence
	answering dept id	11
	answering dept short name	Defence
	answering dept sort name	Defence
	hansard heading	Armed Forces: Training
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the cost of providing adventurous training in Bavaria to each branch of the armed forces was in each of the last 10 years; how many personnel in each branch have participated in such training in each of those years; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Bridgend
	tabling member printed	Mrs Madeleine Moon
	uin	17646
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/12/2015 answer text <p>The Ministry of Defence does not hold records dating back 10 years, however over the last financial year (financial year 2014-15<ins class="ministerial">for the Navy and RAF, and predicted for financial year 2015-16 for the Army</ins>) the detailed breakdown of the costs to deliver adventurous training, by service, at each of the three adventurous training centres in Bavaria, are as follows:</p><br /><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Training Centre</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Personnel Participating (approx)</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Approx cost (per year)</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Force Development Training Centre (FDAT) Bavaria (RAF)</p></td><td><p>1,740</p></td><td><p>£850,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Naval Outdoor Centre Germany (NOCG) (Navy)</p></td><td><p>2,000</p></td><td><p>£1.4 million</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Adventurous Training Centre (ATC) Bavaria (Army)</p></td><td><p>1,300</p></td><td><p>£3.5 million</p></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> answering member constituency Portsmouth North answering member printed Penny Mordaunt question first answered 03/12/2015 16:30:24 question first ministerially corrected 28/01/2016 13:40:42 answering member 4017 label Biography information for Penny Mordaunt previous answer version 33470 answering member constituency Portsmouth North answering member printed Penny Mordaunt answering member 4017 label Biography information for Penny Mordaunt
	tabling member	1490 label Biography information for Mrs Madeleine Moon

535578

	registered interest
	date	12/07/2016
	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
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many assessments of claimants transferring between disability living allowance and personal independence payments have been made in the last five years.
	tabling member constituency	Gateshead
	tabling member printed	Ian Mearns
	uin	42533
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/07/2016 answer text <p>Information on Personal Independence Payment (PIP) clearances by type (e.g. awarded/disallowed after or before referral to the assessment provider or withdrawn), for both new claims and reassessed claims (for those previously in receipt of Disability Living Allowance (DLA)), is published on Gov.UK: <a href="https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/" target="_blank">https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk</a></p><p>Guidance on how to use Stat-Xplore can be found here: <a href="https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/index.html" target="_blank">https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/index.html</a>.</p> answering member constituency Portsmouth North answering member printed Penny Mordaunt grouped question UIN 42534 question first answered 19/07/2016 13:18:22 answering member 4017 label Biography information for Penny Mordaunt
	tabling member	4000 label Biography information for Ian Mearns

535579

	registered interest
	date	12/07/2016
	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
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claimants have been transferred from disability living allowance to personal independence payments in the last three years.
	tabling member constituency	Gateshead
	tabling member printed	Ian Mearns
	uin	42534
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/07/2016 answer text <p>Information on Personal Independence Payment (PIP) clearances by type (e.g. awarded/disallowed after or before referral to the assessment provider or withdrawn), for both new claims and reassessed claims (for those previously in receipt of Disability Living Allowance (DLA)), is published on Gov.UK: <a href="https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/" target="_blank">https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk</a></p><p>Guidance on how to use Stat-Xplore can be found here: <a href="https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/index.html" target="_blank">https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/index.html</a>.</p> answering member constituency Portsmouth North answering member printed Penny Mordaunt grouped question UIN 42533 question first answered 19/07/2016 13:18:22 answering member 4017 label Biography information for Penny Mordaunt
	tabling member	4000 label Biography information for Ian Mearns

535585

	registered interest
	date	12/07/2016
	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
	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 has taken to ensure consistency in the length of intervals between awards of personal independence payments.
	tabling member constituency	Ogmore
	tabling member printed	Chris Elmore
	uin	42461
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/07/2016 answer text <p>The assessment for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is designed to treat people as individuals, considering the impact of their impairment or health condition on their everyday life and how each claimant has personally adapted to living with a disability. The length of an award for PIP is based on the needs of the individual claimant and whether these are likely to change in the future, as a result, for example, of treatment or changes in their health condition.</p><p> </p><p>The Department monitors all aspects of the PIP application process including the performance of the assessment providers, Atos Healthcare and Capita. The reports of Health Professionals who carry out assessments are subject to quality audit, to ensure accurate advice on the best time to review a case based on a claimant’s individual circumstances.</p><p> </p><p>The PIP Assessment Guide for Health Professionals carrying out assessments includes guidance on how to determine the length of an award – Section 2.9 Prognosis (page 54) and 2.10 Review dates (page 56).</p><p> </p><p>This guidance can be accessed on the gov.uk website:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/449043/pip-assessment-guide.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/449043/pip-assessment-guide.pdf</a></p><p> </p><p>There is also guidance and information for DWP decision makers on how best to establish the length of an award.</p> answering member constituency Portsmouth North answering member printed Penny Mordaunt question first answered 19/07/2016 15:21:04 answering member 4017 label Biography information for Penny Mordaunt
	tabling member	4572 label Biography information for Chris Elmore

536189

	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 steps his Department takes to ensure that the level of functional impairment is adequately assessed to provide appropriate support for a claimant to obtain employment.
	tabling member constituency	East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow
	tabling member printed	Dr Lisa Cameron
	uin	42659
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/07/2016 answer text <p>The Department introduced the independent audit of Work Capability Assessments in March 2015 in line with the start of the new Health and Disability Assessment Service contract.</p><p> </p><p>Audit has a central role in confirming that independent health professional advice complies with the required standards and that it is clear and medically reasonable. It also provides assurance that any approach to assessment and opinion given is consistent so that, irrespective of where or by whom the assessment is carried out, claimants with conditions that have the same functional effect will ultimately receive the same benefit outcome.</p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Portsmouth North answering member printed Penny Mordaunt question first answered 19/07/2016 13:22:29 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