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65379

	registered interest
	date	02/07/2014
	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	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, how many decisions based on work capability assessments were overturned during the completion of the mandatory reconsideration period in (a) 2013-14 and (b) 2012-13.
	tabling member constituency	Islington South and Finsbury
	tabling member printed	Emily Thornberry
	uin	203624
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/07/2014 answer text <p /> <p /> <p /> <p>The Department is collecting information to understand how the introduction of mandatory reconsideration (MR) is operating.</p><p> </p><p>However, this data is not sufficiently robust and reliable to make available at this time.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Hemel Hempstead answering member printed Mike Penning question first answered 07/07/2014 14:22:31 answering member 1528 label Biography information for Sir Mike Penning
	tabling member	1536 label Biography information for Emily Thornberry

61069

	registered interest
	date	10/06/2014
	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	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what training (a) Atos staff and (b) staff of his Department are given in mental health for the purposes of assessing whether claimants are fit for work.
	tabling member constituency	Leeds Central
	tabling member printed	Hilary Benn
	uin	199817
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/06/2014 answer text <p /> <p /> <p>All healthcare professionals receive training in mental health issues as part of their induction training, are required to engage in a programme of continuing medical education which includes modules on mental health issues, and have access to Mental Function Champions.</p><p> </p><p>Atos training and guidance materials are regularly reviewed and external experts including the Royal College of Psychiatrists are involved in quality assurance.</p><p> </p><p>All healthcare professionals are monitored to ensure that their work meets the required quality standards. If a problem is identified, the healthcare professional may be required to undertake tailored training, which may involve training in mental health issues if required.</p><p> </p><p>DWP staff receive training in respect of decisions concerning medical or disability issues, including mental health. Specifically learning is provided on:</p><p> </p><ul><li>understanding the WCA descriptors</li><li>gathering evidence from the claimant and medical professionals</li><li>using the evidence to apply the descriptors and determine capability for work.</li></ul><p> </p><p>Within the learning emphasis is placed on the on-going support available to Decision Makers from Atos Healthcare to interpret and understand medical information.</p><p> </p><p>In the Independent Review of the Work Capability Assessment published in December 2013, Doctor Litchfield made a number of recommendations related to training in mental health which have been accepted subject to further scoping work.</p> answering member constituency Hemel Hempstead answering member printed Mike Penning question first answered 16/06/2014 14:39:23 answering member 1528 label Biography information for Sir Mike Penning
	tabling member	413 label Biography information for Hilary Benn

61849

	registered interest
	date	12/06/2014
	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	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what response he has given to the recommendation of the Welfare Reform Committee of the Scottish Parliament that (a) those living with long-term progressive conditions should not be subject to reassessments and (b) changes should be made to the work capability assessment criteria to better recognise the impact of hidden symptoms and fluctuating conditions including multiple sclerosis.
	tabling member constituency	Dumfries and Galloway
	tabling member printed	Mr Russell Brown
	uin	200620
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/06/2014 answer text <p /> <p /> <p>As Minister of State with the responsibility for this policy area I responded to the letter dated 21 March 2014 from the Welfare Reform Committee of the Scottish Parliament on 26 April. In this letter I:</p><p> </p><p>a) responded by explaining the importance of claimants having contact with the Department; the need to move away from the old style Incapacity Benefit; and that Employment and Support Allowance claimants, including those claimants with progressive illnesses, will be placed in the Support Group if they meet the criteria.</p><p> </p><p>b) responded that through the Evidence Based Review of the Work Capability Assessment the current descriptors were tested against an alternative assessment and what the findings indicated</p> answering member constituency Hemel Hempstead answering member printed Mike Penning question first answered 18/06/2014 15:07:05 answering member 1528 label Biography information for Sir Mike Penning
	tabling member	588 label Biography information for Mr Russell Brown

61833

	registered interest
	date	12/06/2014
	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	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 collect data on work capability assessment outcomes for people diagnosed with fibromyalgia; and if he will estimate the cost of collecting such data.
	tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
	tabling member printed	Mr Frank Field
	uin	200544
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/06/2014 answer text <p /> <p /> <p>The Department does collect some data on Work Capability Assessment (WCA) outcomes for people diagnosed with fibromyalgia but it is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.</p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Hemel Hempstead answering member printed Mike Penning question first answered 18/06/2014 15:55:32 answering member 1528 label Biography information for Sir Mike Penning
	tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead

57876

	registered interest
	date	04/06/2014
	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	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 mandatory reconsideration periods have exceeded 14 days; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
	tabling member printed	Mr Frank Field
	uin	198805
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/06/2014 answer text <p /> <p /> <p>The Department is collecting information to understand how the introduction of mandatory reconsideration is operating, including completion timescales. However, this data is not sufficiently robust and reliable to make available.</p><p> </p><p>In the production of new statistics, which all the above would be, the Department works to guidelines set by the UK Statistics Authority to ensure we are able to publish statistics that meet the high quality standards expected. Departmental statisticians need to assure themselves of the quality of administrative data sources before releasing information as Official statistics, and before the exact timing and format of statistics can be confirmed. .</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Hemel Hempstead answering member printed Mike Penning grouped question UIN 198667 question first answered 09/06/2014 15:14:45 answering member 1528 label Biography information for Sir Mike Penning
	tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead

62410

	registered interest
	date	17/06/2014
	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	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 that reminders should be sent by text or other telephonic means informing people of the date, time and location of their upcoming work capability assessments.
	tabling member constituency	Preston
	tabling member printed	Mark Hendrick
	uin	201091
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/06/2014 answer text <p /> <p /> <p>The Department is keen that claimants are encouraged to attend their Work Capability Assessments, however any adjustments to the process which involve the means described would be subject to commercial and operational considerations. As such I am unable to commit to making this Departmental policy.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hemel Hempstead answering member printed Mike Penning question first answered 24/06/2014 16:36:34 answering member 1528 label Biography information for Sir Mike Penning
	tabling member	473 label Biography information for Sir Mark Hendrick

57922

	registered interest
	date	04/06/2014
	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	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claimants died in each month of the last three years (a) after attending a work capability assessment and (b) having been assessed as fit for work and then appealed, but died before that appeal was heard.
	tabling member constituency	Oldham West and Royton
	tabling member printed	Mr Michael Meacher
	uin	198772
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/06/2014 answer text <p /> <p /> <p>The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hemel Hempstead answering member printed Mike Penning question first answered 09/06/2014 14:18:24 answering member 1528 label Biography information for Sir Mike Penning
	tabling member	454 label Biography information for Mr Michael Meacher

63983

	registered interest
	date	25/06/2014
	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	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the backlog of work capability assessments.
	tabling member constituency	Dudley North
	tabling member printed	Ian Austin
	uin	202333
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/07/2014 answer text <p /> <p /> <p>We are working closely with Atos to deliver the best possible service for claimants and ensure the number of cases outstanding with them continues to fall.</p><p> </p><p>We announced last summer that we were looking to bring in further provision to support the delivery of the Work Capability Assessment. In the meantime, we have been working closely with Atos to improve their performance and have put in place changes to better manage the flow of work between the Department, all designed to reduce waiting times for claimants. These measures are taking effect and the backlog of cases has fallen over the past few months.</p> answering member constituency Hemel Hempstead answering member printed Mike Penning question first answered 02/07/2014 16:12:38 answering member 1528 label Biography information for Sir Mike Penning
	tabling member	1511 label Biography information for Lord Austin of Dudley

57851

	registered interest
	date	04/06/2014
	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	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the target waiting time is for work capability assessment for both (a) employment and support allowance and (b) incapacity benefit reassessment; and what proportion of such assessments have been carried out within the target timescale in the last four quarters for which figures are available.
	tabling member constituency	Kilmarnock and Loudoun
	tabling member printed	Cathy Jamieson
	uin	199013
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/06/2014 answer text <p /> <p /> <p>We are working closely with our supplier to deliver the best possible service for claimants, driving up performance and quality to help reduce waiting times and process claims as quickly as possible. We are continuing to monitor and robustly manage this contract.</p><p>We do not have a target timescale for waiting time for an Employment and Support Allowance and Incapacity Benefit Reassessment Work Capability Assessment.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hemel Hempstead answering member printed Mike Penning grouped question UIN 199012 question first answered 11/06/2014 16:53:37 answering member 1528 label Biography information for Sir Mike Penning
	tabling member	4011 label Biography information for Cathy Jamieson

57857

	registered interest
	date	04/06/2014
	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	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Answer of 7 May 2014, Official Report, column 228W, on social security benefits: disability, if he will take steps to reduce the national average waiting times for work capability assessments for (a) employment and support allowance and (b) incapacity benefit reassessment.
	tabling member constituency	Kilmarnock and Loudoun
	tabling member printed	Cathy Jamieson
	uin	199012
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/06/2014 answer text <p /> <p /> <p>We are working closely with our supplier to deliver the best possible service for claimants, driving up performance and quality to help reduce waiting times and process claims as quickly as possible. We are continuing to monitor and robustly manage this contract.</p><p>We do not have a target timescale for waiting time for an Employment and Support Allowance and Incapacity Benefit Reassessment Work Capability Assessment.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hemel Hempstead answering member printed Mike Penning grouped question UIN 199013 question first answered 11/06/2014 16:53:36 answering member 1528 label Biography information for Sir Mike Penning
	tabling member	4011 label Biography information for Cathy Jamieson