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46386

	registered interest
	date	01/04/2014
	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	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans he has to penalise companies who have failed to carry out medical assessments for personal independence payments in a timely manner.
	tabling member constituency	Bolton South East
	tabling member printed	Yasmin Qureshi
	uin	194646
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/04/2014 answer text <p /> <p /> <p>We are committed to ensuring personal independence payment (PIP) claimants receive high quality, objective, fair and accurate assessments. Since the introduction of PIP new claims in April 2013, we have been closely monitoring all aspects of the process.</p><p>As personal independence payment (PIP) is a new benefit, processes are currently bedding in. Our latest analysis is telling us that the end-to-end claimant journey is taking longer than expected. We are working closely with the assessment providers to ensure that they are taking all necessary steps to improve performance, speed up the process and ensure claimants receive a satisfactory experience. We are also seeking to ensure that all the steps in the process run as smoothly as possible and that there are no barriers in our processes and systems that contribute to claims taking longer than necessary to progress.</p><p>Whilst there are no statutory (legal) requirements to complete action on a claim to PIP within a specified time, we have set both personal independence payment assessment providers a target for the length of time to complete assessments of 30 working days.</p><p>Any delays experienced in the new claims process will not affect the date from which claimants are paid; all successful claims will be paid from the date the claim was initially made or the date the qualifying period is met, whichever is the later.</p><p>As for the administration of all benefits, a claimant is free to complain about the service they have received from the Department for Work and Pensions. Complaints about the service received from our assessment providers should be made direct to the relevant assessment provider. A complaint may result in a special payment if the claimant has experienced unfair treatment or suffered financially.</p><p>The Department has robust expectations for provider performance and contracts include a full set of service level agreements setting out expectations for service delivery, including quality of assessments and the number of days to provide advice to the Department. Officials meet regularly with both assessment providers to discuss performance. The contracts include a range of remedies and failure to meet contractual obligations will result in the Department applying service credits in line with the contract.</p> answering member constituency Hemel Hempstead answering member printed Mike Penning grouped question UIN 194642 194643 194644 194645 question first answered 08/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1528 label Biography information for Sir Mike Penning
	tabling member	3924 label Biography information for Yasmin Qureshi

46387

	registered interest
	date	01/04/2014
	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	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what compensation is available to those suffering financial hardship as a result of failure to carry out assessments for personal independence payments in a timely manner.
	tabling member constituency	Bolton South East
	tabling member printed	Yasmin Qureshi
	uin	194645
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/04/2014 answer text <p /> <p /> <p>We are committed to ensuring personal independence payment (PIP) claimants receive high quality, objective, fair and accurate assessments. Since the introduction of PIP new claims in April 2013, we have been closely monitoring all aspects of the process.</p><p>As personal independence payment (PIP) is a new benefit, processes are currently bedding in. Our latest analysis is telling us that the end-to-end claimant journey is taking longer than expected. We are working closely with the assessment providers to ensure that they are taking all necessary steps to improve performance, speed up the process and ensure claimants receive a satisfactory experience. We are also seeking to ensure that all the steps in the process run as smoothly as possible and that there are no barriers in our processes and systems that contribute to claims taking longer than necessary to progress.</p><p>Whilst there are no statutory (legal) requirements to complete action on a claim to PIP within a specified time, we have set both personal independence payment assessment providers a target for the length of time to complete assessments of 30 working days.</p><p>Any delays experienced in the new claims process will not affect the date from which claimants are paid; all successful claims will be paid from the date the claim was initially made or the date the qualifying period is met, whichever is the later.</p><p>As for the administration of all benefits, a claimant is free to complain about the service they have received from the Department for Work and Pensions. Complaints about the service received from our assessment providers should be made direct to the relevant assessment provider. A complaint may result in a special payment if the claimant has experienced unfair treatment or suffered financially.</p><p>The Department has robust expectations for provider performance and contracts include a full set of service level agreements setting out expectations for service delivery, including quality of assessments and the number of days to provide advice to the Department. Officials meet regularly with both assessment providers to discuss performance. The contracts include a range of remedies and failure to meet contractual obligations will result in the Department applying service credits in line with the contract.</p> answering member constituency Hemel Hempstead answering member printed Mike Penning grouped question UIN 194642 194643 194644 194646 question first answered 08/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1528 label Biography information for Sir Mike Penning
	tabling member	3924 label Biography information for Yasmin Qureshi

46389

	registered interest
	date	01/04/2014
	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	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the reasons for backlogs of medical assessments for personal independence payments.
	tabling member constituency	Bolton South East
	tabling member printed	Yasmin Qureshi
	uin	194642
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/04/2014 answer text <p /> <p /> <p>We are committed to ensuring personal independence payment (PIP) claimants receive high quality, objective, fair and accurate assessments. Since the introduction of PIP new claims in April 2013, we have been closely monitoring all aspects of the process.</p><p>As personal independence payment (PIP) is a new benefit, processes are currently bedding in. Our latest analysis is telling us that the end-to-end claimant journey is taking longer than expected. We are working closely with the assessment providers to ensure that they are taking all necessary steps to improve performance, speed up the process and ensure claimants receive a satisfactory experience. We are also seeking to ensure that all the steps in the process run as smoothly as possible and that there are no barriers in our processes and systems that contribute to claims taking longer than necessary to progress.</p><p>Whilst there are no statutory (legal) requirements to complete action on a claim to PIP within a specified time, we have set both personal independence payment assessment providers a target for the length of time to complete assessments of 30 working days.</p><p>Any delays experienced in the new claims process will not affect the date from which claimants are paid; all successful claims will be paid from the date the claim was initially made or the date the qualifying period is met, whichever is the later.</p><p>As for the administration of all benefits, a claimant is free to complain about the service they have received from the Department for Work and Pensions. Complaints about the service received from our assessment providers should be made direct to the relevant assessment provider. A complaint may result in a special payment if the claimant has experienced unfair treatment or suffered financially.</p><p>The Department has robust expectations for provider performance and contracts include a full set of service level agreements setting out expectations for service delivery, including quality of assessments and the number of days to provide advice to the Department. Officials meet regularly with both assessment providers to discuss performance. The contracts include a range of remedies and failure to meet contractual obligations will result in the Department applying service credits in line with the contract.</p> answering member constituency Hemel Hempstead answering member printed Mike Penning grouped question UIN 194643 194644 194645 194646 question first answered 08/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1528 label Biography information for Sir Mike Penning
	tabling member	3924 label Biography information for Yasmin Qureshi

46390

	registered interest
	date	01/04/2014
	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	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to address backlogs of medical assessments for personal independence payments.
	tabling member constituency	Bolton South East
	tabling member printed	Yasmin Qureshi
	uin	194643
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/04/2014 answer text <p /> <p /> <p>We are committed to ensuring personal independence payment (PIP) claimants receive high quality, objective, fair and accurate assessments. Since the introduction of PIP new claims in April 2013, we have been closely monitoring all aspects of the process.</p><p>As personal independence payment (PIP) is a new benefit, processes are currently bedding in. Our latest analysis is telling us that the end-to-end claimant journey is taking longer than expected. We are working closely with the assessment providers to ensure that they are taking all necessary steps to improve performance, speed up the process and ensure claimants receive a satisfactory experience. We are also seeking to ensure that all the steps in the process run as smoothly as possible and that there are no barriers in our processes and systems that contribute to claims taking longer than necessary to progress.</p><p>Whilst there are no statutory (legal) requirements to complete action on a claim to PIP within a specified time, we have set both personal independence payment assessment providers a target for the length of time to complete assessments of 30 working days.</p><p>Any delays experienced in the new claims process will not affect the date from which claimants are paid; all successful claims will be paid from the date the claim was initially made or the date the qualifying period is met, whichever is the later.</p><p>As for the administration of all benefits, a claimant is free to complain about the service they have received from the Department for Work and Pensions. Complaints about the service received from our assessment providers should be made direct to the relevant assessment provider. A complaint may result in a special payment if the claimant has experienced unfair treatment or suffered financially.</p><p>The Department has robust expectations for provider performance and contracts include a full set of service level agreements setting out expectations for service delivery, including quality of assessments and the number of days to provide advice to the Department. Officials meet regularly with both assessment providers to discuss performance. The contracts include a range of remedies and failure to meet contractual obligations will result in the Department applying service credits in line with the contract.</p> answering member constituency Hemel Hempstead answering member printed Mike Penning grouped question UIN 194642 194644 194645 194646 question first answered 08/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1528 label Biography information for Sir Mike Penning
	tabling member	3924 label Biography information for Yasmin Qureshi

46391

	registered interest
	date	01/04/2014
	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	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what time limit he has set for medical assessments for personal independence payments.
	tabling member constituency	Bolton South East
	tabling member printed	Yasmin Qureshi
	uin	194644
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/04/2014 answer text <p /> <p /> <p>We are committed to ensuring personal independence payment (PIP) claimants receive high quality, objective, fair and accurate assessments. Since the introduction of PIP new claims in April 2013, we have been closely monitoring all aspects of the process.</p><p>As personal independence payment (PIP) is a new benefit, processes are currently bedding in. Our latest analysis is telling us that the end-to-end claimant journey is taking longer than expected. We are working closely with the assessment providers to ensure that they are taking all necessary steps to improve performance, speed up the process and ensure claimants receive a satisfactory experience. We are also seeking to ensure that all the steps in the process run as smoothly as possible and that there are no barriers in our processes and systems that contribute to claims taking longer than necessary to progress.</p><p>Whilst there are no statutory (legal) requirements to complete action on a claim to PIP within a specified time, we have set both personal independence payment assessment providers a target for the length of time to complete assessments of 30 working days.</p><p>Any delays experienced in the new claims process will not affect the date from which claimants are paid; all successful claims will be paid from the date the claim was initially made or the date the qualifying period is met, whichever is the later.</p><p>As for the administration of all benefits, a claimant is free to complain about the service they have received from the Department for Work and Pensions. Complaints about the service received from our assessment providers should be made direct to the relevant assessment provider. A complaint may result in a special payment if the claimant has experienced unfair treatment or suffered financially.</p><p>The Department has robust expectations for provider performance and contracts include a full set of service level agreements setting out expectations for service delivery, including quality of assessments and the number of days to provide advice to the Department. Officials meet regularly with both assessment providers to discuss performance. The contracts include a range of remedies and failure to meet contractual obligations will result in the Department applying service credits in line with the contract.</p> answering member constituency Hemel Hempstead answering member printed Mike Penning grouped question UIN 194642 194643 194645 194646 question first answered 08/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1528 label Biography information for Sir Mike Penning
	tabling member	3924 label Biography information for Yasmin Qureshi

47114

	registered interest
	date	04/04/2014
	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	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the extent of the availability of free telephones in jobcentres for jobseekers to contact officials within his Department.
	tabling member constituency	Walsall South
	tabling member printed	Valerie Vaz
	uin	195404
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/04/2014 answer text <p /> <p /> <p>Jobcentres provide face to face support for claimants. There is also controlled access to telephones for claimants who need to contact officials in this department over the phone.</p> answering member constituency Wirral West answering member printed Esther McVey question first answered 09/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4084 label Biography information for Esther McVey
	tabling member	4076 label Biography information for Valerie Vaz

63000

	registered interest
	date	19/06/2014
	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	Telephone Services
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many telephone lines with the prefix (a) 0845, (b) 0844 and (c) 0843 his Department (i) operates and (ii) sponsors; how many calls each such number has received in the last 12 months; and whether alternative numbers charged at BT local rates are available in each such case.
	tabling member constituency	Walsall South
	tabling member printed	Valerie Vaz
	uin	201440
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/07/2014 answer text <p> </p><p> </p><p>(a) Number of customer helplines with a prefix of 0845 is 139</p><p>(b) The Department does not operate any 0844 numbers</p><p>(c) The Department does not operate any 0843 numbers</p><p> </p><p>Data sources and metric definitions will be placed in the library.</p><p> </p><p>All numbers currently owned by Network Services relate to calls either managed entirely within the Department or split between DWP and outsourcing partners. If the Department sponsors any numbers on behalf of third parties data is not included within Network Services reporting.</p><p> </p><p>During 2014 DWP are introducing 0345 numbers to run alongside existing 0845 numbers to provide a choice for the caller based on the arrangement they have with their telephony provider. Using 0345 numbers allows DWP to use the same last 7 digits as its 0845 range.</p><p> </p><p>Charges for calls to 0345/0845 numbers vary and depend on the person's contract with their provider. When charges apply the costs are shown on the following web page for the Gov.uk site (<a href="http://www.gov.uk/call-charges" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/call-charges</a>)</p><p> </p><p>If a customer raises concerns over the cost of a call we will offer to call them back from our enquiry lines. The Department also provides controlled access to telephones for claimants who require one in support of their jobsearch or benefit enquiry.</p><p> </p><p>The department does not operate any prefixes that begin with 0844 or 0843 therefore no alternative numbers are available.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Wirral West answering member printed Esther McVey question first answered 01/07/2014 14:11:42 answering member 4084 label Biography information for Esther McVey previous answer version 5082 answering member constituency Wirral West answering member printed Esther McVey answering member 4084 label Biography information for Esther McVey
	tabling member	4076 label Biography information for Valerie Vaz

89863

	registered interest
	date	29/08/2014
	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	Telephone Services
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, under what timetable his Department plans to phase out use of telephone lines with the prefix (a) 0845, 0844 and 0843 in accordance with the Cabinet Office guidance on customer service lines published in December 2013 and (b) 03 and 08, where 03 is the primary number under a dual numbering system.
	tabling member constituency	Walsall South
	tabling member printed	Valerie Vaz
	uin	207288
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/09/2014 answer text <p /> <p>DWP has committed to introduce 0345 numbers and this started on major helplines in March 2014. The Department does not operate any prefixes that begin with 0844 or 0843.</p><p>For its enquiry helplines, the Department will begin adding the choice of 0345 numbers to their 0845 helplines where its customers call for other reasons, and these are calls that typically take less time to resolve.</p><p>OFCOM proposals for implementing change to 08 numbers are due to be implemented in June 2015. The changes result in improved charge transparency for some non geographic numbers including 0845. DWP will monitor the impact these changes have on 08 charges.</p> answering member constituency Wirral West answering member printed Esther McVey question first answered 03/09/2014 15:53:09 answering member 4084 label Biography information for Esther McVey
	tabling member	4076 label Biography information for Valerie Vaz

89888

	registered interest
	date	26/08/2014
	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	Vacancies: Internet
	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 he has made of the performance of his Department's Universal Jobmatch website.
	tabling member constituency	Walsall South
	tabling member printed	Valerie Vaz
	uin	905114
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/09/2014 answer text <p /> <p /> <p>Recent assessments of Univeral Jobmatch confirms that the service continues to play an important role in the way jobseekers look for work. This is endorsed by the National Audit Office’s recent informal review. This concluded they were satisfied with the on going approach to ensuring Universal Jobmatch continues to remain accessible and dynamic for jobseekers.</p><p> </p><p>Universal Jobmatch has already helped many jobseekers find the jobs they want through the millions of vacancies posted since 2012, and delivers a successful transformation in the way benefit claimants look for work.</p> answering member constituency Wirral West answering member printed Esther McVey question first answered 01/09/2014 16:43:22 answering member 4084 label Biography information for Esther McVey
	tabling member	4076 label Biography information for Valerie Vaz

45137

	registered interest
	date	25/03/2014
	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	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many personal independence payment applications have been processed in each month since April 2013.
	tabling member constituency	Rutherglen and Hamilton West
	tabling member printed	Tom Greatrex
	uin	193589
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/03/2014 answer text <p /> <p /> <p>Personal Independence Payment started from April 2013 and although limited data has started to feed through, we need to wait until the Department has quality assured, meaningful figures for publication. The Department is working to guidelines set by the UK Statistics Authority to ensure we are able to publish statistics that meet high quality standards at the earliest opportunity. We intend to publish official statistics on personal independence payment from spring 2014.</p><p> </p><p>An ad-hoc release of PIP information was published on Tuesday 11 February 2014. www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/277986/adHoc-pip-statistics-feb14.pdf</p> answering member constituency Hemel Hempstead answering member printed Mike Penning question first answered 31/03/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1528 label Biography information for Sir Mike Penning
	tabling member	4047 label Biography information for Tom Greatrex