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1127463

registered interest
date	20/05/2019
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	Homelessness
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 report entitled The Homelessness Monitor: England 2019 published by Crisis and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, what recent assessment he has made of the correlation between the freeze in local housing allowance and the increase in homelessness.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
tabling member printed	Paul Farrelly
uin	256221
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/05/2019 answer text <p>No such assessment has been made. There are many factors that contribute to homelessness, and these factors are varied and complex.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 28/05/2019 15:13:17 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	1436 label Biography information for Paul Farrelly

1132882

registered interest
date	18/06/2019
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: Veterans
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 Forces in Mind Trust report entitled Social security benefits and transitions from military to civilian life, published in June 2019, what steps she is taking to ensure that her officials are given adequate training to support ex-service personnel with their benefit claims.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
tabling member printed	Paul Farrelly
uin	266118
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/06/2019 answer text <p>DWP equips our people with a variety of training to help them serve and support all clients who have complex needs, including ex-service personnel, to make claims to all DWP.</p><p> </p><p>We attach a great deal of importance to meeting our commitments under the Armed Forces Covenant and we were pleased to see that the report recognised some of the excellent work undertaken by DWP staff to support veterans. We have also already made a number of improvements.</p><p> </p><p>In February 2019 we launched a refreshed job description for the Armed Forces Champion (AFC) which sets out what is expected of an AFC, the key relationships they need to form and other useful resources available to them.</p><p> </p><p>The Armed Forces Champions ensure the support, advice and guidance offered by Jobcentre Plus reflects the needs of service leavers and the wider armed forces community in their district. Information about benefits is freely available on GOV.UK and many of our AFC work directly with military bases to provide additional information.</p><p> </p><p>Work Coaches in every Jobcentre have all the information they need to offer a tailored service to all claimants and have access to a District Provision Tool which outlines sources of help and provision available locally, including support specific to service leavers.</p><p>The Department’s learning products emphasise the importance of treating each claimant as an individual in order to identify and meet their specific needs, whatever they may be.</p><p> </p><p>There is also further DWP learning addressing the broader awareness, skills and behaviours required when dealing with all those transitioning from military to civilian life.</p><p> </p><p>We keep our training under review and are always open to ideas and considerations on how to improve the services we offer.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 24/06/2019 16:47:04 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	1436 label Biography information for Paul Farrelly

1136048

registered interest
date	04/07/2019
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	Local Housing Allowance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of increasing local housing allowance to the 30th percentile point for current market rents in each size category of dwelling.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
tabling member printed	Paul Farrelly
uin	271443
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/07/2019 answer text <p>There are no current plans to extend or maintain the Benefit Freeze after March 2020. Specific decisions on how to uprate the Local Housing Allowance from April 2020 will form part of the discussions in support of fiscal events later this year.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 08/07/2019 16:40:08 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	1436 label Biography information for Paul Farrelly

1139355

registered interest
date	16/07/2019
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	Social Security Benefits: Forms
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent steps his Department has taken to simplify the forms used to claim benefits.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
tabling member printed	Paul Farrelly
uin	277676
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/07/2019 answer text <p>The Department for Work and Pensions is committed to ensuring its claim forms are as simple and easy to use as possible. We have simplified over 180 forms in the last six months by making changes to the layout, style, wording and accessibility. We carry out usability testing on new and revised forms with claimants.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 23/07/2019 11:10:32 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	1436 label Biography information for Paul Farrelly

1141694

registered interest
date	24/07/2019
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	Local Housing Allowance
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 potential merits of lifting the freeze on local housing allowance to ensure that it covers at least the cheapest third of rents to improve housing security.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
tabling member printed	Paul Farrelly
uin	281640
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/09/2019 answer text <p>There are no current plans to extend or maintain the Benefit Freeze after March 2020. Specific decisions on how to uprate the Local Housing Allowance from April 2020 will form part of the discussions in support of fiscal events later this year.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 03/09/2019 14:34:01 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	1436 label Biography information for Paul Farrelly

1150955

registered interest
date	21/10/2019
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent steps she has taken to ensure that universal credit claimants have access to support throughout the application process; and whether she plans to increase the number of universal credit telephone advisers.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
tabling member printed	Paul Farrelly
uin	2706
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/10/2019 answer text <p>The Department takes seriously the need to support vulnerable claimants, and wants the application process for Universal Credit to be as quick and easy as possible, ensuring that claimants receive money at the earliest opportunity. To support this, we keep staffing levels under constant review and at the required levels, ensuring we have the right number of people available to answer customer calls and to respond to forecasted demand.</p><p> </p><p>All Jobcentres across the country have Wi-Fi and computers available for claimants to access the internet. These devices are being upgraded in a programme due to be completed by the end of October 2019. For those that are still unable to access or use digital services, or are not able to travel, assistance to make and maintain their claim is available via the Freephone Universal Credit helpline. In certain circumstances, a home visit can be arranged to support a claimant in making and maintaining their claim</p><p> </p><p>Additionally, Citizens Advice and Citizens Advice Scotland have been delivering the ‘Help to Claim’ service on a pilot basis since April 2019, supporting claimants with making a new claim to Universal Credit. The Citizens Advice Help to Claim service offers tailored, practical support to help people make a Universal Credit claim up to receiving their first full correct payment on time, and is available online, on the phone and face-to-face through local Citizen’s Advice services.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 24/10/2019 15:47:44 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	1436 label Biography information for Paul Farrelly

1143365

registered interest
date	02/09/2019
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Children: Custody
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent steps he is taking to ensure the gender of a parent is not considered as a factor in custody cases.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
tabling member printed	Paul Farrelly
uin	284885
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2019 answer text <p>The legislative framework which governs family law proceedings about a child’s upbringing is gender neutral and focused on the welfare of the child involved.</p><p>The court is legally required to presume that the involvement of a parent in the life of the child will further that child’s welfare, unless there is evidence to the contrary. The nature of any parental involvement will be determined by the court based on all the available evidence.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Aldridge-Brownhills answering member printed Wendy Morton question first answered 09/09/2019 15:15:27 answering member 4358 label Biography information for Wendy Morton
tabling member	1436 label Biography information for Paul Farrelly

1143368

registered interest
date	02/09/2019
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Children: Custody
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he is taking steps to ensure that grandparents are ensured access to their grandchildren in custody cases.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
tabling member printed	Paul Farrelly
uin	284831
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2019 answer text <p>Grandparents who are experiencing difficulties in spending time with their grandchildren following parental separation can seek the permission of the family court to apply for a child arrangements order. Experience suggests that grandparents would not usually experience any difficulty where their application is motivated by genuine concern for the welfare of the child.</p><p> </p><p>The law does not provide any absolute right for a grandparent, or indeed a parent, to be involved in a child’s life because it is the child’s welfare which is paramount in all court decisions about who a child lives with or spends time with. The court can, however, direct the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass) to prepare a welfare report into the child’s circumstances, including the beneficial involvement in their life of significant adults such as grandparents.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Aldridge-Brownhills answering member printed Wendy Morton question first answered 09/09/2019 15:39:35 answering member 4358 label Biography information for Wendy Morton
tabling member	1436 label Biography information for Paul Farrelly

1058955

registered interest
date	11/02/2019
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Home Office: Assistance Animals
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will take steps to ensure that his Department's service providers display stickers to welcome assistance dogs.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
tabling member printed	Paul Farrelly
uin	219334
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/02/2019 answer text <p>Each contract award is based on criteria relevant to that contract. The displaying of stickers to welcome assistance dogs is not always applicable. Social Value, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion considerations are of importance and these factors are considered during the procurement process as well as throughout the lifecycle of contracts where relevant and proportionate to do so.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Louth and Horncastle answering member printed Victoria Atkins question first answered 18/02/2019 17:18:31 answering member 4399 label Biography information for Victoria Atkins
tabling member	1436 label Biography information for Paul Farrelly

1083728

registered interest
date	07/03/2019
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	Females: Local Government Finance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on the implications for Government policies of the conclusions of the report from the Women's Budget Group, Triple Whammy: The impact of local government cuts on women, published on 7 March 2019 which found that changes to local authority funding disproportionately affects women.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
tabling member printed	Paul Farrelly
uin	229706
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/03/2019 answer text <p>I regularly discuss gender equality with all my Cabinet colleagues. The recent Local Government Finance Settlement delivered a real-terms increase in funding for local government in 2019-20.</p><p>The Public Sector Equality Duty is a duty that requires all public bodies, including local authorities, to proactively have due regard to advancing equality of opportunity between people from different groups and I would expect them to do so when considering their spending decisions.</p><p>More broadly, we are continuing to develop the upcoming gender equality &amp; economic empowerment strategy with Ministers across government to address the persistent gendered economic barriers women – and men – face.</p> answering member constituency Louth and Horncastle answering member printed Victoria Atkins question first answered 12/03/2019 15:21:49 answering member 4399 label Biography information for Victoria Atkins
tabling member	1436 label Biography information for Paul Farrelly