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1147171

	human indexable
	published
	registered interest
	answer date	02/10/2019
	date	30/09/2019
	date tabled	30/09/2019
	ddp created	30/09/2019 21:22:24
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	question status	Tabled
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	ddp modified	30/09/2019 21:31:48 07/10/2019 12:47:02
	hansard heading	Social Security Benefits
	house id	1
	identifier	292336
	legislature	25259
	parliament number	57
	question first answered	07/10/2019 12:46:06
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the effect of (a) sanctions and (b) conditionality on the (i) health and well-being of claimants and (ii) the ability of claimants to enter employment.
	session	2017/19
	session number	1
	tabling member constituency	Newport West
	tabling member printed	Ruth Jones
	title	House of Commons Tabled Parliamentary Question 2017/19 292336
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	292336
	version	1
	written parliamentary question type	Ordinary
	answer	answer answer text <p>Evidence from international studies indicates that benefit systems supported by conditionality are effective at moving people into work and that sanctions are a key part of conditionality. Transitions into work typically increase following a sanction.</p><p> </p><p>The Department has committed to doing an evaluation of the effectiveness of Universal Credit sanctions at supporting claimants to search for work in response to the Work and Pensions Select Committee’s report on benefit sanctions. The Department will look to publish this by the end of 2019.</p><p> </p><p>With regards to health and well-being, the Department has not made such assessment. We engage at a personal and individual level with all claimants; Legislation already enables work coaches to tailor conditionality, apply easements, set ‘voluntary’ work-related requirements (therefore, there is no risk of a sanction) or even switch off work-related requirements altogether where it is more appropriate for the individual, in light of their circumstances, including health conditions or disability.</p>
	creator	4716 label Biography information for Ruth Jones written parliamentary question 1147171 1147173 1148404
	publisher	25259
	tabling member	4716

1147173

	human indexable
	published
	registered interest
	answer date	02/10/2019
	date	30/09/2019
	date tabled	30/09/2019
	ddp created	30/09/2019 21:22:31
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	question status	Tabled
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	ddp modified	30/09/2019 21:31:55 07/10/2019 13:30:03
	hansard heading	Universal Credit
	house id	1
	identifier	292337
	legislature	25259
	parliament number	57
	question first answered	07/10/2019 13:29:48
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment her Department has made of the effect of the roll-out of universal credit on trends in the level of referrals to food banks.
	session	2017/19
	session number	1
	tabling member constituency	Newport West
	tabling member printed	Ruth Jones
	title	House of Commons Tabled Parliamentary Question 2017/19 292337
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	292337
	version	1
	written parliamentary question type	Ordinary
	answer	answer answer text <p>The Department does not keep official statistics on food bank use, so no such assessment has been completed. Some food aid providers produce statistics on the number of food parcels distributed, but the Government has no plans to require individual food banks to keep records as this would place a significant burden on charitable and voluntary organisations.</p><p> </p><p>We have listened to feedback on how we can improve Universal Credit to support our claimants and acted quickly, making improvements such as extending advances, removing waiting days, and introducing housing benefit run on. These changes are giving support to vulnerable people who need it most, whilst at the same time helping people get into work faster.</p>
	creator	4716
	publisher	25259
	tabling member	4716

1147174

	human indexable
	published
	registered interest
	answer date	02/10/2019
	date	30/09/2019
	date tabled	30/09/2019
	ddp created	30/09/2019 21:22:35
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	question status	Tabled
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	ddp modified	30/09/2019 21:32:01 07/10/2019 13:10:02
	hansard heading	Poverty: Children
	house id	1
	identifier	292338
	legislature	25259
	parliament number	57
	question first answered	07/10/2019 13:09:50
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment her Department has made of trends in the level of child poverty.
	session	2017/19
	session number	1
	tabling member constituency	Newport West
	tabling member printed	Ruth Jones
	title	House of Commons Tabled Parliamentary Question 2017/19 292338
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	292338
	version	1
	written parliamentary question type	Ordinary
	answer	answer answer text <p>National statistics on the number of children in relative and absolute low income are set out in the annual &quot;Households Below Average Income&quot; publication available here: <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/789816/hbai-2017-2018-tables-ods-files.zip" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/789816/hbai-2017-2018-tables-ods-files.zip</a></p><p> </p><p>In the latest low income statistics, the number of children in low income increased in three of the four measures.</p><p> </p><p>Since 2009/2010 there has been a 1 percentage point reduction in child poverty on an absolute before housing cost (BHC) basis.</p><p> </p><p>The evidence shows that work is the best route out of poverty and there are 730,000 fewer children in workless households compared with 2010.</p>
	creator	4716
	publisher	25259
	tabling member	4716

1148404

	human indexable
	published
	registered interest
	answer date	08/10/2019
	date	04/10/2019
	date tabled	04/10/2019
	ddp created	04/10/2019 14:14:03
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	question status	Tabled
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	ddp modified	04/10/2019 14:18:42 08/10/2019 10:25:04
	hansard heading	Workplace Pensions: Newport West
	house id	1
	identifier	294753
	legislature	25259
	parliament number	57
	question first answered	08/10/2019 10:24:29
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of people have (a) opted out after being auto-enrolled into a workplace pension and (b) saved more than the auto-enrolment minimum contribution in Newport West constituency in the latest period for which figures are available.
	session	2017/19
	session number	1
	tabling member constituency	Newport West
	tabling member printed	Ruth Jones
	title	House of Commons Tabled Parliamentary Question 2017/19 294753
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	294753
	version	1
	written parliamentary question type	Ordinary
	answer	answer answer text <p>Automatic enrolment has achieved a quiet revolution through getting employees into the habit of pension saving, and reversing the decline in workplace pension participation in the decade prior to these reforms. Since automatic enrolment started in 2012 participation rates have been transformed with 87% of eligible employees saving into a workplace pension in 2018, up from 55% in 2012.</p><p> </p><p>The Department does not hold data for individual constituencies in relation to opt outs or the number of individuals who have saved above the automatic enrolment minimum contribution level. However, we do know that overall around 9% of automatically enrolled workers have chosen to opt out which is significantly below original estimates; and our latest evaluation report shows that, in April 2017, approximately 5.9 million eligible employees were already meeting the April 2019 minimum contribution rates.</p><p> </p><p>I am providing the following information about the impact of automatic enrolment in your constituency, as of August 2019:</p><p> </p><p>In the Newport West constituency, since 2012, approximately 11,000 eligible jobholders have been automatically enrolled and 1,400 employers have met their duties.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Automatic Enrolment Evaluation Report 2018, available via the following weblink: <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/764964/Automatic_Enrolment_Evaluation_Report_2018.pdf" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/764964/Automatic_Enrolment_Evaluation_Report_2018.pdf</a>.</p><p> </p><p>The Pensions Regulator’s data on Automatic enrolment declaration of compliance by constituency, available via the following weblink:</p><p><a href="https://www.thepensionsregulator.gov.uk/en/document-library/research-and-analysis/data-requests" target="_blank">https://www.thepensionsregulator.gov.uk/en/document-library/research-and-analysis/data-requests</a>.</p><p> </p><p />
	creator	4716
	publisher	25259
	tabling member	4716

1148778

	human indexable
	published
	registered interest
	answer date	16/10/2019
	date	14/10/2019
	date tabled	14/10/2019
	ddp created	14/10/2019 22:11:36
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	question status	Tabled
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	ddp modified	15/10/2019 15:45:16 18/10/2019 11:53:02
	hansard heading	State Retirement Pensions: Females
	house id	1
	identifier	279
	legislature	25259
	parliament number	57
	question first answered	18/10/2019 11:52:19
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the High Court judgment of 3 October 2019 on the increase in the state pension age for women born in the 1950s, what recent discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on developing transitional arrangements for those women.
	session	2019/20
	session number	2
	tabling member constituency	Newport West
	tabling member printed	Ruth Jones
	title	House of Commons Tabled Parliamentary Question 2019/20 279
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	279
	version	2
	written parliamentary question type	Ordinary
	answer	answer answer text <p>The claimants applied for permission to appeal on the 16 October 2019. I cannot comment on live litigation.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p>
	creator	4716
	publisher	25259
	tabling member	4716

1171495

	human indexable
	published
	registered interest
	answer date	20/01/2020
	date	16/01/2020
	date tabled	16/01/2020
	ddp created	16/01/2020 18:50:53
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	question status	Tabled
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	ddp modified	16/01/2020 19:01:42 23/01/2020 17:51:02
	hansard heading	Universal Credit
	house id	1
	identifier	4486
	legislature	25259
	parliament number	58
	question first answered	23/01/2020 17:19:39
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that the monthly assessment period for universal credit takes into account a claimant’s fluctuating income.
	session	2019/20
	session number	1
	tabling member constituency	Newport West
	tabling member printed	Ruth Jones
	title	House of Commons Tabled Parliamentary Question 2019/20 4486
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	4486
	version	1
	written parliamentary question type	Ordinary
	answer	answer answer text <p>Universal Credit takes earnings into account in a way that is fair and transparent. The amount paid reflects, as closely as possible, the actual circumstances of a household during each monthly assessment period. This includes any earnings reported by an employer or claimant during the assessment period, regardless of when they were paid, or which month they relate to.</p><p>Assessment periods allow for Universal Credit awards to be adjusted on a monthly basis, ensuring that if claimants’ incomes fall, they do not have to wait several months for a rise in their Universal Credit award.</p><p>Information is available for claimants about earnings patterns and how they may affect award of Universal Credit and is published on GOV.UK at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-credit-different-earning-patterns-and-your-payments/universal-credit-different-earning-patterns-and-your-payments-payment-cycles" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-credit-different-earning-patterns-and-your-payments/universal-credit-different-earning-patterns-and-your-payments-payment-cycles</a></p><p>Claimants can discuss queries with their case manager or work coach, who can signpost to services appropriate to individual circumstances, including those delivered through the Money and Pensions Service.</p>
	creator	4716
	publisher	25259
	tabling member	4716

1171496

	human indexable
	published
	registered interest
	answer date	20/01/2020
	date	16/01/2020
	date tabled	16/01/2020
	ddp created	16/01/2020 18:50:56
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	question status	Tabled
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	ddp modified	16/01/2020 19:01:44 23/01/2020 18:04:02
	hansard heading	Social Security Benefits: Poverty
	house id	1
	identifier	4487
	legislature	25259
	parliament number	58
	question first answered	23/01/2020 17:32:36
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the effect of the freeze in working-age social security benefits on levels of poverty.
	session	2019/20
	session number	1
	tabling member constituency	Newport West
	tabling member printed	Ruth Jones
	title	House of Commons Tabled Parliamentary Question 2019/20 4487
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	4487
	version	1
	written parliamentary question type	Ordinary
	answer	answer answer text <p>The Benefit Freeze was designed to put welfare on a sustainable footing, incentivising work and making welfare fairer.</p><p> </p><p>The Government conducted a number of assessments of the impact of the benefit freeze as set out in the analysis of the measures in the Welfare Reform and Work Act, published at the time of the Summer Budget 2015.</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.parliament.uk/documents/impact-assessments/IA15-006C.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.parliament.uk/documents/impact-assessments/IA15-006C.pdf</a></p><p> </p><p> </p><p>30% of households were then estimated to be affected by this policy, and no one faced a cash loss as a result of the freeze.</p><p> </p><p>The benefit freeze will come to an end in April 2020.</p>
	creator	4716
	publisher	25259
	tabling member	4716

1171498

	human indexable
	published
	registered interest
	answer date	20/01/2020
	date	16/01/2020
	date tabled	16/01/2020
	ddp created	16/01/2020 18:51:02
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	question status	Tabled
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	ddp modified	17/01/2020 13:05:25 24/01/2020 15:13:02
	hansard heading	Social Security Benefits: UK Relations with EU
	house id	1
	identifier	4488
	legislature	25259
	parliament number	58
	question first answered	24/01/2020 14:41:26
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans her Department has for social security co-ordination between the UK and EU member states after the UK leaves the EU.
	session	2019/20
	session number	1
	tabling member constituency	Newport West
	tabling member printed	Ruth Jones
	title	House of Commons Tabled Parliamentary Question 2019/20 4488
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	4488
	version	2
	written parliamentary question type	Ordinary
	answer	answer answer text <p>During the Implementation Period the Government will be negotiating a future relationship with the EU. As set out in the Political Declaration published on 19 October 2019, both Parties have agreed to consider addressing social security coordination in the light of future movement of persons.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The Withdrawal Agreement provisions on social security coordination will apply to those in scope of that agreement.</p>
	creator	4716
	publisher	25259
	tabling member	4716

1171499

	human indexable
	published
	registered interest
	answer date	20/01/2020
	date	16/01/2020
	date tabled	16/01/2020
	ddp created	16/01/2020 18:51:05
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	question status	Tabled
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	ddp modified	16/01/2020 19:01:50 24/01/2020 15:41:02
	hansard heading	UK Shared Prosperity Fund
	house id	1
	identifier	4489
	legislature	25259
	parliament number	58
	question first answered	24/01/2020 15:09:08
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions her Department has had with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on employment and skills support to be provided through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
	session	2019/20
	session number	1
	tabling member constituency	Newport West
	tabling member printed	Ruth Jones
	title	House of Commons Tabled Parliamentary Question 2019/20 4489
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	4489
	version	1
	written parliamentary question type	Ordinary
	answer	answer answer text <p>The government’s manifesto committed to replace European structural funds with a UK Shared Prosperity Fund, a proportion of which will be targeted to ensure disadvantaged people gain the skills they need to make a success of life. We are continuing to work with government departments – including the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on the design and priorities of the new fund.</p>
	creator	4716
	publisher	25259
	tabling member	4716

1172711

	human indexable
	published
	registered interest
	answer date	27/01/2020
	date	22/01/2020
	date tabled	22/01/2020
	ddp created	22/01/2020 19:51:50
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	question status	Tabled
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	ddp modified	22/01/2020 20:02:50 31/01/2020 15:12:03
	hansard heading	Employment: Epilepsy
	house id	1
	identifier	6791
	legislature	25259
	parliament number	58
	question first answered	31/01/2020 14:40:20
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to tackle the disability employment gap for people with epilepsy.
	session	2019/20
	session number	1
	tabling member constituency	Newport West
	tabling member printed	Ruth Jones
	title	House of Commons Tabled Parliamentary Question 2019/20 6791
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	6791
	version	1
	written parliamentary question type	Ordinary
	answer	answer answer text <p>The Government is committed to reducing the disability employment gap and seeing a million more disabled people in work between 2017 and 2027. We support disabled people, including people with epilepsy, to enter employment and stay in work through a range of programmes such as the Work and Health Programme, Access to Work and the Intensive Personalised Employment Support Programme.</p><p> </p><p>To support disabled people to stay in work and progress, we published a voluntary reporting framework on disability, mental ill health and wellbeing in November 2018. This is aimed at large employers (with over 250 employees) and it is recommended that they publically report on the pay and progression of disabled people at regular intervals. The framework can also be used to support smaller employers who are keen to drive greater transparency in their organisation or industry.</p><p> </p><p>From April 2019, Jobcentre Plus introduced an enhanced Disability Employment Adviser and a new Disability Employment Adviser Leader role, putting in place more than 800 staff who support their colleagues to provide high quality services to disabled people and those with health conditions. Universal Credit provides us with the opportunity to support people who are in work to progress and increase their earnings.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>We will publish a National Strategy for Disabled People before the end of 2020. This will look at ways to improve opportunities and access for disabled people in terms of housing, education, transport and jobs. The health and disability benefit system aspects of the strategy will be considered in a separate Green Paper. This will look at how we can further improve our support for people with disabilities and health conditions, supporting people into work where possible and enabling people to live independent lives.</p>
	creator	4716
	publisher	25259
	tabling member	4716