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166611

	registered interest
	date	27/11/2014
	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	Public Health Funerals
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of pauper's funerals in each of the last three years; and what steps his Department is taking to support families on low incomes with the costs of funerals.
	tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
	tabling member printed	Mr Frank Field
	uin	216270
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/12/2014 answer text <p /> <p>My department does not collect data on the number of Local Authority funerals.</p><p> </p><p>The Social Fund Funeral Payment scheme continues to provide help towards a simple, respectful, low-cost funeral and in 2013/14, over 33,000 awards were made worth £44.7 million, with an average award of £1,347.</p><p> </p><p>Social Fund Budgeting Loans are also available to those on income related benefits to cover costs relating to funeral expenses.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Steve Webb question first answered 02/12/2014 11:44:12 answering member 220 label Biography information for Steve Webb
	tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead

166609

	registered interest
	date	27/11/2014
	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	Universal Credit
	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 paragraph 13 of the summary of the National Audit Office report, Universal credit: progress update, published on 26 November 2014, what contingency plans are in place to cover the £2.8 billion additional staff cost necessary to roll-out the current service for universal credit if the digital service is delayed.
	tabling member constituency	Leeds West
	tabling member printed	Rachel Reeves
	uin	216334
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/12/2014 answer text <p /> <p>As the NAO report makes clear, the £2.8bn figure is not a realistic assessment of the costs of running Universal Credit on a completely rolled out basis. Contingency plans are developed on an ongoing basis as part of the programme’s approach to integrated planning and risk management. The plans which cover all key areas of programme development and delivery are regularly assessed and refreshed as part of our ongoing governance of the Programme.</p> answering member constituency Forest of Dean answering member printed Mr Mark Harper grouped question UIN 216337 question first answered 02/12/2014 16:09:40 answering member 1520 label Biography information for Mr Mark Harper
	tabling member	4031 label Biography information for Rachel Reeves

166453

	registered interest
	date	26/11/2014
	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	Catering
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much his Department has spent on catering and hospitality since May 2010.
	tabling member constituency	Leicester South
	tabling member printed	Jonathan Ashworth
	uin	216193
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/12/2014 answer text <p /> <p>Departmental expenditure on Hospitality from the start of the 2010 financial year up to 31<sup>st</sup> October 2014, the latest date for which information is available, is shown in the graph attached. Expenditure on catering is not specifically identified but expenditure on Working Lunches and Refreshments is held and this information is also included in the graph.</p><p> </p><p>Expenditure should be seen in the context of the number of staff employed by the Department, Currently 79,514 (as at 31 October 2014), which works out at a cost per head of £1.45 per year.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Steve Webb question first answered 02/12/2014 13:10:57 answering member 220 label Biography information for Steve Webb attachment 1 file name Catering & Hospitality May 2010-31 Oct 2014.PDF title Catering & Hospitality May 2010-31 Oct 2014
	tabling member	4244 label Biography information for Jonathan Ashworth

166610

	registered interest
	date	27/11/2014
	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	Universal Credit
	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 paragraph 1.12 of the National Audit Office report, Universal credit: progress update, published on 26 November 2014, in which month he plans to produce the more detailed outline business case required by HM Treasury.
	tabling member constituency	Leeds West
	tabling member printed	Rachel Reeves
	uin	216341
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/12/2014 answer text <p /> <p>Our current plan is to produce the Universal Credit Outline Business Case during 2015 to reflect the development of the Digital Service and to inform the Spending Review. This will be finalised and submitted for formal HM Treasury approval.</p> answering member constituency Forest of Dean answering member printed Mr Mark Harper question first answered 02/12/2014 16:11:30 answering member 1520 label Biography information for Mr Mark Harper
	tabling member	4031 label Biography information for Rachel Reeves

166216

	registered interest
	date	26/11/2014
	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	Housing Benefit (Habitual Residence) Amendment Regulations 2014
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made following the conclusions of the Social Security Advisory Committee that the Housing Benefit (Habitual Residence) Amendment Regulations 2014 will lead to an increase in homelessness and rough sleeping.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Suttie
	uin	HL3200
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/12/2014 answer text <p /> <p>The Committee suggests there is a direct link between the policy change and an increase in rough sleeping which we do not agree the evidence supports. The causes of rough sleeping are multiple and difficult to disentangle. The Government wishes to deter EEA migrants from coming to the UK if they do not have a firm offer of or realistic chance of securing work and those who come to the UK to look for work should ensure that they have sufficient resources to pay for their accommodation needs, as well as other support that they or their family may need while here.</p> answering member printed Lord Freud question first answered 02/12/2014 12:25:57 answering member 3893 label Biography information for Lord Freud
	tabling member	4298 label Biography information for Baroness Suttie

166045

	registered interest
	date	25/11/2014
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Altcourse Prison
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to increase prisoner safety at HM Prison Altcourse.
	tabling member constituency	Liverpool, Walton
	tabling member printed	Steve Rotheram
	uin	215825
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/12/2014 answer text <p /> <p>The Government does not tolerate violence of any kind within the prison estate, and prisoner safety is treated extremely seriously. Tackling violence in prisons is a priority for this Government, and steps are being taken to manage levels of violence within a complex and challenging prison population. We will be issuing new guidance to public sector and contracted prison providers on managing violence early next year.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The recently announced joint national protocol between National Offender Management Service (NOMS), the police and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) on the appropriate handling of crimes in prison strengthens existing policy and requirements on the reporting of serious assaults or other serious crime occurring in custody so that this type of crime can be targeted. The protocol will be published before the end of the financial year following final consultation.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>G4S, who manage HMP Altcourse, are preparing an action plan to address any strategic weaknesses, to be overseen by Phil Wheatley, formerly Director General of NOMS. They are in the process of revising HMP Altcourse’s local Incentive and Earned Privilege (IEP), Violence Reduction and Safer Custody strategies. They are also arranging for the provision of additional resources to support local management in security and residential functions.</p><p> </p><p>NOMS regularly carries out operational audits and assessments of all aspects of prisoner safety at all prisons and will continue to monitor HMP Altcourse’s progress closely.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 02/12/2014 16:34:56 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	4035 label Biography information for Steve Rotheram

166044

	registered interest
	date	25/11/2014
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Prisons: Security
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether transmission x-rays are likely to be used in normal search procedures in prisons in the next 12 months.
	tabling member constituency	East Londonderry
	tabling member printed	Mr Gregory Campbell
	uin	215875
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/12/2014 answer text <p /> <p>The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) employs a range of technological aids to assist in searching including: hand held detectors, portals and Body Orifice Security Scanners, which can detect metallic items concealed internally. X-ray machines are used in most prisons to screen baggage and goods entering prisons but are not used for searching people and there are presently no plans to introduce the technology for this purpose in prisons in England and Wales.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 02/12/2014 16:17:06 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	1409 label Biography information for Mr Gregory Campbell

166067

	registered interest
	date	25/11/2014
	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	Universal Credit
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when non-UK citizens in pathfinder areas will be able to claim universal credit.
	tabling member constituency	Leeds West
	tabling member printed	Rachel Reeves
	uin	215823
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/12/2014 answer text <p /> <p>The Universal Credit Gateway Conditions will continue to include a criterion that the claimant must be a British citizen who has continuously lived in the UK for the last two years</p> answering member constituency Wirral West answering member printed Esther McVey question first answered 02/12/2014 16:53:39 answering member 4084 label Biography information for Esther McVey previous answer version 30742 answering member constituency Wirral West answering member printed Esther McVey answering member 4084 label Biography information for Esther McVey
	tabling member	4031 label Biography information for Rachel Reeves

166049

	registered interest
	date	25/11/2014
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Prisons: Closures
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate he has made of savings to the public purse arising from the closure of prisons since 2010.
	tabling member constituency	Wrexham
	tabling member printed	Ian Lucas
	uin	215917
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/12/2014 answer text <p /> <p>The capacity management has been a key element of the Ministry’s efficiency strategy over the past four years. This work ensures the most effective use of the prison estate and the closure of less efficient, uneconomic prison places where there is surplus capacity to do so.</p><p> </p><p>16 Prisons have been closed and two prisons have been re-roled as Immigration Removal Centres since 2010. Our strategy of replacing old, uneconomic prison places with new, modern ones has reduced unit costs and delivered savings of around £155m per annum.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 02/12/2014 16:10:50 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	1470 label Biography information for Ian C. Lucas

165960

	registered interest
	date	25/11/2014
	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	Marriage Guidance
	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 support husbands and wives with relationship problems to enable families to stay together.
	tabling member constituency	Strangford
	tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
	uin	215885
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/12/2014 answer text <p /> <p>This Government attaches a high priority to supporting couple relationships and committed a dedicated fund of £30 million for relationship support over the Spending Review period (2011-2015).</p><p> </p><p>We are funding a range of services through a number of expert providers to deliver relationship support provision, including preventative support targeted at couples at risk of family breakdown; activities to encourage the take-up of relationship support; and counselling for couples who may be experiencing difficulties.</p><p> </p><p>We have also introduced a Family Test which will mean that all new relevant domestic policies will need to be assessed for their impact on the family.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Steve Webb question first answered 02/12/2014 11:49:44 answering member 220 label Biography information for Steve Webb
	tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon