Show Search Form

Search Results

registered interest	true false
date	exactly: or between: and
answering body
answering dept id
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name
hansard heading
house id
legislature	pref label
question text
tabling member constituency
tabling member printed
uin
answer	is ministerial correction true false date of answer exactly: or between: and answer text answering member constituency answering member printed question first answered answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

1126628

	registered interest
	date	14/05/2019
	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	State Retirement Pensions: Reciprocal Arrangements
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 15 April 2019 to Question 242790 on State Retirement Pensions: Reciprocal Arrangements, which non-EU countries have made requests for reciprocal social security agreements with the UK since 1992.
	tabling member constituency	Ribble Valley
	tabling member printed	Mr Nigel Evans
	uin	254152
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/05/2019 answer text <p>Requests for social security agreements may be raised in formal and informal meetings and correspondence at both ministerial and official level. The Department for Work and Pensions does not, as a matter of routine, maintain records of such requests.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 22/05/2019 16:24:57 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	474 label Biography information for Mr Nigel Evans

1126573

	registered interest
	date	14/05/2019
	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	Department for Work and Pensions: Sick Leave
	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 officials in her Department took sick leave for reasons relating to stress in the last 12 months; what proportion that leave was of total sick leave taken in her Department; and what the cost was to her Department of officials taking sick leave over that period.
	tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
	tabling member printed	Tom Brake
	uin	254082
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/05/2019 answer text <p>The Department recognises its legal duty to protect the health, safety and welfare of our employees; this includes identifying and reducing workplace stressors. Our approach is a holistic one that utilises the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Management Standards for work related stress and follows key principles to help identify and reduce work place stressors.</p><p> </p><p>2,473 employees took sick leave for reasons relating to stress in the last 12 months which represents 3% of our paid staff. As a percentage, such absences equated to 10.7% of all Working Days Lost due to sickness absence. However, as the Department continues to pay salaries during sickness absence there is no direct financial cost.</p><p> </p><p>Our approach to absence is fair but robust with the emphasis on health promotion and absence prevention. The Department has a range of support from mental health toolkits, stress reduction plans plus tailored support for people who do go off sick or need support through our Employee Assistance Programme which includes counselling.</p><p> </p><p>The Department has 965 Mental Health First Aiders, who provide acute, short-term and structured support to individuals, provide reassurance and signpost colleagues to both DWP and external sources of support as appropriate. Mental Health First Aiders are also provided with continuous professional development and support for their own mental wellbeing.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 22/05/2019 16:17:12 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	151 label Biography information for Tom Brake

1126601

	registered interest
	date	14/05/2019
	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	Independent Case Examiner: Complaints
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many of the 158 complaints about the Independent Case Examiner in 2017-18 were on the length of time it took to investigate a complaint.
	tabling member constituency	Westminster North
	tabling member printed	Ms Karen Buck
	uin	254099
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/05/2019 answer text <p>The Independent Case Examiner’s Office recorded 158 complaints about its service during the 2017/18 reporting year, of which 60 concerned delays in starting investigations and 6 concerned delays in concluding investigations.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 22/05/2019 16:04:17 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	199 label Biography information for Ms Karen Buck

1126816

	registered interest
	date	15/05/2019
	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	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 assessment she has made of whether there is a need for transitional protection for mixed-age couples that will see eligibility for pension credit and housing benefit affected by transferring to universal credit.
	tabling member constituency	Preseli Pembrokeshire
	tabling member printed	Stephen Crabb
	uin	254779
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/05/2019 answer text <p>The mixed age couples change will not apply to couples already claiming Pension Credit and/or Housing Benefit for pensioners on 14 May for as long as they remain entitled to either benefit. DWP wrote earlier this year to those mixed age couples already receiving Pension Credit and/or Housing Benefit for pensioners to ensure they know about the change and how they could be affected if their circumstances change on or after 15 May.</p><p> </p><p>Couples who would be eligible for the pension age benefits under the previous rules but have not claimed before 15 May will have up to 13 August to make a backdated claim to 14 May and we encourage them to do so.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 22/05/2019 15:54:25 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	1554 label Biography information for Stephen Crabb

1124381

	registered interest
	date	01/05/2019
	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	Government Equalities Office: Secondment
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, how many civil servants in the Government Equalities Office have been seconded to (a) the Department for Exiting the European Union and (b) the Department for International Trade in each of the last three years.
	tabling member constituency	Vale of Clwyd
	tabling member printed	Chris Ruane
	uin	249913
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/05/2019 answer text <p>The Government Equalities Office (GEO) confirms no GEO civil servants have been seconded to either the Department for Exiting the European Union or the Department for International Trade in the last three years.</p> answering member constituency Louth and Horncastle answering member printed Victoria Atkins question first answered 22/05/2019 15:13:56 answering member 4399 label Biography information for Victoria Atkins
	tabling member	534 label Biography information for Chris Ruane

1124692

	registered interest
	date	03/05/2019
	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	Employment: Disability
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps she is taking to help ensure that employers provide reasonable adjustments to the workplace so that people with hidden or invisible conditions are able to (a) access and (b) stay in employment.
	tabling member constituency	Bury South
	tabling member printed	Mr Ivan Lewis
	uin	250748
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/05/2019 answer text <p>The law is very clear that employers must make reasonable adjustments for employees and job applicants who meet the Equality Act 2010’s definition of disability, namely having a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term negative effect on the person’s ability to do normal daily activities. Where a disability is not obvious, it will be necessary for the employee or job applicant to declare their condition, but at that point the onus passes to the employer to meet its legal obligations.</p><p> </p><p>To help employers comply with the law, the Government has issued guidance on the duty to make reasonable adjustments, here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/reasonable-adjustments-for-disabled-workers" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/reasonable-adjustments-for-disabled-workers</a></p><p> </p><p>In addition, guidance on this subject has been issued by Acas and by the Equality and Human Rights Commission, which has also published a statutory code of practice for employers. Where employers fall short on their obligations, legal remedies exist for employees and job applicants, together with Acas’s early conciliation service, which aims to settle disputes before they reach the employment tribunal.</p> answering member constituency Louth and Horncastle answering member printed Victoria Atkins question first answered 22/05/2019 15:13:27 answering member 4399 label Biography information for Victoria Atkins
	tabling member	441 label Biography information for Mr Ivan Lewis

1126332

	registered interest
	date	13/05/2019
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Banking Hubs: Competition
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to update competition law to allow for shared banking hubs in areas where local bank branches have been closed.
	tabling member printed	Lord Taylor of Warwick
	uin	HL15692
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/05/2019 answer text <p>Branch closures can be difficult for the communities affected and the Government pays close attention to this issue. However, the decision to close a branch is a commercial one for a firm, and Government does not intervene in those decisions.</p><p> </p><p>However, the Government is equally clear that as banking providers seek to respond to technological advances and changes in customer behaviour, they must also consider carefully the needs of those who still rely on their local bank branch. Since May 2017, the major high street banks have been signed up to the Access to Banking Standard, which commits them to work with customers and communities to minimise the impact of branch closures and put in place alternative banking services.</p><p> </p><p>The Government also supports the Post Office Banking Framework Agreement which enables 99% of the UK’s personal and 95% of the UK’s small business customers to withdraw money, deposit cash and cheques and check balances at any one of the Post Office’s network of 11,500 branches.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>While banks do have to comply with competition law, there is no specific regulation that prevents banks from sharing branches or other premises where their strategies align. The Government therefore has no plans to update competition law on this basis. Government does not intervene in these commercial decisions, but will continue to encourage banks to think creatively about how they can ensure that consumers can access a wide range of banking services on a sustainable basis. For example, NatWest, Lloyds Bank and Barclays are trialling shared business banking hubs in 6 locations across the UK in the coming weeks.</p> answering member printed Lord Young of Cookham question first answered 22/05/2019 16:37:43 answering member 57 label Biography information for Lord Young of Cookham
	tabling member	1796 label Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick

1126718

	registered interest
	date	14/05/2019
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Loans
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have modelled the systemic risk impact of growth in instructional, non bank, lending.
	tabling member printed	Lord Myners
	uin	HL15735
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/05/2019 answer text <p>The Financial Policy Committee (FPC) of the Bank of England was set up to identify, monitor and take action to remove or reduce systemic risks with a view to protecting and enhancing the resilience of the UK financial system as part of the new financial regulatory framework legislated for under The Financial Services Act 2012. Part of the FPC’s remit includes the responsibility for assessing risks in the financial system, including from the non-bank financial system. The FPC set out its most recent assessment of financial stability risks from the non-bank financial sector in its 28th November 2018 Financial Stability Report.</p> answering member printed Lord Young of Cookham question first answered 22/05/2019 16:28:54 answering member 57 label Biography information for Lord Young of Cookham
	tabling member	3869 label Biography information for Lord Myners

1127020

	registered interest
	date	15/05/2019
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Credit
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of any increase in complaints regarding short-term and payday lenders related to those suffering with problem debt.
	tabling member printed	Lord Taylor of Warwick
	uin	HL15781
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/05/2019 answer text <p>The Government has fundamentally reformed regulation of the consumer credit market, transferring regulatory responsibility to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) on 1 April 2014.</p><p> </p><p>The FCA requires payday lenders to carry out robust affordability checks, limits the number of times a payday loan can be rolled over to two, places tough restrictions on lenders’ use of continuous payment authorities, and requires all payday lending adverts to include a risk warning and information about where to get free debt advice.</p><p> </p><p>The Government has given the FCA strong powers to protect consumers and to take action against firms and individuals that do not meet its standards. In 2018, the FCA issued total fines of £60 million.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>On problem debt more broadly, the Government is implementing its manifesto commitment to introduce a breathing space and statutory debt repayment plan. The two polices aim to give people in problem debt the opportunity to take control of their finances and put them on a sustainable footing.</p> answering member printed Lord Young of Cookham question first answered 22/05/2019 16:23:21 answering member 57 label Biography information for Lord Young of Cookham
	tabling member	1796 label Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick

1126562

	registered interest
	date	14/05/2019
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Treasury: Sick Leave
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many and what proportion of officials in his Department took sick leave for reasons relating to stress in the last 12 months; what proportion that leave was of total sick leave taken in his Department; and what the cost was to his Department of officials taking sick leave over that period.
	tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
	tabling member printed	Tom Brake
	uin	254071
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/05/2019 answer text <p>The Treasury’s sickness absence data for ‘mental health and related issues includes stress related conditions. HM Treasury publishes data in the Annual report and Accounts. The data for January to December 2017 can be found in the 2017/18 report and accounts, and data for the period January to December 2018 will be reported in the 2018/19 annual report and accounts which is due to be published in July.</p><p> </p><p>For information I have attached a link below to the 2017/18 report.</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-annual-report" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-annual-report</a></p><p> </p><p>We do not currently make an estimate of the cost of sick absence to the department.</p><p> </p><p>HM Treasury has the following support in place for those that are suffering due to stress or poor mental health including:</p><ul><li>Stress and Mental Health Awareness e-learning – which covers learning about stress, what the stressors can be and how to identify and lessen stress</li><li>Stress risk assessment used to identify stressors and implement controls to help reduce/eliminate the stress</li><li>Workplace Adjustments including flexible working</li><li>Stress Management guidance</li><li>Wellbeing Gateway</li><li>Mental Health Tips</li><li>Tips to help reduce stress</li><li>Mental Health First Aiders</li><li>Employee Assistance Programme - provides a number of confidential advisory, counselling and support services. Their helpline is available 24/7</li><li>Occupational Health provision</li><li>Mental Wellbeing Network</li><li>Treasury Supporters who are employees trained to help colleagues work through any concerns, however serious whatever their cause</li><li>Wellness Action Plans</li><li>Time to Talk Workshops</li><li>HR Advisers and Health, Safety &amp; Wellbeing Team</li><li>HSE Stress Talking Toolkit</li></ul> answering member constituency Newark answering member printed Robert Jenrick question first answered 22/05/2019 16:38:48 answering member 4320 label Biography information for Robert Jenrick
	tabling member	151 label Biography information for Tom Brake