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

1128212

	registered interest
	date	22/05/2019
	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, how many people have had their deductions under universal credit reduced from the maximum rate of 40 per cent of an individual's standard allowance in the last (a) month and (b) 12 months.
	tabling member constituency	High Peak
	tabling member printed	Ruth George
	uin	257510
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2019 answer text <p>The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.</p><p> </p><p>The Government recognises the importance of safeguarding the welfare of claimants who have incurred debt. Universal Credit already has procedures and regulations in place to protect claimants from excessive deductions. The maximum rate of deductions cannot normally exceed 40 per cent of the Universal Credit standard allowance, and from October 2019 this will be reduced to 30 per cent.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 10/06/2019 14:52:01 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Lord Sharma
	tabling member	4662 label Biography information for Ruth George

1128257

	registered interest
	date	24/05/2019
	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	Winter Fuel Payment: Maladministration
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, on how many occasions the winter fuel payment has been incorrectly paid; and what steps he has taken to recover those payments in each of the last three years.
	tabling member constituency	Moray
	tabling member printed	Douglas Ross
	uin	257526
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2019 answer text <p>The DWP makes around 12 million Winter Fuel payments each year.</p><p>The DWP is working hard to prevent overpayments from occurring in the first place. However, these do sometimes occur due to a claimant failing to inform DWP of a change of household composition, or that they have moved abroad. Winter Fuel staff annually undertake an extensive Data Matching exercise to identify if any overpayments have occurred, and reduce the possibility of incorrect payments.</p><p>The table below shows the volume of Winter Fuel payments that were overpaid in the last 3 financial years rounded to the nearest 100. This represents less than 0.05% of the total Winter Fuel payments made.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Year</p></td><td><p>Volume Of Winter Fuel Payments Overpaid</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2016-17</p></td><td><p>3,600</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2017-18</p></td><td><p>5,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2018-19</p></td><td><p>5,200</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p><em>*The data in this response has been sourced from internal management information. It should therefore not be compared to any other similar data subsequently released by the Department.</em></p><p /><p>The DWP has an obligation to ensure that public money is administered responsibly. Therefore, where permitted under Social Security legislation, the DWP seeks to recover any overpaid benefit. Where possible, the DWP will recover through on-going deductions from a claimant’s benefit.</p><p>The DWP ensures that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect claimants who have deductions from their benefit to repay overpayments. There are maximum rates of deduction that are set out in legislation, and if a claimant is struggling they can contact the DWP’s Debt Management Team to discuss lowering their repayment rate.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 10/06/2019 15:06:10 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4627 label Biography information for Douglas Ross

1128270

	registered interest
	date	22/05/2019
	answering body	Department for Transport
	answering dept id	27
	answering dept short name	Transport
	answering dept sort name	Transport
	hansard heading	Roads: Chatham and Aylesford
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what funding he has allocated to repair roads in Chatham and Aylesford.
	tabling member constituency	Chatham and Aylesford
	tabling member printed	Tracey Crouch
	uin	257532
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2019 answer text <p>Local highway authorities are responsible for the maintenance of the local road network in their area. Chatham’s roads are the responsibility of Medway Council, as highway authority, and Aylesford’s roads are the responsibility of Kent County Council, as highway authority.</p><p>The funding provided by the Department for Transport for highway maintenance, including pothole repair, to Medway Council and Kent County Council since 2015 is shown in the table below. The table highlights the Department for Transport allocated Medway Council an additional £1.1m and Kent County Council an additional £12m funding in the 2018/19 financial year to support local highways maintenance services, including the repair of roads.</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Year</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Funding Stream </strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Funding £m </strong> <strong>Medway</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Kent</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2015/16</p></td><td><p>Highways Maintenance Block</p></td><td><p>2.54</p></td><td><p>27.27</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2016/17</p></td><td><p>Highways Maintenance Block (including Incentive Element)</p></td><td><p>2.47</p></td><td><p>26.38</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2016/17</p></td><td><p>Pothole Action Fund</p></td><td><p>0.13</p></td><td><p>1.47</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2017/18</p></td><td><p>Highways Maintenance Block (including Incentive Element)</p></td><td><p>2.45</p></td><td><p>26.35</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2017/18</p></td><td><p>Pothole Action Fund</p></td><td><p>0.34</p></td><td><p>3.72</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2017/18</p></td><td><p>Flood Resilience Fund</p></td><td><p>0.13</p></td><td><p>3.72</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2018/19</p></td><td><p>Highways Maintenance Block (including Incentive Element)</p></td><td><p>2.47</p></td><td><p>25.55</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2018/19</p></td><td><p>Pothole Action Fund</p></td><td><p>0.14</p></td><td><p>1.56</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2018/19</p></td><td><p>Budget £420 million</p></td><td><p>1.12</p></td><td><p>12.09</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2019/20</p></td><td><p>Highways Maintenance Block (including Incentive Element)</p></td><td><p>2.47</p></td><td><p>26.52</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2019/20</p></td><td><p>Pothole Action Fund</p></td><td><p>0.07</p></td><td><p>0.79</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2019/20</p></td><td><p>Flood Resilience Fund</p></td><td><p>0.07</p></td><td><p>0.79</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Total</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p>14.40</p></td><td><p>156.21</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p><em> </em></p><p>The Department funds local highway maintenance in England, outside of London, through Highway Maintenance Block Funding (HMBF), worth about a £1 billion a year.</p><p> </p><ul><li>HMBF is paid through a formula based on the assets a local authority is responsible for such as: length of road network; number of bridges and; the number of street lighting columns</li><li>From 2015 – 2021 the Department is providing £6.6 billion for local highway maintenance in England, outside of London.</li><li>In the October Budget, the Chancellor announced he was providing an additional £420 million for local highway maintenance, in England.</li></ul><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Northampton North answering member printed Michael Ellis question first answered 10/06/2019 12:10:31 answering member 4116 label Biography information for Sir Michael Ellis
	tabling member	3950 label Biography information for Dame Tracey Crouch

1128272

	registered interest
	date	22/05/2019
	answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept id	13
	answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	hansard heading	Livestock: Antimicrobials
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of a preventative approach to animal health in combating antimicrobial resistance; and whether it is his policy that reducing the effect of that resistance is a key public good.
	tabling member constituency	North Cornwall
	tabling member printed	Scott Mann
	uin	257534
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2019 answer text <p>Reducing the spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and the need to use antibiotics through infection prevention and control in human and animal health is one of a number of cores principles in the UK’s 5 Year National AMR Action Plan and 20 Year Vision. Our Action Plan recognises antimicrobial resistance as a global public good. This is reflected in the high priority the UK gives to addressing the problem of AMR. Since 2014, the sales of antibiotics for use in food-producing animals in the UK have dropped by 40%. And in the Action Plan, the government has committed to working with vets and farmers to further reduce antibiotic use in animals by 25% between 2016 and 2020, with objectives to be refreshed by 2021.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 10/06/2019 16:56:41 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4496 label Biography information for Scott Mann

1128273

	registered interest
	date	22/05/2019
	answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept id	13
	answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	hansard heading	Agriculture
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support the agricultural sector after the UK leaves the EU; and whether he plans to introduce a distinct and internationally recognised UK standard for agricultural goods based on a high level of animal health and welfare.
	tabling member constituency	North Cornwall
	tabling member printed	Scott Mann
	uin	257535
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2019 answer text <p>The Government’s plans for agriculture and for supporting the sector as the UK leaves the European Union are underpinned by the Agriculture Bill. The Bill is a central part of the Government’s programme of legislation to deliver as smooth a departure as possible and achieve a green Brexit. At the heart of our new policy in England will be a system that pays public money for public goods. Our future agriculture policy will help farmers continue to provide a supply of healthy, home-grown produce made to high environmental and animal welfare standards.</p><p> </p><p>We are committed to putting in place a Gold Standard of metrics which will provide a framework of sustainability metrics, establishing a common vocabulary for environmental and animal welfare measurements in food and farming that can be used across public and private sectors.</p><p> </p><p>We already have some of the highest welfare standards in the world, as well as a number of voluntary labelling schemes which provide assurances as to the welfare of the animals, both of which ensure consumers are not misled by the labelling of products that contain meat or dairy products. Once we leave the EU, we will review food labelling to ensure that we have a framework that meets the needs of UK consumers and producers. Labelling for welfare outcomes is one area that the review will cover.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 10/06/2019 16:58:59 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4496 label Biography information for Scott Mann

1128284

	registered interest
	date	22/05/2019
	answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept id	13
	answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	hansard heading	Beverage Containers: Deposit Return Schemes
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to respond to the public consultation on the Deposit Return Scheme for drinks containers, published in February 2019.
	tabling member constituency	Warrington South
	tabling member printed	Faisal Rashid
	uin	257546
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2019 answer text <p>The consultation on proposals to introduce a deposit return scheme in England, Wales and Northern Ireland closed on 13 May. Policy officials are currently analysing the responses, and the analysis of responses and the Government’s response will be published in due course.</p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 10/06/2019 10:14:28 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
	tabling member	4670 label Biography information for Faisal Rashid

1128299

	registered interest
	date	22/05/2019
	answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
	answering dept id	17
	answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
	answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
	hansard heading	Cannabis: Medical Treatments
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the oral contribution of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on 20 May 2019, Official Report, column, 571, what plans he has to include observational trials in building up the existing evidence-base.
	tabling member constituency	Hemel Hempstead
	tabling member printed	Sir Mike Penning
	uin	257475
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2019 answer text <p>In all areas of scientific research, a range of evidence builds our understanding. This includes individual cases and observational trials. It is the promise shown from these observational studies and experience, from all around the world, that provides the basis for public funding of further research into the use of cannabis based products as medicines through the National Institute for Health Research. This further clinical research will provide a greater level of understanding of cannabis-based medicines, how to use them to best effect, who may benefit and under what circumstances, how cannabis interacts with other medications and define further any contraindications. It is this level of research outcomes that will provide confidence to prescribers and the information necessary to make routine funding decisions within the National Health Service.</p><p>The existing experience, studies and research in this area will be used by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence to develop their clinical guidelines due to be published later this year.</p> answering member constituency South Ribble answering member printed Seema Kennedy question first answered 10/06/2019 13:26:43 answering member 4455 label Biography information for Seema Kennedy
	tabling member	1528 label Biography information for Sir Mike Penning

1128306

	registered interest
	date	22/05/2019
	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 proportion of universal credit claimants who have received an advance payment have had to delay their repayment for three months.
	tabling member constituency	Lanark and Hamilton East
	tabling member printed	Angela Crawley
	uin	257557
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2019 answer text <p>The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 10/06/2019 15:11:08 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Lord Sharma
	tabling member	4469 label Biography information for Angela Crawley

1128309

	registered interest
	date	22/05/2019
	answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
	answering dept id	17
	answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
	answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
	hansard heading	Social Prescribing
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will work with NHS England to add measures of loneliness to the NHS England Outcomes Framework for social prescribing.
	tabling member constituency	Croydon North
	tabling member printed	Mr Steve Reed
	uin	257558
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2019 answer text <p>As social prescribing is locally driven, different approaches to evaluation and the measurement of outcomes have emerged across England. To encourage consistent data gathering and reporting of outcomes, NHS England has worked with a wide range of stakeholders to develop a Common Outcomes Framework for measuring the impact of social prescribing. Working with a wide range of stakeholders, a consensus has been built for all social prescribing connector schemes to measure a number of outcomes, including impact on the person. This includes how a person’s wellbeing has improved, whether they are less lonely and whether they feel more in control and have a better quality of life.</p><p> </p><p>More information on the Common Outcomes Framework can be found in ‘Social prescribing and community-based support Summary guide’, published by NHS England in January 2019 which is available at the following link:</p><p><a href="http://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/social-prescribing-community-based-support-summary-guide.pdf" target="_blank">www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/social-prescribing-community-based-support-summary-guide.pdf</a></p> answering member constituency Gosport answering member printed Caroline Dinenage question first answered 10/06/2019 15:15:17 answering member 4008 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Dinenage
	tabling member	4268 label Biography information for Steve Reed

1128322

	registered interest
	date	22/05/2019
	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 steps she has taken to ensure that universal credit claimants (a) are fully aware of how the repayment of advance payments work and (b) understand that the deferment of repayments is for a maximum of three months.
	tabling member constituency	Lanark and Hamilton East
	tabling member printed	Angela Crawley
	uin	257562
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2019 answer text <p>Applications for a Universal Credit advance payment can be made in person, by telephone or online depending on the claimant’s circumstances. Depending on the type of advance payment application, we will consider whether the claimant satisfies the eligibility conditions for receiving the advance. If the claimant is eligible we will agree the amount of the advance and the period over which the advance will be recovered from their future Universal Credit payments. If the claimant has made the application in person or by telephone, the outcome of the application is explained to the claimant face to face or over the phone and then their online journal is updated. If they have made the application online the outcome will be displayed on screen.</p><p> </p><p>The Department has taken a number of steps to ensure that advances meet the needs of claimants and that the recovery arrangements are personalised and reasonable. Affordability is managed by ensuring the recovery rate will not be more than the equivalent of 40% of the claimant’s standard allowance. The claimant is given the choice over the repayment period and it is explained to them exactly how much will be deducted each month depending on the option they choose. If the claimant is making the advance application online, these options are clearly displayed on screen for them to choose from.</p><p> </p><p>Help is available for those struggling to meet the recovery rate. In exceptional circumstances, recovery can be deferred for up to three months from the start of the recovery period. If the claimant tells us that due to unforeseen circumstances they are experiencing hardship and are having difficulty repaying the advance over the agreed recovery time, we would explain that repayment can be deferred by a maximum of three months.</p><p> </p><p>From October 2019 the maximum rate of deductions from a claimant’s standard allowance will be reduced from 40% to 30%. From October 2021 we are increasing the recovery period for advances from 12 to 16 months, further supporting those in financial need.</p><p> </p><p>Information about advances is available on the Gov.uk site at:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/universal-credit-advances" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/universal-credit-advances</a></p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 10/06/2019 14:31:16 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Lord Sharma
	tabling member	4469 label Biography information for Angela Crawley