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

1133551

registered interest
date	20/06/2019
answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Internet: Children and Young People
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to protect (a) vulnerable children, (b) young people, (c) young carers and (d) people in the care system through regulation of the internet.
tabling member constituency	Ogmore
tabling member printed	Chris Elmore
uin	267237
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/06/2019 answer text <p>The Online Harms White Paper sets out our plans for world-leading legislation to make the UK the safest place in the world to be online. This will make companies more responsible for their users’ safety online, especially children and other vulnerable groups. We will establish in law a new duty of care on companies towards their users, overseen by an independent regulator. This regulator will set clear safety standards, through codes of practice, backed up by mandatory reporting requirements and effective enforcement powers.</p><p> </p><p>At the same time as the White Paper, the Government published the Social Media Code of Practice, which sets out actions that the Government believes providers of social media platforms should take to prevent bullying, insulting, intimidating and humiliating behaviours on their sites.</p><p> </p><p>In addition to providing children with the tools to go online safely, we already expect companies to protect them from inappropriate content. Ahead of the new regulatory framework, we will produce a new, additional draft code of practice focusing specifically on child online safety. The draft code will set our expectations about what is required to keep children safe and will examine existing resources available, including whether specific guidance should be available to parents and carers.</p> answering member constituency Stourbridge answering member printed Margot James question first answered 26/06/2019 16:07:23 answering member 4115 label Biography information for Margot James
tabling member	4572 label Biography information for Chris Elmore

1132584

registered interest
date	17/06/2019
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	Mental Health Services: Schools
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to introduce mental health support in schools in relation to the effect of social media.
tabling member constituency	Ogmore
tabling member printed	Chris Elmore
uin	265617
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/06/2019 answer text <p>We are aware of the potential health harms of screen use and social media, on both the mental and physical health of young people and are undertaking several actions relevant to this area.</p><p>In line with the commitments set out in the NHS Long Term Plan, on 20 December the Government announced the first wave of 25 trailblazer sites that will test the plans set out in ‘Transforming children and young people’s mental health provision: a green paper’, published in December 2017.</p><p>These new plans will significantly increase the availability of mental health support to children and young people, including creating new Mental Health Support Teams working in and near schools and colleges to support children and young people with mild to moderate mental health conditions. Mental Health Support Teams will provide brand new services and are intended to offer earlier help and intervention with issues such as online harms and the adverse effects of social media.</p> answering member constituency Thurrock answering member printed Jackie Doyle-Price question first answered 25/06/2019 15:58:12 answering member 4065 label Biography information for Dame Jackie Doyle-Price
tabling member	4572 label Biography information for Chris Elmore

1132054

registered interest
date	13/06/2019
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	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 he is taking to ensure that universal credit claimants paying rent weekly do not face a one-week shortfall in their universal credit housing element in 2020.
tabling member constituency	Ogmore
tabling member printed	Chris Elmore
uin	264450
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/06/2019 answer text <p>No-one will face a one-week shortfall in their Universal Credit (UC) housing element in 2020 as no year contains 53 weeks. This perceived issue of there being a one-week shortfall due to there being 53 weeks in a year arises where a landlord charges rent weekly on a Monday and, because of the way the calendar falls every 5 or 6 years, requiring 53 rent payments in a year, with the 53<sup>rd</sup> payment in part covering the tenancy for the first few days of the following year.</p><p> </p><p>Where a tenant makes a 53<sup>rd</sup> rent payment in a given year, this payment will cover some days in the subsequent year. This will mean the following month only has four payment dates and, as such, the claimant will be ‘overpaid’ for their housing and their shortfall will be recovered.</p><p> </p><p>Universal Credit payments are designed to mirror the world of work, with monthly payments reflecting the way many working people are paid. This model of monthly payments allows claimants to take responsibility for budgeting their own income and helps prepare them for getting back to work.</p><p> </p><p>We are aware of a separate issue with respect to the way the calculation in the Universal Credit regulations converts a weekly liability into a monthly allowance. The conversion is achieved by multiplying the weekly rent by 52 and then dividing by 12. This effectively means one day’s rent a year (two days in a leap years) are not covered by UC. We are currently considering whether this formulation around weekly rents, and potentially other weekly amounts in the UC calculation, should be amended.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 21/06/2019 11:44:35 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4572 label Biography information for Chris Elmore

1132055

registered interest
date	13/06/2019
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	Universal Credit
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if his Department will work with housing associations to share data to support tenants when undergoing transfer from legacy benefits onto universal credit.
tabling member constituency	Ogmore
tabling member printed	Chris Elmore
uin	264451
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/06/2019 answer text <p>We are working with Trusted Partners, including Housing Associations, to identify how best to support claimants within the Harrogate Move to UC pilot as they move from legacy benefits to UC. We will explore whether data sharing is required as part of this support.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 21/06/2019 13:22:16 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	4572 label Biography information for Chris Elmore

1132056

registered interest
date	13/06/2019
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	Universal Credit
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will bring forward the extension of the repayment period of the Advance Payment Loan available to universal credit claimants.
tabling member constituency	Ogmore
tabling member printed	Chris Elmore
uin	264452
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/06/2019 answer text <p>Advances are not loans; they are an interest free advance payment of benefit, available to help people who need immediate financial support, which is then recovered over an agreed period.</p><p> </p><p>We have carefully considered the impact and deliverability of the measures announced in the Autumn Budget 2018 for Universal Credit. The delivery dates we announced achieve the best balance between continually improving Universal Credit to respond to claimant need and ensuring the service is technically and operationally scalable as the volumes on Universal Credit continue to rise through 2019 and 2020.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 21/06/2019 13:14:28 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	4572 label Biography information for Chris Elmore

1132082

registered interest
date	13/06/2019
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	Universal Credit
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will provide universal credit claimants (a) with payments rather than advance payment loans and (b) with those payments earlier than five weeks to ensure that they do not fall into rent arrears.
tabling member constituency	Ogmore
tabling member printed	Chris Elmore
uin	264458
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/06/2019 answer text <p>Universal Credit payments are designed to mirror the world of work, with monthly payments reflecting the way many working people are paid. This model of monthly payments allows claimants to take responsibility for budgeting their own income and helps prepare them for getting back to work.</p><p> </p><p>Advance payments of Universal Credit are not loans. They are Universal Credit paid early, which is then recovered over an agreed period via deductions from the claimant’s Universal Credit award. No claimant has to go five weeks without receiving support, as advances, worth up to 100 per cent of a claimant’s indicative award, are available up front, if there is need. Advances are paid back over a period of 12 months and in the Autumn Budget 2018, we announced that from October 2021, the payback period for these advances will be extended further, up to 16 months. This is just one of a number of measures the Department has put in place to support claimants such as paying those claimants moving from Housing Benefit onto Universal Credit a two week ‘transitional housing payment’. We are also introducing a two-week run on for eligible claimants of Income Support, Jobseeker’s Allowance and Employment and Support Allowance from July 2020.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 21/06/2019 13:05:34 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	4572 label Biography information for Chris Elmore

1127681

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	Pension Credit: Wales
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 Written Statement of 14 January 2019, Official Report HCWS1249, how many mixed-age couples will be affected by the change to pension credit in (a) Wales and (b) Ogmore.
tabling member constituency	Ogmore
tabling member printed	Chris Elmore
uin	256421
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/05/2019 answer text <p>The mixed age couples change that came in on 15 May 2019 will not affect couples who were entitled to Pension Credit and/or pension age Housing Benefit immediately before May 15, unless their entitlement to both those benefits subsequently ends. Anyone 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><p> </p><p>The specific information requested about the number of mixed age couples that are estimated to be affected by the forthcoming changes in (a) Wales and (b) Ogmore is not available.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 29/05/2019 11:58:03 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4572 label Biography information for Chris Elmore

1127682

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	Pension Credit: Females
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to her Written Statement of 14 January 2019, Official Report HCWS1249, what assessment she has made of the potential effect on women's incomes of changes to pension credit.
tabling member constituency	Ogmore
tabling member printed	Chris Elmore
uin	256422
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/05/2019 answer text <p>The Pension Credit change was legislated for in the Welfare Reform Act 2012. It was announced on 14 January 2019 that the change would take effect from 15 May 2019. It will not apply to couples already claiming Pension Credit and/or Housing Benefit for pensioners immediately before the 15 May implementation date for as long as they remain entitled to either benefit. Furthermore, 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.</p><p> </p><p>There has been ongoing equality analysis of the mixed age couple change, including the publication of a research and analysis paper relating to mixed age couples estimated to be affected by the change in policy on 28 February 2019.</p><p> </p><p>The analysis shows that the vast majority of mixed age couples comprised a male and female partner. There is no indication that the change will have a disproportionate impact on the basis of sex.</p><p> </p><p>The analysis can be viewed here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mixed-age-couples-benefit-impacts-of-ending-access-to-pension-credit-and-pension-age-housing-benefit" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/publications/mixed-age-couples-benefit-impacts-of-ending-access-to-pension-credit-and-pension-age-housing-benefit</a></p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 29/05/2019 09:24:00 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4572 label Biography information for Chris Elmore

1127683

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	Pension Credit: Wales
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 in Wales currently claim pension credit.
tabling member constituency	Ogmore
tabling member printed	Chris Elmore
uin	256423
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/05/2019 answer text <p>The information is published and available at: <a href="https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk" target="_blank">https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk</a></p><p> </p><p>Guidance for users is available at: <a href="https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html" target="_blank">https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html</a></p><p> </p><p>The latest data (as at November 2018) shows that in Wales, there are 100,065 people claiming Pension Credit.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 29/05/2019 12:41:03 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4572 label Biography information for Chris Elmore

1127684

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	Pension 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 her Department is taking to raise awareness of the changes to pension credit.
tabling member constituency	Ogmore
tabling member printed	Chris Elmore
uin	256424
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/05/2019 answer text <p>The change to the Pension Credit rules was legislated for in the Welfare Reform Act 2012. The Government announced on 14 January that the mixed age couple policy change will come into force on 15 May. Following that announcement, we have implemented comprehensive plans to raise awareness of the change among people who may be affected.</p><p> </p><p>The Department has written directly to mixed age couples who are already in receipt of Pension Credit 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. Importantly, the letters explained that the change will not apply to mixed age couples already claiming Pension Credit and/or Housing Benefit for pensioners at the point of change for as long as they remain entitled to either benefit.</p><p> </p><p>This was in addition to providing information on GOV.UK and through existing departmental channels. The Department’s staff in Pension Centres and Jobcentres including visiting officers are able to provide information about the change, as are staff in Local Authorities who administer Housing Benefit. The Department has also worked with relevant organisations such as Age UK and Citizens Advice, including providing them with a fact sheet to ensure that accurate information is available in the places where people are most likely to seek it.</p><p> </p><p>Anyone 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 29/05/2019 12:20:41 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4572 label Biography information for Chris Elmore