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1126537

	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	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 response her Department makes when notified by a local authority of an error in a resident’s universal credit calculation.
	tabling member constituency	East Ham
	tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
	uin	254086
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/06/2019 answer text <p>It is not clear whether the questions relate to the Local Authority as the provider of housing or as the administrator of Housing Benefit and Council Tax. This answer therefore responds on both counts.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Local Authority as landlord:</strong></p><p> </p><p>The Local Authority use the ‘Landlord Portal’ to provide details of a claimant’s rent and tenancy details. When the information provided does not match what the claimant has given, the claimant will then be able to accept or reject the information uploaded by the Local Authority by logging into their Universal Credit account.</p><p> </p><p>If the claimant accepts the information provided by the Local Authority no further action is required. If the Local Authority has provided information that is rejected by the claimant, the claimant is advised to make contact to resolve this. This could require a subsequent housing declaration to be provided. The ‘Landlord Portal’ has a summary screen that allows the Local Authority to confirm or change the information they are about to provide before it has been submitted.</p><p> </p><p>This process applies whenever there is a rent change, including annual uprating of rent. The Landlord Portal is the streamlined communication tool which allows the Local Authority to disclose the rent thus highlighting errors in the claimants Universal Credit.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Local Authority as administrator of Housing Benefit and Council Tax:</strong></p><p> </p><p>Once a claim to Universal Credit has been made, the Local Authority will receive a notification if the claimant is in receipt of Housing Benefit. This will inform the Local Authority of the claim to Universal Credit so they can take the action to close the Housing Benefit claim where needed. The Local Authority will inform Universal Credit of the action they have taken and if there is any payment to be offset within the first assessment period.</p><p> </p><p>Additionally, during the Universal Credit claim process, the claimant will be asked if their name is on the council tax bill. If the claimant answers ‘yes’, they are asked if they have applied for a reduction in their council tax. If the claimant answers that they have applied or will apply for a Council Tax Reduction, their details will be shared with the Local Authority. This is a one-way communication which allows for the Local Authority to take the appropriate action regarding an application for a Council Tax Reduction.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma grouped question UIN 254088 question first answered 03/06/2019 13:09:40 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma previous answer version 119078 answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
	tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

1126539

	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	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 support her Department provides to local authorities to help (a) identify and (b) remedy errors in universal credit calculations.
	tabling member constituency	East Ham
	tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
	uin	254088
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/06/2019 answer text <p>It is not clear whether the questions relate to the Local Authority as the provider of housing or as the administrator of Housing Benefit and Council Tax. This answer therefore responds on both counts.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Local Authority as landlord:</strong></p><p> </p><p>The Local Authority use the ‘Landlord Portal’ to provide details of a claimant’s rent and tenancy details. When the information provided does not match what the claimant has given, the claimant will then be able to accept or reject the information uploaded by the Local Authority by logging into their Universal Credit account.</p><p> </p><p>If the claimant accepts the information provided by the Local Authority no further action is required. If the Local Authority has provided information that is rejected by the claimant, the claimant is advised to make contact to resolve this. This could require a subsequent housing declaration to be provided. The ‘Landlord Portal’ has a summary screen that allows the Local Authority to confirm or change the information they are about to provide before it has been submitted.</p><p> </p><p>This process applies whenever there is a rent change, including annual uprating of rent. The Landlord Portal is the streamlined communication tool which allows the Local Authority to disclose the rent thus highlighting errors in the claimants Universal Credit.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Local Authority as administrator of Housing Benefit and Council Tax:</strong></p><p> </p><p>Once a claim to Universal Credit has been made, the Local Authority will receive a notification if the claimant is in receipt of Housing Benefit. This will inform the Local Authority of the claim to Universal Credit so they can take the action to close the Housing Benefit claim where needed. The Local Authority will inform Universal Credit of the action they have taken and if there is any payment to be offset within the first assessment period.</p><p> </p><p>Additionally, during the Universal Credit claim process, the claimant will be asked if their name is on the council tax bill. If the claimant answers ‘yes’, they are asked if they have applied for a reduction in their council tax. If the claimant answers that they have applied or will apply for a Council Tax Reduction, their details will be shared with the Local Authority. This is a one-way communication which allows for the Local Authority to take the appropriate action regarding an application for a Council Tax Reduction.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma grouped question UIN 254086 question first answered 03/06/2019 13:09:40 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma previous answer version 119077 answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
	tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

1126555

	registered interest
	date	14/05/2019
	answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept id	201
	answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	hansard heading	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Sick Leave
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, 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	254064
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/05/2019 answer text <p>The number of employees in the Department for Business, Energy &amp; Industrial Strategy (BEIS) during the calendar year of 2018 who were absent due to mental health reasons, including stress was 59, this represented 1.5% of the total workforce. The proportion of sickness absence related to mental health reasons, including stress, was 23% of the overall sickness absence for the department for the same time period.</p><p> </p><p>The estimated cost to the department over this period for employees taking sickness absence, is estimated at £1,421,738.30.</p><p> </p><p>BEIS is committed to supporting the wellbeing of its staff, including helping them to manage stress in the workplace, and has a Wellbeing Strategy that includes a specific focus on supporting good mental health in its employees. This strategy is based in part on the Civil Service Health and Wellbeing Strategy that also includes the promotion of good mental health for all as one of its five priorities. Through a programme of wellbeing events and speakers, a growing cohort of mental health first aiders, promotion and signposting of the employee assistance programme, and e-learning packages for staff on stress, resilience and wellbeing, the Department has seen continued awareness and engagement on wellbeing and good mental health.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Pendle answering member printed Andrew Stephenson question first answered 22/05/2019 16:20:29 answering member 4044 label Biography information for Andrew Stephenson
	tabling member	151 label Biography information for Tom Brake

1126690

	registered interest
	date	14/05/2019
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	World Health Organization: Finance
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how much they contribute financially, annually, to the World Health Organisation.
	tabling member printed	Lord Blencathra
	uin	HL15707
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/05/2019 answer text <p>The World Health Organisation (WHO) is critical to UK international development and global health security objectives. The UK is WHO’s third largest funder and a key advocate for continued WHO reform and impact at country level. The UK’s annual contribution to the World Health Organisation averages at £100 million.</p> answering member printed Baroness Sugg question first answered 29/05/2019 15:38:00 answering member 4584 label Biography information for Baroness Sugg
	tabling member	497 label Biography information for Lord Blencathra

1126687

	registered interest
	date	14/05/2019
	answering body	Department for Transport
	answering dept id	27
	answering dept short name	Transport
	answering dept sort name	Transport
	hansard heading	Electric Vehicles: Grants
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on car sales of removing zero-emission plug-in hybrid vehicles from the list of vehicles eligible for plug-in grants, including the impact on their vision of almost every car and van being zero emission by 2050.
	tabling member printed	Lord Berkeley
	uin	HL15704
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/05/2019 answer text <p>The plug-in car grant was intended to support the early market for low emission vehicles and has so far supported the purchase of around 100,000 plug-in hybrid cars, at a cost of over £360 million.</p><p>In 2018 the department reviewed the plug-in car grant to focus on zero tail pipe emission vehicles. Since then, overall sales of alternatively fuelled vehicles have increased compared to the same period last year. While the sales of zero emission capable plug-in hybrids have decreased since the grant was reviewed, the sales of the cleanest zero emission vehicles have increased by over 50 per cent over the same period.</p> answering member printed Baroness Vere of Norbiton question first answered 29/05/2019 12:48:28 answering member 4580 label Biography information for Baroness Vere of Norbiton
	tabling member	3526 label Biography information for Lord Berkeley

1126688

	registered interest
	date	14/05/2019
	answering body	Department for Transport
	answering dept id	27
	answering dept short name	Transport
	answering dept sort name	Transport
	hansard heading	Heathrow Airport: Railways
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Sugg on 15 March (HL14180), what type, or types, of Government support have been considered to support the Southern Rail Link to Heathrow; and whether the criteria for assessing proposals to deliver the project include a requirement to operate trains on the line.
	tabling member printed	Lord Berkeley
	uin	HL15705
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/05/2019 answer text <p>Following the publication of the Market Sounding Findings Report, published in December 2018, which showed that none of the schemes put forward were able to advance without Government support, whether that be direct financial support, or by providing indirect support such as guarantees of future usage, my Department has been working to further develop and clarify the outcomes we want to be delivered from this project and is considering appropriate criteria for assessing commercial and procurement models, including minimum requirements required.</p> answering member printed Baroness Vere of Norbiton question first answered 29/05/2019 13:51:13 answering member 4580 label Biography information for Baroness Vere of Norbiton
	tabling member	3526 label Biography information for Lord Berkeley

1126692

	registered interest
	date	14/05/2019
	answering body	Department for Transport
	answering dept id	27
	answering dept short name	Transport
	answering dept sort name	Transport
	hansard heading	Heathrow Airport: Railways
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect (1) funding to be approved, and (2) an application for a Development Consent Order to be made, for a Western Rail Link to Heathrow Airport.
	tabling member printed	Lord Bradshaw
	uin	HL15709
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/05/2019 answer text <p>The Government fully supports the development of a Western Rail Link to Heathrow.</p><p> </p><p>The development of a five case business case for the Western Rail Link to Heathrow is nearing completion. The Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline sets out the process and principles underpinning funding of enhancements to the railway.</p><p> </p><p>Subject a satisfactory business case, and the agreement of acceptable terms with the Heathrow aviation industry, funding would be made available to take the project forward to the ‘Design’ gateway. On that basis, Network Rail expects to submit its Development Consent Order later in the Autumn.</p> answering member printed Baroness Vere of Norbiton question first answered 22/05/2019 14:23:26 answering member 4580 label Biography information for Baroness Vere of Norbiton
	tabling member	2483 label Biography information for Lord Bradshaw

1126693

	registered interest
	date	14/05/2019
	answering body	Department for Transport
	answering dept id	27
	answering dept short name	Transport
	answering dept sort name	Transport
	hansard heading	Heathrow Airport: Railways
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect to announce the next stage of the process for selecting a preferred developer for a Southern Rail Link to Heathrow Airport.
	tabling member printed	Lord Bradshaw
	uin	HL15710
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/05/2019 answer text <p>The Department has not undertaken a procurement process to select a preferred developer for a Southern Rail Link to Heathrow.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Vere of Norbiton question first answered 22/05/2019 14:28:26 answering member 4580 label Biography information for Baroness Vere of Norbiton
	tabling member	2483 label Biography information for Lord Bradshaw

1126694

	registered interest
	date	14/05/2019
	answering body	Department for Transport
	answering dept id	27
	answering dept short name	Transport
	answering dept sort name	Transport
	hansard heading	Old Oak Common Station
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government when the expect the platforms at Old Oak Common station designed to be served by trains operated under the Great Western franchise to be open.
	tabling member printed	Lord Bradshaw
	uin	HL15711
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/05/2019 answer text <p>The new station at Old Oak Common is being designed to offer connectivity between HS2, the Elizabeth Line and the Great Western Main Line. HS2 Ltd will work with its construction partner, once appointed, to optimise cost and schedule. We will make public a Full Business Case, including an assessment of schedule, later in the year.</p> answering member printed Baroness Vere of Norbiton question first answered 29/05/2019 13:08:16 answering member 4580 label Biography information for Baroness Vere of Norbiton
	tabling member	2483 label Biography information for Lord Bradshaw

1126697

	registered interest
	date	14/05/2019
	answering body	Department for Transport
	answering dept id	27
	answering dept short name	Transport
	answering dept sort name	Transport
	hansard heading	Colne-Skipton Railway Line
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the announcement by the Secretary of State for Transport on 25 January, whether they have commissioned the further studies into the possible reinstatement and reopening of the Colne–Skipton railway line as part of a TransPennine freight line and for local passenger services; and if so, who is undertaking those studies.
	tabling member printed	Lord Greaves
	uin	HL15714
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/05/2019 answer text <p>Work is currently progressing and we expect to receive the results later this year to inform a decision as to whether the scheme should go to the ‘develop’ stage of the Government’s Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline.</p><p>Local stakeholders, including the local MP Andrew Stephenson, have championed the scheme and we are working closely with Transport for the North to assess the proposed scheme and to ensure that it can be affordable, will attract sufficient traffic, and is part of the right long-term solution for cross Transpennine rail traffic.</p><p>This is part of our new approach to rail enhancements to ensure we address the needs of passengers and freight, and that funding commitments appropriately reflect the stage of development of schemes.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Vere of Norbiton question first answered 23/05/2019 14:23:33 answering member 4580 label Biography information for Baroness Vere of Norbiton
	tabling member	2569 label Biography information for Lord Greaves