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1141268

	registered interest
	date	23/07/2019
	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	Social Security Benefits
	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 reports that people who are paid on the last day of the month are incorrectly showing on the HMRC database as having been paid on the first working day of the month on the ability of her Department to correctly assess an individual’s entitlement to benefits; and if she will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Portsmouth South
	tabling member printed	Stephen Morgan
	uin	281024
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/09/2019 answer text <p>Universal Credit takes earnings into account in a way that is fair and transparent. The amount of Universal Credit paid reflects, as closely as possible, the actual circumstances of a household during each monthly assessment period, including any earnings reported by the employer during the assessment period, regardless of when they were paid, or which month they relate to.</p><p>Assessment periods allow for Universal Credit awards to be adjusted on a monthly basis, ensuring that if claimants’ incomes fall, they do not have to wait several months for a rise in their Universal Credit award.</p><p>Claimants can discuss queries about how fluctuating income effects Universal Credit with their case managers and work coaches, who can also signpost to services appropriate to individual circumstances.</p><p>The Department has been working closely with HMRC since Universal Credit went live to support and inform employers who report earnings to emphasise the importance of timely reporting via the Real Time Information (RTI) system.</p><p>HMRC have updated their guidance to reiterate to employers the importance of reporting accurate dates and the impact on payment cycles; the Financial Secretary to the Treasury is also working closely with HMRC and employers to do this.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 03/09/2019 14:24:24 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4653 label Biography information for Stephen Morgan

1141279

	registered interest
	date	23/07/2019
	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 estimate he has made of the proportion of universal credit claimants that have had a deduction as a result of arrears to their (a) first, (b) second, (c) third, (d) fourth, (e) fifth and (f) sixth universal credit payment in the most recent period for which data is available.
	tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
	tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
	uin	280971
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/09/2019 answer text <p>The maximum rate of deductions cannot normally exceed 40 per cent of the Universal Credit standard allowance and does not reduce other components of an award, such as money paid for children, housing or when someone is caring for a severely disabled person. From October 2019 this will be reduced to 30 per cent and from October 2021 we are increasing the maximum recovery period for advances from 12 to 16 months.</p><p> </p><p>However, the Government recognises the importance of safeguarding the welfare of claimants who have incurred debt, so last resort deductions can be applied to protect vulnerable claimants from eviction and/or having their fuel supply (gas/electricity) cut off, by providing a last resort repayment method for arrears of these essential services. In these cases, when it is considered to be in the best interests of the claimant and their family, deductions may be taken above the 40 per cent limit.</p><p> </p><p>If a claimant is in financial difficulty as a result of the level of deductions being made they can contact the Department to request that a reduction in deductions be considered</p><p> </p><p>The table below gives the proportion of claims in the first to sixth assessment periods, for which a deduction was taken relating to arrears in February 2019, the latest month which data is available for.  <strong>  </strong></p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Assessment Period</p></td><td><p>% with arrears deductions</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>1.7%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>3.1%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>3</p></td><td><p>4.3%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>5.1%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>5</p></td><td><p>6.1%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>6</p></td><td><p>6.7%</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p><strong>Notes</strong></p><p>1. Figures relate to Universal Credit full service.</p><p>2. Figures are rounded to the nearest per cent.</p><p>3. Figures included arrears for gas, electric, water, rent and service charges</p><p>4. We would expect to see overall amount increasing as the caseload and number of claims with deductions increase, but the average over that time also decreases.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 03/09/2019 15:52:39 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

1141281

	registered interest
	date	23/07/2019
	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: Greater London
	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 May 2019 to Question 224493, how much has been deducted from universal credit claimants' standard allowance in (a) the London Borough of Tower Hamlets and (b) Poplar and Limehouse constituency in each month since April 2017.
	tabling member constituency	Poplar and Limehouse
	tabling member printed	Jim Fitzpatrick
	uin	280902
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/09/2019 answer text <p>The attached table shows the amount deducted from Universal Credit claims in (a) the London Borough of Tower Hamlets and (b) the Poplar and Limehouse parliamentary constituency in each month since April 2017 to May 2019, which is the latest month that data is available for.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 03/09/2019 16:36:28 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince attachment 1 file name PQ280902 data.xlsx title 280902 data
	tabling member	197 label Biography information for Jim Fitzpatrick

1141420

	registered interest
	date	23/07/2019
	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: Sutton
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many residents in the London Borough of Sutton are aged 75 or over; and what proportion of those people are (a) eligible for and (b) claiming pension credit.
	tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
	tabling member printed	Tom Brake
	uin	280900
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/09/2019 answer text <p>Latest published information shows that in 2018, there were 14,502 residents in the London Borough of Sutton aged 75 or over.</p><p> </p><p>This information is published and available at NOMIS:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.nomisweb.co.uk" target="_blank">https://www.nomisweb.co.uk</a></p><p> </p><p>Of this, 14% (2,084) claim Pension Credit.</p><p> </p><p>This information is published and available at Stat-Xplore:</p><p> </p><p><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:</p><p> </p><p><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 information requested on the proportion of those living in the London Borough of Sutton aged 75 or over and are eligible for pension credit is not available.</p><p> </p><p>Official statistics on the take-up on income-related benefits at Great Britain level, which has estimated figures for recipients and entitled non-recipients, including Pension Credit, can be found in the ‘Income-related benefits: estimates of take-up in 2016 to 2017’ publication.</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/income-related-benefits-estimates-of-take-up-financial-year-2016-to-2017" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/income-related-benefits-estimates-of-take-up-financial-year-2016-to-2017</a></p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 03/09/2019 14:54:17 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	151 label Biography information for Tom Brake

1141443

	registered interest
	date	23/07/2019
	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	Child Maintenance Service
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much her Department has collected through the Child Maintenance Service's (a) four per cent and (b) twenty per cent collection fees under Collect and Pay in each of the last five years.
	tabling member constituency	Motherwell and Wishaw
	tabling member printed	Marion Fellows
	uin	281113
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/09/2019 answer text <p>Income received through the Child Maintenance Service collection charges from 2014/15 through to 2017/18 is as follows:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p><strong>2014/15</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2015/16</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2016/17</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2017/18</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong> </strong></p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p><strong>£m</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>£m</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>£m</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>£m</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>PP Collection Charge</p></td><td><p>20%</p></td><td><p>1.649</p></td><td><p>5.573</p></td><td><p>10.494</p></td><td><p>16.878</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>RP Collection Charge</p></td><td><p>4%</p></td><td><p>0.325</p></td><td><p>1.086</p></td><td><p>2.026</p></td><td><p>3.241</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p>The 2018/19 Child Maintenance Service Annual Report and Accounts have not been audited yet so we are unable to include figures from this period in PQ responses.</p><p>Income received is used to offset the administration cost of the Child Maintenance Group.</p> answering member constituency Eastleigh answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 03/09/2019 13:24:44 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	4440 label Biography information for Marion Fellows

1141444

	registered interest
	date	23/07/2019
	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	Child Maintenance Service
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much revenue her Department has collected through the Child Maintenance Service's £20 application fee in each of the last five years.
	tabling member constituency	Motherwell and Wishaw
	tabling member printed	Marion Fellows
	uin	281114
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/09/2019 answer text <p>Income received from the Child Maintenance Service £20 Application fee from 2014/15 through to 2017/18 is as follows:</p><p> </p><p>2014/15 £0.828m</p><p>2015/16 £1.692m</p><p>2016/17 £1.799m</p><p>2017/18 £1.520m</p><p> </p><p>The 2018/19 Child Maintenance Service Annual Report and Accounts have not been audited yet so we are unable to include figures from this period in PQ responses.</p><p>Income received is used to offset the administration cost of the Child Maintenance Group.</p> answering member constituency Eastleigh answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 03/09/2019 12:58:50 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	4440 label Biography information for Marion Fellows

1141469

	registered interest
	date	23/07/2019
	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	Sunscreens: Employment
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he plans to bring forward legislative proposals to require employers to provide sun cream for employees that predominantly work outdoors.
	tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
	tabling member printed	Paul Farrelly
	uin	280954
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/09/2019 answer text <p>The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is responsible for regulating health and safety risks arising from work activities and has no plans to introduce additional legislation to require employers to provide sun cream to their employees.</p><p> </p><p>HSE provides specific advice aimed at employers and employees on preventing health risks due to exposure to the sun at <a href="http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg337.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg337.pdf</a> and <a href="http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg147.pdf" target="_blank">www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg147.pdf</a>. This includes following the “APC approach” (Avoid, Protect, Check) which can help to reduce the chances of developing skin cancer, whether work related or not.</p> answering member constituency Eastleigh answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 03/09/2019 12:15:54 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	1436 label Biography information for Paul Farrelly

1141485

	registered interest
	date	23/07/2019
	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	Television Licences: Kirklees
	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 free television licences issued to residents in (a) Kirklees borough and (b) Dewsbury constituency in each of the last three years; and what the total annual value of those licences was.
	tabling member constituency	Dewsbury
	tabling member printed	Paula Sherriff
	uin	281135
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/09/2019 answer text <p>In the 2015 funding settlement, the Government agreed with the BBC that responsibility for the concession will transfer to the BBC in June 2020.</p><p>The government and the BBC agreed at the time that this was a fair deal for the BBC. The BBC benefited as the government closed the iPlayer loophole and committed to increase the licence fee in line with inflation. And to help with financial planning, the government agreed to provide phased transitional funding over 2 years to introduce the cost to the BBC.</p><p>This reform was subject to public discussion and debated extensively during the passage of the Digital Economy Act 2017 through Parliament.</p><p>On 10 June 2019, the BBC <a href="https://www.bbc.com/aboutthebbc/reports/consultation/age-related-tv-licence-policy" target="_blank">announced</a> that the current scheme will end. From 1 June 2020, a free TV licence will only be available to a household with someone aged over 75 who receives Pension Credit.</p><p>The table below provides estimates of the costs and caseloads for 2015/16 through to 2017/18 of providing free TV licences to people aged 75 years and over in the geographical areas requested. Expenditure in nominal prices. The figures for 2018/19 will be available in September.</p><p /><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p><strong> </strong></p></td><td><p><strong> </strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Caseload (thousands)</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong> </strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2015-16</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2016-17</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2017-18</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>(a) Kirklees borough </strong></p></td><td><p>26.2</p></td><td><p>27.1</p></td><td><p>27.4</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>(b) Dewsbury constituency </strong></p></td><td><p>6.6</p></td><td><p>6.9</p></td><td><p>7.0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p><strong> </strong></p></td><td><p><strong> </strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Expenditure (£m) (Nominal)</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong> </strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2015-16</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2016-17</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2017-18</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>(a) Kirklees borough </strong></p></td><td><p>£3.73</p></td><td><p>£3.78</p></td><td><p>£3.94</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>(b) Dewsbury constituency </strong></p></td><td><p>£0.95</p></td><td><p>£0.96</p></td><td><p>£1.01</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 03/09/2019 15:27:52 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4426 label Biography information for Paula Sherriff

1141521

	registered interest
	date	23/07/2019
	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	Formaldehyde: Industrial Health and Safety
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government when the Health and Safety Executive will revisit its current work place exposure limits for formaldehyde.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Crawley
	uin	HL17389
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/08/2019 answer text <p>The EU has recently reviewed the occupational exposure limit value for formaldehyde, and in the Phase 3 amendment to the Carcinogens and Mutagens Directive 2004/37/EC, introduced a new binding occupational exposure limit value (BOELV) of 0.3ppm, which came into force on 11 July 2019. The current GB work place exposure limit (WEL) is 2ppm.</p><p> </p><p>Member States have two years to transpose the new BOELV (i.e. by 11 July 2021). Because of differences in cultural practices; cost of embalming and greater capacity in the facilities available; and the limited use of embalming in other Members States, the UK negotiated an additional 3-year transitional period (until July 2024) for the funeral and embalming sector, during which time an interim BOELV of 0.5ppm will apply. This is to allow the UK funeral and embalming sector to comply with the Directive without incurring disproportionate costs.</p><p> </p><p>The Health and Safety Executive is currently working to implement the revised exposure limits for formaldehyde.</p> answering member printed Baroness Stedman-Scott grouped question UIN HL17390 question first answered 05/08/2019 15:23:53 answering member 4174 label Biography information for Baroness Stedman-Scott
	tabling member	3386 label Biography information for Baroness Crawley

1141522

	registered interest
	date	23/07/2019
	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	Formaldehyde: Industrial Health and Safety
	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 of occupational exposure limits and maximum exposure limits for formaldehyde in the UK being higher than those of France, Germany and several other European member states.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Crawley
	uin	HL17390
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/08/2019 answer text <p>The EU has recently reviewed the occupational exposure limit value for formaldehyde, and in the Phase 3 amendment to the Carcinogens and Mutagens Directive 2004/37/EC, introduced a new binding occupational exposure limit value (BOELV) of 0.3ppm, which came into force on 11 July 2019. The current GB work place exposure limit (WEL) is 2ppm.</p><p> </p><p>Member States have two years to transpose the new BOELV (i.e. by 11 July 2021). Because of differences in cultural practices; cost of embalming and greater capacity in the facilities available; and the limited use of embalming in other Members States, the UK negotiated an additional 3-year transitional period (until July 2024) for the funeral and embalming sector, during which time an interim BOELV of 0.5ppm will apply. This is to allow the UK funeral and embalming sector to comply with the Directive without incurring disproportionate costs.</p><p> </p><p>The Health and Safety Executive is currently working to implement the revised exposure limits for formaldehyde.</p> answering member printed Baroness Stedman-Scott grouped question UIN HL17389 question first answered 05/08/2019 15:23:53 answering member 4174 label Biography information for Baroness Stedman-Scott
	tabling member	3386 label Biography information for Baroness Crawley