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820910

registered interest
date	11/01/2018
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	Support for Mortgage Interest
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what other companies were considered along with SERCO for the contract on distributing the new support for mortgage payment loans.
tabling member constituency	Leeds North West
tabling member printed	Alex Sobel
uin	122328
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/01/2018 answer text <p>The contract was awarded following an open competition for which three bids were received and evaluated. The information requested is commercially sensitive so the names of bidding companies cannot be shared.</p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 18/01/2018 14:31:04 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	4658 label Biography information for Alex Sobel

823154

registered interest
date	15/01/2018
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: Ministerial Powers
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many ministerial directions were issued to her Department in (a) 2015, (b) 2016 and (c) 2017.
tabling member constituency	Hemsworth
tabling member printed	Jon Trickett
uin	122837
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/01/2018 answer text <p>No ministerial directions were issued in my Department, in 2015, 2016 or 2017.</p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 18/01/2018 14:40:27 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	410 label Biography information for Jon Trickett

821561

registered interest
date	12/01/2018
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: Electric Vehicles
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many vehicles in her Department's fleet are (a) electric vehicles and (b) ultra-low emission vehicles.
tabling member constituency	Wakefield
tabling member printed	Mary Creagh
uin	122479
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/01/2018 answer text <p>The Department does not currently have any a) electric vehicles and b) vehicles producing less 75 g/km CO2 (current definition of Ultra-Low Emissions Vehicle) in its fleet.</p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 22/01/2018 14:26:00 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	1579 label Biography information for Mary Creagh

822986

registered interest
date	15/01/2018
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: Mobile Phones
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what progress GovCoin, Barclays, RWE npower and University College London on behalf of the Department have made in developing technology that welfare claimants can easily adopt to handle their payments through a mobile app.
tabling member constituency	West Dunbartonshire
tabling member printed	Martin Docherty-Hughes
uin	122669
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/01/2018 answer text <p>A small Proof of Concept was undertaken with DISC Holdings (formerly Govcoin) which included a budgeting app that could be used on a mobile phone. There are no plans to roll out any such pilot at scale. If claimants chose to use an account with a mobile app, as long as it has a standard account number and sort code, then they may do so. It is not within the DWP’s remit to promote one company’s product over another.</p><p> </p><p>DWP has liaised with University College London regarding technological developments in this area. No formal projects were initiated as a result of this.</p><p> </p><p>The Department continues to work with industry to understand how emerging technologies can be used to support claimants.</p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 22/01/2018 14:26:56 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	4374 label Biography information for Martin Docherty-Hughes

823573

registered interest
date	16/01/2018
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	Children: Maintenance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate her Department has made of the number of paying parents involved in pay arrangements though the child maintence service who are listed as self-employed or as company directors.
tabling member constituency	Rutherglen and Hamilton West
tabling member printed	Ged Killen
uin	123037
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/01/2018 answer text <p>The department does not hold data on the number of paying parents who are acting as company directors.</p><p> </p><p>The Child Maintenance Service is currently in the process of assuring employment data and therefore this will be available at a future date when it would be released in line with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics.</p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 22/01/2018 15:28:39 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	4672 label Biography information for Ged Killen

823613

registered interest
date	16/01/2018
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	Support for Mortgage Interest
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate her Department has made of amount to be loaned to homeowners in the first year following the conversion of the Support for Mortgage Interest benefit to a loan.
tabling member constituency	Rutherglen and Hamilton West
tabling member printed	Ged Killen
uin	123073
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/01/2018 answer text <p>Based on the assumptions in the 2017 Impact Assessment available at:</p><p><a href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukia/2017/117/pdfs/ukia_20170117_en.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukia/2017/117/pdfs/ukia_20170117_en.pdf</a></p><p>the Department estimates that £156m will be loaned to homeowners in 2018/19, which is the first year following conversion of the Support for Mortgage Interest benefit to a loan.</p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 22/01/2018 15:29:07 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	4672 label Biography information for Ged Killen

824410

registered interest
date	17/01/2018
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	Children: Maintenance
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 tackle miscalculations of child maintenance liabilities by paying parents who are (a) self-employed or (b)company directors.
tabling member constituency	Rutherglen and Hamilton West
tabling member printed	Ged Killen
uin	123211
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/01/2018 answer text <p>The Child Maintenance Service’s definition of income includes almost all sources of gross income reported to HMRC by company directors or self-employed parents. The specially trained Financial Investigation Unit (FIU) are able to look into cases where there is concern about a parent’s income. The FIU has been expanded since it was set up in 2014; and between July and September 2017 it opened 1100 complex earner investigations. We recently launched a consultation on our new Child Maintenance Compliance and Arrears strategy which proposes further improvements to the treatment of the income of complex earners, such as high value assets owned by a parent being used to create a notional income.</p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 22/01/2018 15:29:35 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	4672 label Biography information for Ged Killen

824525

registered interest
date	17/01/2018
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	Children: Maintenance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reasons arrears payable for child maintenance that require the Child Maintenance Service to arrange payments via the employer only attract a one off fee rather than an additional percentage charge of the arrear.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Stephen Kerr
uin	123326
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/01/2018 answer text <p>When the Child Maintenance Service arranges for maintenance payments to be taken directly from the parent’s earnings via the employer, this is done through a Deductions from Earnings Order. The Paying Parent is charged a one off £50 enforcement fee for the Deduction from Earnings Order, as well as on-going collection charges of 20% of the maintenance liability (including any arrears) for using the Collect and Pay service. Charges are designed to encourage compliance.</p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 22/01/2018 15:29:56 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	4604 label Biography information for Stephen Kerr

825417

registered interest
date	18/01/2018
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	Housing Benefit: Mental Illness
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 help people with chronic and enduring mental illnesses make an application for housing benefit.
tabling member constituency	Central Suffolk and North Ipswich
tabling member printed	Dr Dan Poulter
uin	123558
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/01/2018 answer text <p>Although this Department has overall responsibility for the Housing Benefit scheme and its funding, local authorities have the statutory responsibility for its day-to-day administration. This incorporates the assessment of individual claims for benefit and devising their own arrangements to assist claimants (including those with chronic and enduring mental illnesses) with claims for Housing Benefit.</p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 23/01/2018 11:30:35 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	3932 label Biography information for Dr Dan Poulter

825449

registered interest
date	18/01/2018
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	Support for Mortgage Interest
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when his Department plans to publish the updated terms and conditions of the replacement SMI loan scheme.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow South
tabling member printed	Stewart Malcolm McDonald
uin	123590
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/01/2018 answer text <p>The terms and conditions of the loan are set out in The Loans for Mortgage Interest Regulations 2017 (<a href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2017/725/made" target="_blank">http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2017/725/made</a>). A loan agreement has been sent (or will be sent) to all existing customers who wish to take up the offer of a Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI) loan.</p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 23/01/2018 11:31:02 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	4461 label Biography information for Stewart Malcolm McDonald

825484

registered interest
date	18/01/2018
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 resources his Department has committed to (a) ensuring that unclaimed benefits are claimed and (b) investigating false and fraudulent claims for benefits in each of the last three years.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow North East
tabling member printed	Mr Paul Sweeney
uin	123623
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/01/2018 answer text <p>We are unable to identify all those who are eligible and have not claimed benefits, however, Information on what benefits are available and how to claim is available online at gov.uk and through a range of third sector organisations such as Citizens Advice Bureau.</p><p> </p><p>The Counter Fraud &amp; Compliance Directorate (CFCD), part of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is responsible for the prevention, detection and where appropriate, investigation of fraud and error against all benefits administered by and on behalf of DWP.</p><p> </p><p>The operational arm of CFCD which investigates false and fraudulent benefit (formerly known as the Fraud and Error Service) comprised the following resources for the period 2014/15 to 2016/17:</p><p> </p><p>2014/15: Full Time Equivalent staffing totalled 4,833 at a cost of £145m</p><p>2015/16: Full Time Equivalent staffing totalled 4,898 at a cost of £155m</p><p>2016/17: Full Time Equivalent staffing totalled 4,293 at a cost of £160m</p><p> </p><p>This includes staff engaged in the full range of fraud work, including telephone and letter based interventions, fraud investigation and compliance work and at its most extreme, serious, complex and organised fraud.</p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 23/01/2018 13:13:01 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	4642 label Biography information for Mr Paul Sweeney

825485

registered interest
date	18/01/2018
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 proportion of benefits remained unclaimed in 2017.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow North East
tabling member printed	Mr Paul Sweeney
uin	123624
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/01/2018 answer text <p>The Department publishes ‘Income-related benefits: estimates of take-up’ statistics annually.</p><p> </p><p>The latest statistics, which relate to 2015/16, are published here:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/income-related-benefits-estimates-of-take-up-financial-year-201516" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/income-related-benefits-estimates-of-take-up-financial-year-201516</a></p><p> </p><p>These statistics provide estimates of take-up, by caseload and expenditure, of the following income-related benefits only (other benefits are available but no take-up estimates are calculated):</p><ul><li>Pension Credit</li><li>Housing Benefit</li><li>Income Support and Employment and Support Allowance (income-related)</li><li>Jobseeker’s Allowance (income-based)</li></ul><p> </p><p>They also provide the total and average amounts of benefit claimed and unclaimed for each of these benefits.</p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 23/01/2018 13:13:15 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	4642 label Biography information for Mr Paul Sweeney

824411

registered interest
date	17/01/2018
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	Children: Maintenance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if the Government will issue new guidance to Financial Investigation Units in the Child Maintenance Service for dealing with miscalculations of child maintenance liabilities by paying parents who are self-employed or company directors.
tabling member constituency	Rutherglen and Hamilton West
tabling member printed	Ged Killen
uin	123212
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/01/2018 answer text <p>Current guidance for all Child Maintenance Service caseworkers is to refer cases to the Financial Investigations Unit (FIU) should there be any credible, evidence based challenges to a child maintenance assessment which are unable to be resolved through our routine income verification processes.</p><p> </p><p>The guidance used by FIU Investigators is updated as required in regards to all areas for investigation including possible miscalculations of maintenance for clients who are deemed complex earners.</p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 23/01/2018 13:26:04 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	4672 label Biography information for Ged Killen

823692

registered interest
date	16/01/2018
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: Beverage Containers
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate has been made of the number of single use disposable cups that are (a) used each year and (b) sent for recycling by her Department.
tabling member constituency	Hornsey and Wood Green
tabling member printed	Catherine West
uin	123144
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/01/2018 answer text <p>The number of single use disposable cups that were sold from outlets within DWP sites in 2017 was 1,282,145 and none of these were recycled as they have a plastic lining.</p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 23/01/2018 17:04:39 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	4523 label Biography information for Catherine West

824744

registered interest
date	17/01/2018
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: Procurement
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many contracts her Department holds with government strategic suppliers.
tabling member constituency	Hemsworth
tabling member printed	Jon Trickett
uin	123545
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/01/2018 answer text <p>On the 19<sup>th</sup> of January 2018, the Department for Work and Pensions has 55 contracts with government strategic suppliers.</p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 25/01/2018 14:12:22 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	410 label Biography information for Jon Trickett

825756

registered interest
date	19/01/2018
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: Former Members
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many former Conservative Members of Parliament who were defeated at the 2017 general election and who now work in her Department were appointed after a publicly advertised and open recruitment process.
tabling member constituency	Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport
tabling member printed	Luke Pollard
uin	123823
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/01/2018 answer text <p>This data is not recorded or stored. Candidates taking up appointment into the Civil Service are required to be impartial and independent of political and other external influence.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 25/01/2018 14:12:24 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	4682 label Biography information for Luke Pollard

828758

registered interest
date	23/01/2018
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: Chief Scientific Advisers
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many meetings (a) she and (b) her predecessor held with her Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser between October 2017 and December 2017.
tabling member constituency	North Norfolk
tabling member printed	Norman Lamb
uin	124397
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/01/2018 answer text <p>There have been no meetings with the Chief Scientific Adviser and the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions between October 2017 and December 2017.</p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 25/01/2018 15:57:26 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	1439 label Biography information for Norman Lamb

829980

registered interest
date	24/01/2018
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	Poverty: Children
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 the effect of recent changes in welfare provision on the number of children living in poverty in Oldham West and Royton constituency.
tabling member constituency	Oldham West and Royton
tabling member printed	Jim McMahon
uin	124710
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/01/2018 answer text <p>National statistics on the number of children in relative low income are set out in the annual &quot;Households Below Average Income&quot; publication. The number and proportion of children in relative low income is not available at local authority or constituency level in this publication because the survey sample sizes are too small to support the production of robust estimates at this geography.</p><p>Latest 3-year estimates for the North West of the proportion and number of children in low income are available in Table 4.16ts and Table 4.17ts in the file “4_children_timeseries_risk” from this link:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/599136/hbai-2015-2016-supporting-ods-files.zip" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/599136/hbai-2015-2016-supporting-ods-files.zip</a></p><p>Impact Assessments of policies in the Welfare Reform and Work Act of 2016 were published in 2015. Evidence shows work is the best route out of poverty; nearly three-quarters of children from workless families moved out of poverty when their parents entered into full-time work. Children in workless households are five time more likely to be in poverty than those in households where all adults were working. Welfare reforms are designed to incentivise parents to make the choice to move into and progress in work.</p><p>This Government is committed to action that tackles the root causes of poverty and disadvantage with policies that incentivise employment as the best route out of poverty. In <em>Improving Lives: Helping Workless Families</em>, we set out a framework for a continued focus on improving children’s long-term outcomes. This includes nine national indicators to track progress in tackling the disadvantages that affect families and children. Four of these measures are set out in primary legislation which places a duty on the Government report annually to Parliament on the parental worklessness and educational attainment indicators. Data on the non-statutory indicators will also be published each year.</p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 29/01/2018 16:46:40 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	4569 label Biography information for Jim McMahon

828715

registered interest
date	23/01/2018
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	Children: Maintenance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many additional child maintenance payments were made after investigations by HMRC in each year since 2010.
tabling member constituency	North Swindon
tabling member printed	Justin Tomlinson
uin	124363
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/01/2018 answer text <p>The information is not routinely recorded and could only be provided at a disproportionate cost.</p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 29/01/2018 17:16:15 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson

828860

registered interest
date	23/01/2018
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 Fund
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 January 2018 to Question 121721, on social fund, if she will place a copy of the 2014 review in the Library; whether she has conducted any similar reviews since that review; and whether her Department has any plans to hold further reviews.
tabling member constituency	Oxford East
tabling member printed	Anneliese Dodds
uin	124480
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/01/2018 answer text <p>A copy of the Local Welfare Provision review was deposited in the libraries of the House of Commons and House of Lords on 10 November 2014 – <a href="http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/business-papers/commons/deposited-papers/?fd=2014-11-10&amp;td=2014-11-10&amp;search_term=Department+for+Work+and+Pensions&amp;itemId=119004#toggle-1446" target="_blank">DEP2014-1446</a>. The Department has no plans for a further review.</p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 29/01/2018 17:25:21 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	4657 label Biography information for Anneliese Dodds

828883

registered interest
date	23/01/2018
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 Fund
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the effect on levels of financial and in-kind support provided to low-income families in different local authority areas of the devolution of control over the Social Fund; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Oxford East
tabling member printed	Anneliese Dodds
uin	124499
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/01/2018 answer text <p>The reforms to the Social Fund in 2013 have allowed local authorities in England and the devolved administrations in Scotland and Wales to deliver their own local provision for people who are in need of urgent help.</p><p> </p><p>Our 2014 review published in November 2014 found that local authorities delivered financial and in-kind support more effectively than the previous provision under the Social Fund, and that therefore local authorities are best placed to ensure help is targeted at those who need it most, alongside their other local services. The Department has no further plans to carry out a further assessment.</p><p>Local authorities in England will receive more than £200 billion to deliver these and other community services between 2016-17 and 2019-20, and will have the certainty to plan ahead through our four-year funding settlement.</p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 29/01/2018 17:31:29 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	4657 label Biography information for Anneliese Dodds

830421

registered interest
date	25/01/2018
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	Poverty: Children
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the effect of recent changes to welfare provision on the number of children living in poverty in Coventry South constituency.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
uin	124987
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/01/2018 answer text <p>National statistics on the number of children in relative low income are set out in the annual &quot;Households Below Average Income&quot; publication. The number and proportion of children in relative low income is not available at local authority or constituency level in this publication because the survey sample sizes are too small to support the production of robust estimates at this geography.</p><p>Latest 3-year estimates for the West Midlands of the proportion and number of children in low income are available in Table 4.16ts and Table 4.17ts in the file “4_children_timeseries_risk” from this link:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/599136/hbai-2015-2016-supporting-ods-files.zip" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/599136/hbai-2015-2016-supporting-ods-files.zip</a></p><p>Impact Assessments of policies in the Welfare Reform and Work Act of 2016 were published in 2015. Evidence shows work is the best route out of poverty; nearly three-quarters of children from workless families moved out of poverty when their parents entered into full-time work. Children in workless households are five time more likely to be in poverty than those in households where all adults were working. Welfare reforms are designed to incentivise parents to make the choice to move into and progress in work.</p><p>This Government is committed to action that tackles the root causes of poverty and disadvantage with policies that incentivise employment as the best route out of poverty. In <em>Improving Lives: Helping Workless Families</em>, we set out a framework for a continued focus on improving children’s long-term outcomes. This includes nine national indicators to track progress in tackling the disadvantages that affect families and children. Four of these measures are set out in primary legislation which places a duty on the Government report annually to Parliament on the parental worklessness and educational attainment indicators. Data on the non-statutory indicators will also be published each year.</p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 30/01/2018 11:59:36 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

830558

registered interest
date	25/01/2018
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	Poverty: Children
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 the effect of recent changes in welfare provision on the number of children living in poverty in the Borough of Rochdale.
tabling member constituency	Heywood and Middleton
tabling member printed	Liz McInnes
uin	125086
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/01/2018 answer text <p>National statistics on the number of children in relative low income are set out in the annual &quot;Households Below Average Income&quot; publication. The number and proportion of children in relative low income is not available at local authority or constituency level in this publication because the survey sample sizes are too small to support the production of robust estimates at this geography.</p><p>Latest 3-year estimates for the North West of the proportion and number of children in low income are available in Table 4.16ts and Table 4.17ts in the file “4_children_timeseries_risk” from this link:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/599136/hbai-2015-2016-supporting-ods-files.zip" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/599136/hbai-2015-2016-supporting-ods-files.zip</a></p><p>Impact Assessments of policies in the Welfare Reform and Work Act of 2016 were published in 2015. Evidence shows work is the best route out of poverty; nearly three-quarters of children from workless families moved out of poverty when their parents entered into full-time work. Children in workless households are five time more likely to be in poverty than those in households where all adults were working. Welfare reforms are designed to incentivise parents to make the choice to move into and progress in work.</p><p>This Government is committed to action that tackles the root causes of poverty and disadvantage with policies that incentivise employment as the best route out of poverty. In <em>Improving Lives: Helping Workless Families</em>, we set out a framework for a continued focus on improving children’s long-term outcomes. This includes nine national indicators to track progress in tackling the disadvantages that affect families and children. Four of these measures are set out in primary legislation which places a duty on the Government report annually to Parliament on the parental worklessness and educational attainment indicators. Data on the non-statutory indicators will also be published each year.</p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 30/01/2018 12:09:50 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	4342 label Biography information for Liz McInnes

830535

registered interest
date	25/01/2018
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 estimate she has made of the total value of unclaimed benefits in each of the last seven years.
tabling member constituency	Vale of Clwyd
tabling member printed	Chris Ruane
uin	125063
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/01/2018 answer text <p>The Department publishes ‘Income-related benefits: estimates of take-up’ statistics annually.</p><p> </p><p>The latest statistics, which cover 2009/10 to 2015/16, are published here:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/income-related-benefits-estimates-of-take-up-financial-year-201516" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/income-related-benefits-estimates-of-take-up-financial-year-201516</a></p><p> </p><p>These statistics provide estimates of take-up, by caseload and expenditure, of the following income-related benefits only (other benefits are available but no take-up estimates are calculated):</p><ul><li>Pension Credit</li><li>Housing Benefit</li><li>Income Support and Employment and Support Allowance (income-related)</li><li>Jobseeker’s Allowance (income-based)</li></ul><p> </p><p>They also provide the total and average amounts of benefit claimed and unclaimed for each of these benefits.</p><p> </p><p>Estimates for 2010/11 and 2011/12 were not produced; the estimates for 2016/17 will be published in May/June this year.</p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 30/01/2018 14:27:50 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	534 label Biography information for Chris Ruane

828231

registered interest
date	22/01/2018
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	Jobcentres: Languages
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what information his Department holds on the number of job centre staff who speak a second language fluently.
tabling member constituency	Colne Valley
tabling member printed	Thelma Walker
uin	124191
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/01/2018 answer text <p>The Department does not hold information relating to second languages spoken by Jobcentre Staff.</p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 30/01/2018 14:28:14 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	4649 label Biography information for Thelma Walker

828731

registered interest
date	23/01/2018
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: Staff
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many staff are currently employed in her Department to administer pension credit and carer's allowance claims; and how those figures compare with the number of those employed in January 2017.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow Central
tabling member printed	Alison Thewliss
uin	124376
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/01/2018 answer text <p>The Department for Work &amp; Pensions employed 252 Pension Credit claims staff and 302 Carer’s Allowance claims staff in December 2017. This is the latest information held by the Department. This compares with 287 Pension Credit claims staff and 190 Carer’s Allowance claims staff in January 2017.</p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 31/01/2018 11:17:17 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	4430 label Biography information for Alison Thewliss

828837

registered interest
date	23/01/2018
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	Housing Benefit: Personal Savings
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on increasing in line with inflation each year the maximum amount an individual can hold in savings before becoming ineligible for housing benefit.
tabling member constituency	Eastbourne
tabling member printed	Stephen Lloyd
uin	124461
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/01/2018 answer text <p>No meetings have taken place. Although capital limits are kept under review, they can be increased only when priorities and resources allow. It was never the intention that they should be uprated annually. The cost would be substantial and it is questionable whether increasing the general capital limits, enabling more public money to be paid to people who already have significant resources, would be the best use of the funds available to us.</p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 31/01/2018 11:30:57 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	3968 label Biography information for Stephen Lloyd

828905

registered interest
date	23/01/2018
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: Drinking Water
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much money her Department has spent on bottled water in each year since 2010.
tabling member constituency	Westmorland and Lonsdale
tabling member printed	Tim Farron
uin	124517
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/01/2018 answer text <p>The Department introduced a policy several years ago to move away from free standing water chillers with plastic bottles. Instead, where water chillers are required to meet a business need, a plumbed-in supply is normally used.</p><p>There remains a very small number of sites where a plumbed-in supply is not practicable, and in these cases, local arrangements may have been made for water chillers. However, no information is held centrally.</p><p>Prior to the policy change, bottled water would have been provided for business meetings as part of any wider refreshment cost, and cannot be identified separately. Water now provided for official meetings is no longer supplied in plastic bottles; refillable glass bottles or water jugs are provided.</p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 31/01/2018 11:41:06 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	1591 label Biography information for Tim Farron

830570

registered interest
date	25/01/2018
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	Support for Mortgage Interest
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate her Department has made of the cost of implementing the change of Support for Mortgage Interest from a benefit to a loan; and the ongoing administration of that loan.
tabling member constituency	Lanark and Hamilton East
tabling member printed	Angela Crawley
uin	125098
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/01/2018 answer text <p>The Department estimates that the total cost of implementing Support for Mortgage Interest loans will be £20.47m. The ongoing administrative costs are estimated to be £2.20m a year.</p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 31/01/2018 14:16:15 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	4469 label Biography information for Angela Crawley

829865

registered interest
date	24/01/2018
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: Presidents Club
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether any Ministers in her Department attended the Presidents Club Charity Dinner run by the Meller Educatonal Trust in an official capacity.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Yardley
tabling member printed	Jess Phillips
uin	124629
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/01/2018 answer text <p>No current Minister in her Department has attended the Presidents Club Charity Dinner run by the Meller Educational Trust in their official capacity.</p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 31/01/2018 14:24:50 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	4370 label Biography information for Jess Phillips

830568

registered interest
date	25/01/2018
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	Support for Mortgage Interest
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many face to face explanations of the change to Support for Mortgage Interest loan payments her Department has carried out supplementary to the telephone and online contact with SERCO.
tabling member constituency	Lanark and Hamilton East
tabling member printed	Angela Crawley
uin	125096
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/01/2018 answer text <p>Department has not carried out any face to face explanations of Support for Mortgage Interest loans.</p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 31/01/2018 14:30:54 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	4469 label Biography information for Angela Crawley

830566

registered interest
date	25/01/2018
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	Support for Mortgage Interest
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the removal of Support for Mortgage Interest as part of benefit entitlement from April 2018 will affect entitlement to passported benefits such as help with health costs, free school meals, sure start maternity grant and the warm home discount scheme.
tabling member constituency	Lanark and Hamilton East
tabling member printed	Angela Crawley
uin	125094
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/01/2018 answer text <p>The eligibility for passported benefits is often, but not always, linked to entitlement to income-related benefits such as Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Universal Credit and Pension Credit. The introduction of Support for Mortgage Interest Loans in April 2018 will not change these criteria.</p><p> </p><p>In some instances, claimants who are treated as receiving the income-related based benefit solely due to eligibility for SMI will no longer be automatically entitled to all ‘passported’ benefits. Many of these claimants will remain eligible to a number of passported benefits on the grounds of age or low income but will usually need to apply for them directly.</p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 31/01/2018 16:14:58 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	4469 label Biography information for Angela Crawley

830115

registered interest
date	24/01/2018
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: Directors
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, who the lead non-executive director and other non-executive director board members are in her Department.
tabling member constituency	Vale of Clwyd
tabling member printed	Chris Ruane
uin	124801
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/01/2018 answer text <p>The Lead Non-Executive Board Member is Sara Weller CBE.</p><p>Other Non-Executive Board Members are:</p><p>Andrew Graham CB CBE</p><p>Hayley Tatum</p><p>Ashley Machin</p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 31/01/2018 16:18:43 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	534 label Biography information for Chris Ruane

832924

registered interest
date	29/01/2018
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	Mortgages: Midlothian
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, from 5 April 2018 how many people in Midlothian will be affected by the decision to change SMI from a benefit to a loan.
tabling member constituency	Midlothian
tabling member printed	Danielle Rowley
uin	125240
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/02/2018 answer text <p>The proportion of people in Midlothian that will be affected when SMI becomes a loan is not known because robust numbers of SMI claimants at a constituency level are unavailable.</p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 01/02/2018 09:51:46 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	4628 label Biography information for Danielle Rowley

833946

registered interest
date	30/01/2018
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	Support for Mortgage Interest
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 applied to convert Support for Mortgage Interest payments into a loan.
tabling member constituency	Lewisham East
tabling member printed	Heidi Alexander
uin	125704
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/02/2018 answer text <p>All existing support for mortgage interest claimants will be contacted and offered the new support for mortgage interest loan, there is no need for them to apply. A managed transfer process is underway, with all existing recipients of support for mortgage interest receiving information about the new scheme so that they can make decisions about these loans.</p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 02/02/2018 09:30:09 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	4038 label Biography information for Heidi Alexander

829991

registered interest
date	24/01/2018
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: Public Expenditure
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 spent on (a) art, (b) wine and (c) hospitality in each of the last seven financial years for which figures are available.
tabling member constituency	Ellesmere Port and Neston
tabling member printed	Justin Madders
uin	124717
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/02/2018 answer text <p>All DWP artwork is provided on loan from the Government Art Collection free of charge.</p><p>The Department has no record relating specifically to the purchase of alcohol in each of the last seven years.</p><p>Expenditure on hospitality in each of the last seven years is set out in the table below. It should be seen in the context of the number of full-time equivalent staff employed by the Department, currently over 78,000. The Department’s guidance on hospitality is in accordance with financial procedures and propriety, based on the principles set out in Government Accounting.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p><strong>2010-11</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2011-12</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2012-13</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2013-14</strong></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></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><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Hospitality</p></td><td><p>£3,857</p></td><td><p>£649</p></td><td><p>£868</p></td><td><p>£4,220</p></td><td><p>£4,826</p></td><td><p>£3,081</p></td><td><p>£7,164</p></td></tr></tbody></table> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 02/02/2018 10:11:02 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	4418 label Biography information for Justin Madders

833909

registered interest
date	30/01/2018
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	Support for Mortgage Interest
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what consultation his Department undertook on the changes to be made to support for mortgage interest benefit.
tabling member constituency	Southport
tabling member printed	Damien Moore
uin	125667
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/02/2018 answer text <p>Introduction of SMI as a loan was initially trailed in an informal Call for Evidence between December 2011 and February 2012 which set out the Government’s ideas. 83 responses were received, 48 of these were from organisations including lenders and their representatives, welfare rights organisations, and local authorities. A majority of these including mortgage lenders’ representatives supported the proposal.</p><p>This Department has worked closely with UK Finance (formerly the Council of Mortgage Lenders) throughout the development and delivery of this policy.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 02/02/2018 11:07:09 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	4669 label Biography information for Damien Moore

834058

registered interest
date	30/01/2018
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: Domestic Abuse
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what training has been provided to his Department's employees who are engaged in administering universal credit on the specific needs and requirements of victims of domestic abuse in relation to their claim for such credit and other benefits.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow South West
tabling member printed	Chris Stephens
uin	125815
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/02/2018 answer text <p>There is support in Universal Credit to help those in domestic abuse situations. For example the payment can be divided between two members of the household. This is known as a Split Payment and it is designed to prevent hardship to the claimant and their family. It can be considered in certain specific situations such as domestic violence or where financial abuse occurs or one partner mismanages the UC payment, but will not always be appropriate. In cases where the UC payment includes housing costs, a split payment would be accompanied by a Managed Payment to the landlord to safeguard the home and provide greater assistance for the claimant’s household.</p><p>All Department for Work and Pensions staff working with customers complete training that prepares them for their role. This includes developing the skills they need to support and communicate with a diverse range of customers. Specific training is provided for working with different vulnerable groups, with guidance to signpost customers to relevant support, including people who have been the victims of domestic violence. And these circumstances will be recorded on a claimant’s online account so DWP staff are aware. Staff are expected to identify and support vulnerable claimants, recognise and consider the impact of complex circumstances and adjust the requirements expected from claimants.</p><p>Furthermore, awareness training on the identification of claimants with complex needs is ongoing. A ‘hub’ of information which focuses on claimants with complex needs including victims of domestic violence is available to all staff, with a named single point of contact at each site.</p><p>Claimants including those fleeing domestic violence can make a Universal Credit claim without a bank account, instructions are provided when they get to the bank account page of their online claim. Relatives or appointee’s bank accounts could also be used in the short term, however we would always prefer the claimant to have and use their own bank account which we can support them in obtaining. Claimants have access to post office accounts or simple payments if they do not have a bank account.</p><p>Claimants fleeing domestic violence have always been exempt from waiting days and 100% advances are available to provide support in the first assessment period.</p><p>Furthermore, the Department has taken steps to ensure that all Universal Credit claimants are aware of the availability of advances, including victims of domestic abuse and other vulnerable groups. Work Coaches identify and support vulnerable claimants, recognising and considering the impact of complex circumstances.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse grouped question UIN 125816 125818 125819 question first answered 02/02/2018 12:43:03 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	4463 label Biography information for Chris Stephens

834059

registered interest
date	30/01/2018
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: Domestic Abuse
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what provision is in place for universal credit payments to be made using Post Office or other non-bank account means to people who have an alternative payment arrangement in place as a result of domestic violence or financial coercion and abuse.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow South West
tabling member printed	Chris Stephens
uin	125816
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/02/2018 answer text <p>There is support in Universal Credit to help those in domestic abuse situations. For example the payment can be divided between two members of the household. This is known as a Split Payment and it is designed to prevent hardship to the claimant and their family. It can be considered in certain specific situations such as domestic violence or where financial abuse occurs or one partner mismanages the UC payment, but will not always be appropriate. In cases where the UC payment includes housing costs, a split payment would be accompanied by a Managed Payment to the landlord to safeguard the home and provide greater assistance for the claimant’s household.</p><p>All Department for Work and Pensions staff working with customers complete training that prepares them for their role. This includes developing the skills they need to support and communicate with a diverse range of customers. Specific training is provided for working with different vulnerable groups, with guidance to signpost customers to relevant support, including people who have been the victims of domestic violence. And these circumstances will be recorded on a claimant’s online account so DWP staff are aware. Staff are expected to identify and support vulnerable claimants, recognise and consider the impact of complex circumstances and adjust the requirements expected from claimants.</p><p>Furthermore, awareness training on the identification of claimants with complex needs is ongoing. A ‘hub’ of information which focuses on claimants with complex needs including victims of domestic violence is available to all staff, with a named single point of contact at each site.</p><p>Claimants including those fleeing domestic violence can make a Universal Credit claim without a bank account, instructions are provided when they get to the bank account page of their online claim. Relatives or appointee’s bank accounts could also be used in the short term, however we would always prefer the claimant to have and use their own bank account which we can support them in obtaining. Claimants have access to post office accounts or simple payments if they do not have a bank account.</p><p>Claimants fleeing domestic violence have always been exempt from waiting days and 100% advances are available to provide support in the first assessment period.</p><p>Furthermore, the Department has taken steps to ensure that all Universal Credit claimants are aware of the availability of advances, including victims of domestic abuse and other vulnerable groups. Work Coaches identify and support vulnerable claimants, recognising and considering the impact of complex circumstances.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse grouped question UIN 125815 125818 125819 question first answered 02/02/2018 12:43:03 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	4463 label Biography information for Chris Stephens

834061

registered interest
date	30/01/2018
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: Domestic Abuse
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what provision his Department has in place to review the initial waiting period in cases where a partner of a cohabiting or married household has left the household due to domestic violence and as a result is forced to make a new claim for universal credit.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow South West
tabling member printed	Chris Stephens
uin	125818
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/02/2018 answer text <p>There is support in Universal Credit to help those in domestic abuse situations. For example the payment can be divided between two members of the household. This is known as a Split Payment and it is designed to prevent hardship to the claimant and their family. It can be considered in certain specific situations such as domestic violence or where financial abuse occurs or one partner mismanages the UC payment, but will not always be appropriate. In cases where the UC payment includes housing costs, a split payment would be accompanied by a Managed Payment to the landlord to safeguard the home and provide greater assistance for the claimant’s household.</p><p>All Department for Work and Pensions staff working with customers complete training that prepares them for their role. This includes developing the skills they need to support and communicate with a diverse range of customers. Specific training is provided for working with different vulnerable groups, with guidance to signpost customers to relevant support, including people who have been the victims of domestic violence. And these circumstances will be recorded on a claimant’s online account so DWP staff are aware. Staff are expected to identify and support vulnerable claimants, recognise and consider the impact of complex circumstances and adjust the requirements expected from claimants.</p><p>Furthermore, awareness training on the identification of claimants with complex needs is ongoing. A ‘hub’ of information which focuses on claimants with complex needs including victims of domestic violence is available to all staff, with a named single point of contact at each site.</p><p>Claimants including those fleeing domestic violence can make a Universal Credit claim without a bank account, instructions are provided when they get to the bank account page of their online claim. Relatives or appointee’s bank accounts could also be used in the short term, however we would always prefer the claimant to have and use their own bank account which we can support them in obtaining. Claimants have access to post office accounts or simple payments if they do not have a bank account.</p><p>Claimants fleeing domestic violence have always been exempt from waiting days and 100% advances are available to provide support in the first assessment period.</p><p>Furthermore, the Department has taken steps to ensure that all Universal Credit claimants are aware of the availability of advances, including victims of domestic abuse and other vulnerable groups. Work Coaches identify and support vulnerable claimants, recognising and considering the impact of complex circumstances.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse grouped question UIN 125815 125816 125819 question first answered 02/02/2018 12:43:03 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	4463 label Biography information for Chris Stephens

834062

registered interest
date	30/01/2018
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: Domestic Abuse
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what provisions the Government has in place to ensure the timeous processing and payment of advance payments under universal credit to claimants leaving a household due to domestic abuse; and what processes the Government has in place to identify such claimants and ensure that they are made aware of advance payments in such circumstances.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow South West
tabling member printed	Chris Stephens
uin	125819
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/02/2018 answer text <p>There is support in Universal Credit to help those in domestic abuse situations. For example the payment can be divided between two members of the household. This is known as a Split Payment and it is designed to prevent hardship to the claimant and their family. It can be considered in certain specific situations such as domestic violence or where financial abuse occurs or one partner mismanages the UC payment, but will not always be appropriate. In cases where the UC payment includes housing costs, a split payment would be accompanied by a Managed Payment to the landlord to safeguard the home and provide greater assistance for the claimant’s household.</p><p>All Department for Work and Pensions staff working with customers complete training that prepares them for their role. This includes developing the skills they need to support and communicate with a diverse range of customers. Specific training is provided for working with different vulnerable groups, with guidance to signpost customers to relevant support, including people who have been the victims of domestic violence. And these circumstances will be recorded on a claimant’s online account so DWP staff are aware. Staff are expected to identify and support vulnerable claimants, recognise and consider the impact of complex circumstances and adjust the requirements expected from claimants.</p><p>Furthermore, awareness training on the identification of claimants with complex needs is ongoing. A ‘hub’ of information which focuses on claimants with complex needs including victims of domestic violence is available to all staff, with a named single point of contact at each site.</p><p>Claimants including those fleeing domestic violence can make a Universal Credit claim without a bank account, instructions are provided when they get to the bank account page of their online claim. Relatives or appointee’s bank accounts could also be used in the short term, however we would always prefer the claimant to have and use their own bank account which we can support them in obtaining. Claimants have access to post office accounts or simple payments if they do not have a bank account.</p><p>Claimants fleeing domestic violence have always been exempt from waiting days and 100% advances are available to provide support in the first assessment period.</p><p>Furthermore, the Department has taken steps to ensure that all Universal Credit claimants are aware of the availability of advances, including victims of domestic abuse and other vulnerable groups. Work Coaches identify and support vulnerable claimants, recognising and considering the impact of complex circumstances.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse grouped question UIN 125815 125816 125818 question first answered 02/02/2018 12:43:03 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	4463 label Biography information for Chris Stephens

834293

registered interest
date	31/01/2018
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	Poverty: Children
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment her Department has made of the level of child poverty in Wolverhampton North East constituency using the four measures of poverty under the Welfare Reform and Work Act 2016.
tabling member constituency	Wolverhampton North East
tabling member printed	Emma Reynolds
uin	125913
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/02/2018 answer text <p>This Government is committed to action that improves long-term outcomes for children and families by focusing on tackling the root causes of poverty and disadvantage. The four ‘Life Chances’ measures introduced through the Welfare Reform and Work Act 2016, which replaced the income based targets set out in the Child Poverty Act 2010, are designed to drive action and measure progress in the areas that we know can make the biggest difference - parental worklessness and children’s educational achievement.</p><p>The measures are based on official statistics produced by the Office for National Statistics on the proportion of children in workless households and the proportion of children in long-term workless households; and on Department for Education statistics on the educational attainment at Key Stage 4 of all pupils, and of disadvantaged pupils.</p><p>Although these statistics do not <ins class="ministerial">all<ins class="ministerial"> </ins></ins>provide data for individual constituencies, local authority-level data is available for the measure of all children in workless households and for both the educational attainment measures.</p><p>In 2016, 21.4 per cent of children were in workless households in Wolverhampton local authority. This compares to 27.2 per cent in 2010.</p><p>Source:</p><p><a href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peoplenotinwork/unemployment/bulletins/worklesshouseholdsforregionsacrosstheuk/2016" target="_blank">https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peoplenotinwork/unemployment/bulletins/worklesshouseholdsforregionsacrosstheuk/2016</a></p><p>In 2017, pupils sat reformed GCSEs in English language, English literature and maths for the first time, graded on a 9 to 1 scale. 35.6 per cent of all pupils and 22.8 per cent of disadvantaged pupils in the Wolverhampton local authority area achieved 9-5 in English and maths.</p><p><ins class="ministerial">GCSE outcomes by constituency are available for all pupils but not broken down by disadvantaged pupils. In 2017, 28.3 per cent of all pupils in the Wolverhampton North East constituency achieved 9-5 in English and maths.</ins></p><p>Source: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/revised-gcse-and-equivalent-results-in-england-2016-to-2017" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/revised-gcse-and-equivalent-results-in-england-2016-to-2017</a></p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 05/02/2018 16:57:03 question first ministerially corrected 15/03/2018 12:05:01 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse previous answer version 39408 answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	4077 label Biography information for Emma Reynolds

834330

registered interest
date	31/01/2018
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	Children: Maintenance
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 remove the Child Maintenance Service fees for the parent with care in cases where a pay and collect arrangement is required due to non-payment by the non-resident parent.
tabling member constituency	Easington
tabling member printed	Grahame Morris
uin	125950
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/02/2018 answer text <p>We undertook a 30 Month Review of charging, published August 2017, which did not indicate that charges are having an excessive impact on parents’ decisions when using the Service. We have no plans to change our charging structure, but will continue to monitor the impacts of the child maintenance reforms.</p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 05/02/2018 17:00:26 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	3973 label Biography information for Grahame Morris

834214

registered interest
date	31/01/2018
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	Slavery: Victims
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans she has to enhance support for (a) victims of modern slavery and (b) people who have been trafficked.
tabling member constituency	Stroud
tabling member printed	Dr David Drew
uin	125850
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/02/2018 answer text <p>Working closely with the Home Office and The Salvation Army we have recently introduced a supported handover to ease the transition from Home Office funded support to DWP support for victims of modern slavery and trafficking. We have also enhanced training and guidance for frontline staff so they are able to identify victims and refer them to the most appropriate support.</p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 05/02/2018 17:14:31 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	252 label Biography information for Dr David Drew

837234

registered interest
date	05/02/2018
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: Children
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	What recent assessment she has made of the effect of the benefit freeze on trends in the level of child poverty.
tabling member constituency	Dundee West
tabling member printed	Chris Law
uin	903752
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/02/2018 answer text <p>An Impact Assessment of the benefit freeze was published in 2015. Evidence shows that work is the best route out of poverty. Children in workless households are five times more likely to be in poverty than those in households where all adults were working. The Welfare Reforms such as the benefit freeze were designed to incentivise parents to choose to move into and progress in work.</p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 05/02/2018 17:43:16 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	4403 label Biography information for Chris Law

833897

registered interest
date	30/01/2018
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	Poverty: Children
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what progress her Department has made towards meeting the 2020 poverty reduction targets set out in the Child Poverty Act 2010; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Hampstead and Kilburn
tabling member printed	Tulip Siddiq
uin	125655
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/02/2018 answer text <p>Tackling child poverty and disadvantage is a priority for this government. To do this requires an approach that goes beyond the safety net of the welfare state to tackle the root causes of poverty and disadvantage. This is why the income-related targets and the requirement to publish a child poverty strategy set out in the Child Poverty Act 2010 have been repealed. In their place, we introduced statutory measures to drive action on parental worklessness and children’s educational attainment – the two areas that we know can make the biggest difference to disadvantaged children. The Government has a statutory duty to report annually to Parliament on these indicators and will do so again in March 2018.</p><p>The links to the latest report and available data are below:</p><ul><li>Statutory report</li></ul><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/workless-households-and-educational-attainment-statutory-indicators" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/workless-households-and-educational-attainment-statutory-indicators</a></p><ul><li>Children in workless households</li></ul><p><a href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/bulletins/workingandworklesshouseholds/julytoseptember2017" target="_blank">https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/bulletins/workingandworklesshouseholds/julytoseptember2017</a></p><ul><li>Children in long-term workless households</li></ul><p><a href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/releases/childrenlivinginlongtermworklesshouseholdsuk2016" target="_blank">https://www.ons.gov.uk/releases/childrenlivinginlongtermworklesshouseholdsuk2016</a></p><ul><li>Children’s educational attainment at key stage 4 for all pupils and disadvantaged pupils</li></ul><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/revised-gcse-and-equivalent-results-in-england-2016-to-2017" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/revised-gcse-and-equivalent-results-in-england-2016-to-2017</a></p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 06/02/2018 15:12:23 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	4518 label Biography information for Tulip Siddiq

834073

registered interest
date	30/01/2018
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	Members: Correspondence
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he plans to reply to the letter of 18 December 2017 from the hon. Member for Sefton Central on the personal independence payment award to Mrs Sheila Ellis.
tabling member constituency	Sefton Central
tabling member printed	Bill Esterson
uin	125830
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/02/2018 answer text <p>The Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work, my hon. Friend the member for Truro and Falmouth (Sarah Newton), replied on 30 January 2018.</p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 06/02/2018 15:40:33 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	4061 label Biography information for Bill Esterson

834670

registered interest
date	01/02/2018
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: Capita
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what contingency plans she has made in the event of Capita being unable to fulfil any of its contractual obligations with her Department.
tabling member constituency	Vale of Clwyd
tabling member printed	Chris Ruane
uin	126118
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/02/2018 answer text <p>The Department regularly reviews contingencies for all of its contracts including those relating to Capita.</p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 06/02/2018 17:40:14 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	534 label Biography information for Chris Ruane

835946

registered interest
date	02/02/2018
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	Support for Mortgage Interest: South East
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 (a) Hove constituency, (b) East Sussex, (c) the South East receive Support for Mortgage Interest; and how many of those people receive (i) employment support allowance, (ii) personal independence payments and (iii) jobseeker’s allowance.
tabling member constituency	Hove
tabling member printed	Peter Kyle
uin	126301
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/02/2018 answer text <p>The table below gives the Department’s estimates of the caseload of Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI) split by benefit and one selected geography.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>All SMI</p></td><td><p>SMI and Employment and Support Allowance</p></td><td><p>SMI and Job Seeker’s Allowance</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>South East</p></td><td><p>11,000</p></td><td><p>5,000</p></td><td><p>-</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p><em> Table 1: SMI caseload by benefit in one selected geography</em></p><p>Data is not available on:</p><ul><li>the number of SMI claimants in receipt of Personal Independence Payment;</li><li>the number of claimants of SMI in Hove and geographies smaller than Government Office Region.</li></ul><p>Figures are rounded to the nearest 1,000 cases.</p><p>‘-’ denotes under 500 cases.</p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 07/02/2018 10:55:22 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	4505 label Biography information for Peter Kyle

835947

registered interest
date	02/02/2018
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	Support for Mortgage Interest
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many recipients of Support for Mortgage Interest have received information on forthcoming changes to that scheme.
tabling member constituency	Hove
tabling member printed	Peter Kyle
uin	126302
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/02/2018 answer text <p>To date, the department has sent information to 105,000 SMI claimants.</p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 07/02/2018 10:59:22 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	4505 label Biography information for Peter Kyle