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1000268

	registered interest
	date	02/11/2018
	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	State Retirement Pensions: Females
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 1 November 2018 to Question 185131 on Independent Case Examiner, if she will publish that same information for complaints by women on the equalisation of the state pension age.
	tabling member constituency	Rutherglen and Hamilton West
	tabling member printed	Ged Killen
	uin	187381
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/11/2018 answer text <p>Individual departments have set up complaints procedures. That approach has not changed under Labour 1997-2010 or successive governments. The DWP has a two tier complaints process which considers formal complaints about our service<strong>. </strong>Once a complainant has exhausted the DWP complaint process they are signposted to the Independent Case Examiner’s Office if they are dissatisfied with the final response to their complaint.</p><p>The Independent Case Examiner is independent, and discusses complaints. The Independent Case Examiner is appointed under contract to adjudicate on escalated complaints about the DWP, and its contracted service providers, in cases where the complainant has exhausted the relevant internal complaints process and remains dissatisfied. If a complainant is dissatisfied with the outcome of an I Independent Case Examiner investigation (or the service provided by the Independent Case Examiner) they can ask their Member of Parliament to escalate their complaint to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman.</p><p>The table below provides details of the number of complaints concerning the equalisation of women’s state pension age, that have been (a) received; (b) accepted for investigation and (c) resolved by the Independent Case Examiner in each month since January 2017 (we have interpreted (c) as a request for the number of concluded complaint examinations).</p><p>At the end of October 2018, there were 865 such cases awaiting a decision on whether the complaint could be accepted for investigation, which explains the drop in the number of cases accepted for investigation since April 2018.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Month</p></td><td><p>Complaints received</p></td><td><p>Complaints accepted for investigation</p></td><td><p>Concluded complaint examinations</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>January 2017</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>February 2017</p></td><td><p>26</p></td><td><p>5</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>March 2017</p></td><td><p>211</p></td><td><p>187</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>April 2017</p></td><td><p>172</p></td><td><p>157</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>May 2017</p></td><td><p>171</p></td><td><p>148</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>June 2017</p></td><td><p>144</p></td><td><p>124</p></td><td><p>1</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>July 2017</p></td><td><p>222</p></td><td><p>185</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>August 2017</p></td><td><p>290</p></td><td><p>243</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>September 2017</p></td><td><p>297</p></td><td><p>232</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>October 2017</p></td><td><p>418</p></td><td><p>338</p></td><td><p>3</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>November 2017</p></td><td><p>320</p></td><td><p>265</p></td><td><p>6</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>December 2017</p></td><td><p>222</p></td><td><p>177</p></td><td><p>4</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>January 2018</p></td><td><p>314</p></td><td><p>254</p></td><td><p>11</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>February 2018</p></td><td><p>240</p></td><td><p>210</p></td><td><p>28</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>March 2018</p></td><td><p>171</p></td><td><p>132</p></td><td><p>16</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>April 2018</p></td><td><p>196</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>11</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>May 2018</p></td><td><p>159</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>15</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>June 2018</p></td><td><p>147</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>30</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>July 2018</p></td><td><p>131</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>13</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>August 2018</p></td><td><p>108</p></td><td><p>5</p></td><td><p>14</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>September 2018</p></td><td><p>101</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>15</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>October 2018</p></td><td><p>119</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>14</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 12/11/2018 14:57:29 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4672 label Biography information for Ged Killen

1051351

	registered interest
	date	30/01/2019
	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	State Retirement Pensions: Females
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether as a result of the ongoing judicial review into complaints in relation to the equalisation of state pension age, women that have lodged complaints that are being processed will have their complaints (a) paused or (b) closed until the judicial review is complete.
	tabling member constituency	Rutherglen and Hamilton West
	tabling member printed	Ged Killen
	uin	214627
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/02/2019 answer text <p>This government and the various other bodies are acting no differently to all previous governments subject to a legal challenge on such an issue.</p><p> </p><p>Following the High Court’s decision on 30 November 2018 to grant the claimants permission to proceed to a full judicial review hearing on the changes to State Pension age, the department has reviewed its handling of such complaints.</p><p> </p><p>The department has concluded that the issue in the Judicial Review does impact on the ongoing complaints. Therefore, the DWP has decided to temporarily suspend action on current and future complaints on State Pension age matters until the final court decision in the judicial review. We do not think it is appropriate for the DWP to investigate a matter that is currently being considered by the High Court. An update explaining this will be added to the gov.uk website, and anyone who has an affected complaint we will notify. Matters that are unrelated to the judicial review will be progressed as normal under DWP’s complaints procedure.</p><p> </p><p>This approach is consistent with the decision taken by the Parliamentary and Health Services Ombudsman. Following the decision of the High Court to grant permission for a judicial review to go ahead on the changes to State Pension age, the Parliamentary and Health Ombudsman’s office has confirmed that they will be taking no further action on current and future complaints they receive on changes to State Pension age until the court proceedings conclude.</p><p> </p><p>The Independent Case Examiner provides an independent review of complaints which remain unresolved following a final response from the DWP. As such, the Independent Case Examiner has also considered its position in light of the High Court decision. The Independent Case Examiner Office has no role to play in matters which are, or have been, the subject of legal proceedings. As a result, following the High Court decision, the Independent Case Examiners’ Office took action to close all live State Pension age complaints, in line with its agreed operational parameters.</p><p> </p><p>The table provides information on the number of cases closed at the Independent Case Examiner relating to State Pension age changes, and the rationale for closing them. The number rejected (b) may increase (complaints cannot currently be accepted due to the judicial review).</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Reason for complaint closure</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Number </strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>(a) Independent Case Examiner investigation report issued</p></td><td><p>192</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>(b) Rejected (the complaint failed to meet the Independent Case Examiner acceptance criteria)</p></td><td><p>1,598</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>(c) Withdrawn by complainant</p></td><td><p>1</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>(d) Closed following the High Court decision to grant permission for a judicial review of the Department’s handling of the change to women’s State Pension age – it is not within the Independent Case Examiner remit to consider issues which are, or have been, subject to legal proceedings.</p></td><td><p>2,505</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>In the event that the High Court makes no legal determination in respect of the complaint regarding State Pension age change, the Department will review its position once more and consider lifting the suspension.</p><p> </p><p>At this point the Independent Case Examiner Office could, at the request of the Department, also re-open those complaints closed as a result of the judicial review. This would be on the understanding that: (a) the matter is no longer the subject of legal proceedings and (b) there has been no legal determination on the issues which form the basis of the complaint to the Independent Case Examiner.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 04/02/2019 17:07:55 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4672 label Biography information for Ged Killen

1055011

	registered interest
	date	05/02/2019
	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	State Retirement Pensions: Females
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 4 February 2019 to Question 214627 on State Retirement Pensions: Females, whether she plans to instruct her Department to re-open complaints relating to the equalisation of the state pension age in the event that (a) the matter is no longer the subject of legal proceedings and (b) there has been no legal determination on the issues which form the basis of the complaint to the Independent Case Examiner as set out in that Answer.
	tabling member constituency	Rutherglen and Hamilton West
	tabling member printed	Ged Killen
	uin	217138
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/02/2019 answer text <p>The Independent Case Examiner closed all live complaints concerning changes to women’s State Pension age when they became subject to legal proceedings, as is required under its governance contract. In the event the legal proceedings fall away or there is no determination on the matters which forms the basis of this group of complaint, the Independent Case Examiner could consider reopening the cases at the request of the Department.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 08/02/2019 15:49:29 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4672 label Biography information for Ged Killen

1125882

	registered interest
	date	10/05/2019
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	State Retirement Pensions: Females
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 8 February 2019 to Question 217138, what designation has been assigned to those complaints.
	tabling member constituency	Rutherglen and Hamilton West
	tabling member printed	Ged Killen
	uin	252883
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/05/2019 answer text <p>I refer the honourable gentlemen to the answer previously given in response to Question 217138. The Independent Case Examiner closed all live complaints concerning changes to women’s State Pension age when they became subject to legal proceedings, as is required under its governance contract. In the event the legal proceedings fall away or there is no determination on the matters which form the basis of this group of complaints, the Independent Case Examiner could consider reopening the cases at the request of the Department. The Department cannot evaluate the potential merits of making such a request until the legal proceedings have been concluded.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman grouped question UIN 252884 question first answered 15/05/2019 09:21:53 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4672 label Biography information for Ged Killen

1125883

	registered interest
	date	10/05/2019
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	State Retirement Pensions: Females
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 8 February 2019 to Question 217138, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of her Department instructing the Independent Case Examiner to reopen complaints relating to the equalisation of the state pension age cases in the event that legal proceedings fall away.
	tabling member constituency	Rutherglen and Hamilton West
	tabling member printed	Ged Killen
	uin	252884
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/05/2019 answer text <p>I refer the honourable gentlemen to the answer previously given in response to Question 217138. The Independent Case Examiner closed all live complaints concerning changes to women’s State Pension age when they became subject to legal proceedings, as is required under its governance contract. In the event the legal proceedings fall away or there is no determination on the matters which form the basis of this group of complaints, the Independent Case Examiner could consider reopening the cases at the request of the Department. The Department cannot evaluate the potential merits of making such a request until the legal proceedings have been concluded.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman grouped question UIN 252883 question first answered 15/05/2019 09:21:53 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4672 label Biography information for Ged Killen

1351215

	registered interest
	date	18/08/2021
	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	Post Office Card Account
	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 potential effect of security and fraud risks posed by Post Office Card Account (POca) voucher alternatives offered in £100 denominations.
	tabling member constituency	Rutherglen and Hamilton West
	tabling member printed	Margaret Ferrier
	uin	40937
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/09/2021 answer text <p>The new Payment Exception Service has been designed as a simple service to ensure customers have access to cash. Vouchers will be uploaded to a card or sent electronically via SMS text or email. Customers will need to cash the full amount of the voucher (vouchers are maximum £100) but do not have to cash all of their vouchers at the same time. This is a similar process to when customers used to be issued with Order Books and Girocheques.</p><p> </p><p>PayPoint retailers and the Post Office will ask for customer ID when someone cashes a voucher. Customers are provided with the list of acceptable ID in their welcome letter from the new PES supplier.</p><p> </p><p>In designing the new service, the same levels of security have been applied as they were to HMG PES. Fraud will be treated as a business as usual process in line with existing DWP Policy.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 08/09/2021 13:05:17 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4386 label Biography information for Margaret Ferrier

1351216

	registered interest
	date	18/08/2021
	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	Post Office Card Account
	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 he has made of the potential merits of introducing a secure alternative to the Post Office Card Account (POca) card for those without a bank account, which offers face-to-face support for those requiring assistance.
	tabling member constituency	Rutherglen and Hamilton West
	tabling member printed	Margaret Ferrier
	uin	40938
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/09/2021 answer text <p>We recognise that not all of our customers are able to open and operate standard accounts, which is why we offer an alternative for those customers.</p><p> </p><p>The Post Office card account (POca) contract is due to end and the Department plans to start moving customers to the replacement Payment Exception Service (PES) during the coming months.</p><p> </p><p>The new PES is similar to Her Majesty’s Government Payment Exception Service (HMG PES) which has been in place since 2018 and is due to end in September 2021. The HMG PES service has successfully served our most vulnerable customers by the issue of vouchers which are uploaded to a card or sent electronically via SMS or email.</p><p> </p><p>The replacement PES has also been designed for customers who cannot open or manage a basic bank or standard account. We have ensured that the new service enables users to continue to obtain cash payments in their local area (including suburban and rural locations) following the end of the Post Office card account contract.</p><p> </p><p>Customers identified as at risk of harm will receive additional support before being migrated to the new service. This includes outbound calls to make contact with the customer or their nominated representative and referral to the DWP visiting service to make face-to-face contact where a call is unsuccessful or identifies that a visit is required. Post migration we will track the encashment of vouchers by all customers to ensure that they are accessing the payments they receive at the level we would expect. This post migration support is significantly stronger than currently exists for POca.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 08/09/2021 13:08:04 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4386 label Biography information for Margaret Ferrier

1354062

	registered interest
	date	08/09/2021
	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 her Department has made of the potential merits of establishing an independent body to advise the Government on the adequacy of welfare support.
	tabling member constituency	Rutherglen and Hamilton West
	tabling member printed	Margaret Ferrier
	uin	45147
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/09/2021 answer text <p>The Government, as required by parliament already passes all relevant regulations pertaining to social security benefits to the Social Security Advisory Committee for independent scrutiny. The Committee also provides impartial and independent advice on a range of social security matters.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 16/09/2021 12:54:56 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4386 label Biography information for Margaret Ferrier

1378070

	registered interest
	date	12/11/2021
	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	State Retirement Pensions: British Nationals Abroad
	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 implications for her policies of the findings of the survey published by the End Frozen Pensions campaign on 2 November 2021 that 28 per cent of British pensioners with frozen overseas pensions are unable to access medication as a result of financial hardship.
	tabling member constituency	Rutherglen and Hamilton West
	tabling member printed	Margaret Ferrier
	uin	73875
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/11/2021 answer text <p>No assessment has been made. The decision to move abroad is voluntary and remains a personal choice dependent on the circumstances of the individual. This longstanding policy has been in place under successive governments for over 70 years.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman grouped question UIN 73876 question first answered 22/11/2021 16:09:55 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4386 label Biography information for Margaret Ferrier

1378071

	registered interest
	date	12/11/2021
	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	State Retirement Pensions: British Nationals Abroad
	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 monitor the impact of its policy on indexing state pensions overseas only for British pensioners in countries with reciprocal uprating agreements.
	tabling member constituency	Rutherglen and Hamilton West
	tabling member printed	Margaret Ferrier
	uin	73876
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/11/2021 answer text <p>No assessment has been made. The decision to move abroad is voluntary and remains a personal choice dependent on the circumstances of the individual. This longstanding policy has been in place under successive governments for over 70 years.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman grouped question UIN 73875 question first answered 22/11/2021 16:09:55 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4386 label Biography information for Margaret Ferrier