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1078570

	registered interest
	date	27/02/2019
	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	Employment and Support Allowance: Self-employed
	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 support self-employed people who need to claim employment support allowance.
	tabling member constituency	Aberdeen South
	tabling member printed	Ross Thomson
	uin	226720
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/03/2019 answer text <p>We have successfully rolled out Universal Credit in all job centres nationally. Consequently, self-employed people, who have a health condition, can now claim either Universal Credit and/or New Style Employment and Support Allowance.</p><p> </p><p>Claimants who are eligible to claim New Style Employment and Support Allowance can do so by calling the Universal Credit helpline to request a claim form or by downloading and printing the form available on Gov.uk. Full details about how to apply (including information requesting forms in alternative formats such as braille) can be found at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/how-to-claim-new-style-esa" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/how-to-claim-new-style-esa</a></p><p> </p><p>Claimants who are not eligible to claim New Style Employment and Support Allowance can claim Universal Credit online. For those unable to access or use digital services, assistance to make and maintain their claim is available via the Freephone Universal Credit helplines. The Universal Credit Service Centre will establish the best means of support available.</p><p> </p><p>A home visit can be arranged to support a claimant in making their initial claim and completing any other administrative tasks required to ensure their application is completed.</p><p> </p><p>Additionally, to help claimants who may struggle making a claim, Universal Support is available, which is advice, assistance or support to help Universal Credit and New Style Employment and Support Allowance claimants with managing their claim or award.</p><p> </p><p>From 1 April 2019 Citizens Advice (England and Wales) and Citizens Advice Scotland will deliver a new “Help to Claim” service to support vulnerable claimants through the process of making a claim.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 07/03/2019 13:53:53 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
	tabling member	4599 label Biography information for Ross Thomson

838924

	registered interest
	date	08/02/2018
	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	State Retirement Pensions: Scotland
	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 hold discussions with representatives of the Scottish Government on the effect of her policies on WASPI women in Scotland.
	tabling member constituency	Aberdeen South
	tabling member printed	Ross Thomson
	uin	127486
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/02/2018 answer text <p>I have had regular correspondence with the Scottish Minister for Social Security on 16/07/2017, 25/08/17 and 05/02/18. As I said in my letter of 5<sup>th</sup> February,</p><p> </p><p><em>“</em><em>Should the Scottish Government wish to exercise their considerable powers to provide financial support to those impacted by the changes to the State Pension age they are able to do so. This would be entirely a matter for them and the UK Government would not seek to stop them”. </em></p><p> </p><p>There are no plans to meet with representatives of the Scottish Government to discuss this issue.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 23/02/2018 12:11:25 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4599 label Biography information for Ross Thomson

832903

	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	Personal Independence Payment: Aberdeen South
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of people had personal independence payment decisions overturned because of (a) mandatory reconsideration and (b) an appeal hearing in Aberdeen South constituency in each year since April 2013.
	tabling member constituency	Aberdeen South
	tabling member printed	Ross Thomson
	uin	125219
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/02/2018 answer text <p>The table below shows the number of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) decisions and the number and proportion of mandatory reconsideration decisions and appeal decisions where the award was changed, by financial year of the initial PIP decision since the introduction of PIP in the Parliamentary Constituency of Aberdeen South.</p><p><em>Number of PIP decisions, and number and proportion of mandatory reconsiderations decisions and appeal decisions where the award changed, by financial year of initial PIP decision.</em></p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Financial year of initial PIP decision</p></td><td><p>Number of PIP decisions</p></td><td><p>Number of awards changed at MR</p></td><td><p>Proportion of PIP decisions changed at MR</p></td><td><p>Number of awards changed at appeal</p></td><td><p>Proportion of PIP decisions where award changed at appeal</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013/14</p></td><td><p>100</p></td><td><p>#</p></td><td><p>#</p></td><td><p>#</p></td><td><p>#</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2014/ 15</p></td><td><p>560</p></td><td><p>10</p></td><td><p>1%</p></td><td><p>#</p></td><td><p>#</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2015/ 16</p></td><td><p>680</p></td><td><p>20</p></td><td><p>2%</p></td><td><p>30</p></td><td><p>5%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2016/ 17</p></td><td><p>1,030</p></td><td><p>50</p></td><td><p>5%</p></td><td><p>40</p></td><td><p>4%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2017/18 (April 17 to Oct 17)</p></td><td><p>580</p></td><td><p>30</p></td><td><p>5%</p></td><td><p>10</p></td><td><p>2%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Total</p></td><td><p>2,950</p></td><td><p>110</p></td><td><p>4%</p></td><td><p>90</p></td><td><p>3%</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Data has been rounded to the nearest 10 and nearest percent.</p><p>‘#’ means fewer than 5 in this category.</p><p>There will be some degree of retrospection in these figures over time due to changes in individual case outcomes, particularly with appeals. It is expected that there will be lower numbers of completed appeals in recent months due to the time lag in appeal completion.</p><p>Latest available data to October 2017</p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton question first answered 05/02/2018 14:01:27 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
	tabling member	4599 label Biography information for Ross Thomson

780661

	registered interest
	date	30/10/2017
	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	Workplace Pensions: Scotland
	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 economic effect on Scotland of the increase in statutory minimum employee pension contributions in 2018 and 2019; and what estimate he has made of the number of people in Scotland who will be affected by those changes.
	tabling member constituency	Aberdeen South
	tabling member printed	Ross Thomson
	uin	110359
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/11/2017 answer text <p>Automatic enrolment was designed to increase the number of people saving for their retirement, and has been a great success to date. By the end of September 2017, over 8.7 million people had been automatically enrolled into a workplace pension – this included 523,000 people in Scotland</p><p> </p><p>We do want to encourage people to save more than the minimum, but we need to balance this with the fact that many people are not saving anything and contributing to a pension will be new to them. We also recognise that employers needed time to adjust so as to implement the reforms, and to help manage their costs. As such, our focus is on increasing the number of people saving and increasing contributions gradually over the next two years. For an individual, these are currently at 1 per cent, rising to 3 per cent in April 2018 and 5 per cent in April 2019</p><p> </p><p>We are currently undertaking a review of the policy and operation of automatic enrolment. This includes looking at the existing coverage of the policy; strengthening the evidence base concerning future contributions and how to improve individuals’ engagement with workplace pension saving so as to maximise saving for their retirement. The review work is led by a DWP team and supported by an external advisory group. We will report to Parliament by the end of 2017.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 02/11/2017 12:23:48 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4599 label Biography information for Ross Thomson

669684

	registered interest
	date	20/12/2016
	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: Young People
	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 potential effect of his Department's policy to remove housing benefit from 18 to 21 year olds on their living standards.
	tabling member constituency	Aberdeen South
	tabling member printed	Callum McCaig
	uin	908070
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/01/2017 answer text <p>This policy will ensure young people in the benefit system face the same choices as young people who are in work but may not be able to afford to leave home.</p><p>By encouraging young people to stay in the family home, this policy will improve work incentives and, under the Youth Obligation, more young adults will move into work, improving their living standards.</p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes grouped question UIN 908073 question first answered 09/01/2017 16:50:52 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
	tabling member	4364 label Biography information for Callum McCaig

443239

	registered interest
	date	07/01/2016
	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	Offshore Fixed Structures: North Sea
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will investigate the circumstances surrounding the leak of natural gas at the Brae Alpha platform of 26 December 2015; and what steps he plans to take to ensure that a similar incident does not occur on that platform or any other offshore installation.
	tabling member constituency	Aberdeen South
	tabling member printed	Callum McCaig
	uin	21562
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/01/2016 answer text <p>The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is investigating the circumstances of the leak of natural gas from the Brae Alpha platform on 26th December 2015. It will ensure any lessons to be learnt to prevent a recurrence are shared with the operators of this and other platforms in the sector. If necessary it can use its formal enforcement powers to address significant shortcomings in systems and arrangements to manage risks.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 14/01/2016 13:20:45 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	4364 label Biography information for Callum McCaig

443339

	registered interest
	date	07/01/2016
	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	Offshore Industry: Safety
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions he has had with the Health and Safety Executive on ensuring reductions in operators' production costs do not adversely affect the safety of offshore workers in the oil and gas industry.
	tabling member constituency	Aberdeen South
	tabling member printed	Callum McCaig
	uin	21548
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/01/2016 answer text <p>I have had discussions with Health and Safety Executive (HSE) officials on the range of factors affecting offshore safety. HSE has confirmed that it is placing increasing emphasis upon maintenance standards as part of its interventions at offshore installations. I support this approach.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 14/01/2016 13:02:57 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	4364 label Biography information for Callum McCaig

228252

	registered interest
	date	18/03/2015
	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 he will make it his policy, in respect of past interim maintenance assessments, that only that proportion of resultant child maintenance arrears which is deemed to be collectable will be transferred to the Child Maintenance Service.
	tabling member constituency	Aberdeen South
	tabling member printed	Dame Anne Begg
	uin	228147
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/03/2015 answer text <p /> <p>The Department is currently defining its detailed policy and processes for validating historic arrears, including those accrued from an Interim Maintenance Assessments (IMA). The intention is that IMA debt will be addressed in order to reduce the amount that will be managed by the Child Maintenance Service. Our detailed approach is under consideration.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Steve Webb question first answered 23/03/2015 15:00:21 answering member 220 label Biography information for Steve Webb
	tabling member	572 label Biography information for Dame Anne Begg

227318

	registered interest
	date	13/03/2015
	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, with reference to his Department's 2013 Impact Assessment No. DWP0031, if he will provide a detailed breakdown of the (a) £123 million estimated cost of caseworker activity related to Child Support Agency (CSA) case arrears as part of the CSA case closure programme and (b) £20 million estimated cost of setting up areas on the Child Maintenance Service System; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Aberdeen South
	tabling member printed	Dame Anne Begg
	uin	227571
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/03/2015 answer text <p /> <p>The impact assessment (para 93) included high level estimates of (a) the costs (around £103m) of caseworker activity to review and update estimates of arrears on the existing systems for the circa 1.2m cases expected to have arrears when CSA liability ends and (b) the costs (around £20m) to set up arrears on the new child maintenance system. These estimates were based on broad assumptions about the volume and timings of relevant activities and before the detailed business processes and IT involved had been designed or developed.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Steve Webb question first answered 18/03/2015 15:42:23 answering member 220 label Biography information for Steve Webb
	tabling member	572 label Biography information for Dame Anne Begg

225285

	registered interest
	date	04/03/2015
	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, whether his Department plans to examine the arrears balances of individual Child Support Agency cases subject to case closure to re-value arrears arising from interim maintenance assessment.
	tabling member constituency	Aberdeen South
	tabling member printed	Dame Anne Begg
	uin	226300
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/03/2015 answer text <p>Under current plans for ending liability in 1993 and 2003 scheme cases, the Department will validate all CSA arrears, including arrears accrued from Interim Maintenance Assessments and those which have been suspended. The approach was set out in both “Preparing for the future, tackling the past: Child Maintenance – Arrears and Compliance Strategy 2012-2017 and Command Paper Cm8399 “Supporting separated families; securing children’s futures”. The validation process will include caseworkers resolving discrepancies on cases and completing outstanding tasks.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Steve Webb grouped question UIN 226247 question first answered 10/03/2015 14:37:52 answering member 220 label Biography information for Steve Webb
	tabling member	572 label Biography information for Dame Anne Begg