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1135855

	registered interest
	date	01/07/2019
	answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
	answering dept id	17
	answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
	answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
	hansard heading	NHS: Pensions
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help mitigate the effect of pension taxation on the NHS.
	tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
	tabling member printed	Frank Field
	uin	271375
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/07/2019 answer text <p>I laid provided a Written Ministerial Statement (<a href="https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2019-06-04/HCWS1587/" target="_blank">HCWS1587</a>) on 4 June 2019 setting out the interim People Plan for the National Health Service. As part of this, it was announced that the Department would publish a consultation exploring proposals to introduce greater pension flexibility for clinicians in the NHS Pension Scheme. Increased flexibility is designed to address disincentives that may encourage senior clinicians to limit or reduce their workloads whilst participating in the NHS Pension Scheme.</p><p>The consultation will propose a 50:50 option which is intended to provide increased flexibility to clinicians regarding the growth of their NHS Pension Scheme benefits. This option will offer a 50% pension accrual and halved contributions. It was requested by the British Medical Association earlier this year, and they have welcomed this as a step in the right direction.</p><p>Retaining and maximising the contribution of our highly-skilled clinical workforce is crucial to the delivery of the ambitions for patient care set out in the Long Term Plan for the NHS. Accordingly, the Government is prepared to provide pension flexibility that appropriately balances the benefit of new flexibilities with their affordability to the public purse.</p><p>The consultation period will be an opportunity to listen to a range of views before reaching a final proposition that works for both staff and taxpayers. The Department encourages staff and employers to engage with our consultation when it opens this month.</p> answering member constituency Wimbledon answering member printed Stephen Hammond question first answered 09/07/2019 16:05:14 answering member 1585 label Biography information for Stephen Hammond
	tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead

1135824

	registered interest
	date	01/07/2019
	answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
	answering dept id	17
	answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
	answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
	hansard heading	Doctors: Training
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the level of availability of (a) places on UK Foundation Programme F1 and F2 courses and (b) work within the NHS for course graduates.
	tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
	tabling member printed	Frank Field
	uin	271363
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/07/2019 answer text <p>The UK Foundation Programme can be under- or over-subscribed as it is subject to variation for a number of reasons. In 2018 there was a fill rate of 98.6%<sup>1</sup>, however in 2019 there were initially more eligible applicants than available places. Additional places have now been provided, meaning all eligible graduates have been allocated a Foundation Programme post to start from August 2019.</p><p>For specialty training programmes, the current overall fill rate is slightly higher than in 2018, with 83.8% of training posts currently accepted for programmes beginning in 2019, compared to 81.9% at the same stage last year<sup>2</sup>. Some specialties will continue to recruit through further rounds, and therefore the number of trainees is likely to rise.</p><p> </p><p>Notes:</p><p><sup>1</sup>http://www.foundationprogramme.nhs.uk/sites/default/files/2018-09/2018%20Recruitment%20Summary%20Report.pdf</p><p><sup>2</sup>https://www.hee.nhs.uk/our-work/medical-recruitment/specialty-recruitment-round-1-acceptance-fill-rate</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Wimbledon answering member printed Stephen Hammond question first answered 09/07/2019 16:04:12 answering member 1585 label Biography information for Stephen Hammond
	tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead

1136399

	registered interest
	date	02/07/2019
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Universal Credit
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether welfare advisers have the discretion not to impose job seeking conditions on a claimant in their (a) customer agreement and (b) claimant commitment when that claimant is no longer entitled to employment and support allowance and is advised to claim universal credit.
	tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
	tabling member printed	Frank Field
	uin	272130
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/07/2019 answer text <p>When people move from ESA to UC due to a change of circumstances (e.g. house move) not connected to their WCA, they will move into the equivalent conditionality group. Work search requirements are not imposed on people who have been found to have Limited Capability for Work or Limited Capability for Work and Work Related activity.</p><p> </p><p>When people move from Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) to Universal Credit (UC) due to being found ‘fit for work’ at their work capability assessment (WCA) their UC conditionality will be decided based on their individual and household circumstances.</p><p> </p><p>There are a range of circumstances on UC where work-related requirements must be switched off temporarily because people are experiencing difficult personal circumstances and our work coaches do have the discretion to reduce or suspend job seeking conditions on their Claimant Commitment. Even for people who have been found fit for work, work coaches may still agree to tailor the number of hours, type, and location of work, to take account of the person’s health condition. Work coaches receive training on how to adjust conditionality to reflect a person’s individual circumstances.</p><p> </p><p>People who are full time carers or have caring responsibility for a child under 1 will not be asked to complete any work related requirements when they move to UC in recognition of their current situation.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 08/07/2019 17:00:22 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
	tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead

1136380

	registered interest
	date	02/07/2019
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Universal Credit: Overpayments
	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 5 June 2019 to Question 257458 on Universal Credit: Overpayments, how many overpayments were waived in (a) full and (b) part as a result of applications made by (i) claimants and (ii) their representatives in 2014-15.
	tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
	tabling member printed	Frank Field
	uin	272129
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/07/2019 answer text <p>In 2014/15 there were fewer than 5 successful applications for the full waiving of a Universal Credit overpayment and fewer than 5 successful partial waiver applications for UC overpayments*.</p><p> </p><p>The Department has an obligation to ensure that public funds are administered responsibly and to abide by the principles set out in Her Majesty’s Treasury’s guidance on Managing Public Money (which can be found on gov.uk). Waivers are only granted in limited circumstances including where the recovery of an overpayment is causing substantial financial and/or medical hardship and clear supporting evidence of this is provided.</p><p> </p><p>We are unable to provide a breakdown of how many applications were made by claimants or their representatives as this information is not stored.</p><p> </p><p><em>*The figures provided in this response have been sourced from internal management information and were not intended for public release. They should therefore not be compared to any other figures subsequently released by the Department. We are not able to report exact figures that are lower than 5, therefore this have been listed as “less than 5”.</em></p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 08/07/2019 16:53:18 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
	tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead

1136357

	registered interest
	date	02/07/2019
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Universal Credit
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 24 June 2019 to Question 264329 on universal credit, of the 749,000 claimants with deductions from universal credit for non-universal credit debits, how many of those tax credit overpayments were repaid by each year to which those overpayments were made to those claimants.
	tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
	tabling member printed	Frank Field
	uin	272126
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/07/2019 answer text <p>Tax Credit overpayments were referred to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Debt Management from 2016/17.</p><p> </p><p>The table shows Tax Credit recoveries for 2018/19 apportioned across the financial year in which the Tax Credit overpayment ended*.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Tax Credit Overpayment</strong> <strong> Period End Date</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Percentage of Recoveries by Value</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Unknown</p></td><td><p>Less than 0.05%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2003-04</p></td><td><p>0.10%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2004-05</p></td><td><p>0.5%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2005-06</p></td><td><p>0.4%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2006-07</p></td><td><p>0.5%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2007-08</p></td><td><p>1.2%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2008-09</p></td><td><p>2.3%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2009-10</p></td><td><p>1.6%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010-11</p></td><td><p>2.9%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011-12</p></td><td><p>4.1%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012-13</p></td><td><p>4.9%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013-14</p></td><td><p>6.1%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2014-15</p></td><td><p>7.3%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2015-16</p></td><td><p>9.0%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2016-17</p></td><td><p>14.1%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2017-18</p></td><td><p>26.7%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2018-19</p></td><td><p>18.2%</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Universal Credit (UC) is expected to lead to savings across welfare as we are able to adjust benefit entitlement in line with changing circumstances in real time. Internal and external data matches are increasingly helping inform benefit payments and alerting staff to check for any undeclared changes in people’s circumstances.</p><p> </p><p>When recovering benefit overpayments, the DWP ensures that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect claimants from any undue financial hardship.</p><p> </p><p><em>*The data provided in this response has been sourced from internal management information and was not intended for public release. It should therefore not be compared to any other, similar data subsequently released by the DWP. All figures have been rounded to one decimal place. Due to this rounding, the figures will not sum 100%. </em></p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 08/07/2019 16:50:19 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
	tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead

1135857

	registered interest
	date	01/07/2019
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	Syria: Bombings
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps the Government is taking to help protect children from the consequences of the bombing in Idlib, Syria.
	tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
	tabling member printed	Frank Field
	uin	271376
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/07/2019 answer text <p>The Government is immensely concerned about the plight of all civilians, particularly children, affected by the current conflict in Idlib and surrounding areas.</p><p> </p><p>Last year DFID provided over £80m humanitarian assistance to Northwest Syria. Our UN and NGO partners are working to meet growing needs among displaced people in the region, including the estimated 100,000 children displaced since 1 May, through the distribution of food, shelter and other essential items. We are also providing education and safe spaces for children. Whilst this work has been impacted by the recent conflict in the region and the senseless attacks on civilian infrastructure such as schools and hospitals, to date our partners are continuing to be able to work effectively in the region to help those most in need. In addition to humanitarian assistance, we continue to use our position on the UN Security Council to call out the regime and Russia for their attacks on schools and hospitals, breaching international law and needlessly impacting civilians.</p> answering member constituency South West Wiltshire answering member printed Dr Andrew Murrison question first answered 08/07/2019 15:19:02 answering member 1466 label Biography information for Dr Andrew Murrison
	tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead

1134891

	registered interest
	date	26/06/2019
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Universal Credit
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what is the median repayment period for advance payments awarded to people awaiting their first payment of universal credit.
	tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
	tabling member printed	Frank Field
	uin	269645
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/07/2019 answer text <p>The median repayment period for new claim and benefit transfer advances was 12 months.</p><p> </p><p>Notes:</p><p>The figure relates to Universal Credit full service only</p><p>The median is based on those advances paid between March 18 and February 2019</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 05/07/2019 12:49:09 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
	tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead

1135397

	registered interest
	date	27/06/2019
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Breakfast Clubs and Free School Meals: Academic Year
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether schools are required to provide breakfasts and free school meals to pupils who receive such support throughout the rest of the school year on days when end-of-year tests and examinations take place.
	tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
	tabling member printed	Frank Field
	uin	270292
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/07/2019 answer text <p>If the end of year tests or examinations fall within the school day as defined in the Education Act (1996), then free school meals should be made available to the pupil on those days. Section 579 of the Education Act (1996) defines a school day as ‘any day on which at that school there is a school session’.</p><p> </p><p>Schools are not required to provide breakfasts. However, the department is investing up to £26 million to set up or improve 1,700 sustainable breakfast clubs in schools in the most disadvantaged areas across the country.<strong><br> <br> </strong></p> answering member constituency Stratford-on-Avon answering member printed Nadhim Zahawi question first answered 05/07/2019 08:58:02 answering member 4113 label Biography information for Nadhim Zahawi
	tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead

1134125

	registered interest
	date	24/06/2019
	answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept id	13
	answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	hansard heading	Forests
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the progress made in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland on meeting the 2011 Bonn Challenge; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
	tabling member printed	Frank Field
	uin	268399
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/07/2019 answer text <p>Forestry is a devolved matter and the information provided therefore relates to England only.</p><p> </p><p>Although not formally signed up to the Bonn challenge, we share its aims and are fully committed to woodland creation and restoration. Our 25 Year environment Plan has a goal of increasing tree cover in England from 10% to 12% by 2060. Recently we have funded £5.7 million to kick start the Northern Forest, announced a £10 million Woodland Carbon Guarantee fund, and launched a £10m fund for new trees in our towns and cities through the urban trees challenge fund. Since 1995 we have supported the National Forest Company in establishing woodlands to restore large areas of industrially impacted land in central England.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 02/07/2019 16:38:56 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead

1133249

	registered interest
	date	19/06/2019
	answering body	House of Commons Commission
	answering dept id	18
	answering dept short name	House of Commons Commission
	answering dept sort name	House of Commons Commission
	hansard heading	Members' Staff: General Practitioners
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the right hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington, representing the House of Commons Commission, whether Members' staff can (a) register with and (b) access an on-site medical doctor.
	tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
	tabling member printed	Frank Field
	uin	266763
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/07/2019 answer text <p>Members’ staff cannot register with nor access an on-site medical doctor as there are none on-site. There are occupational health physicians who work within the Parliamentary Health and Wellbeing Service (PHWS) via a contract with Guys and St Thomas’ hospital. Managers can refer their staff to PHWS for advice and support if they feel that their health is being affected by their work. Members of Parliament can seek occupational health advice for their staff via the Members HR advisory service.</p> answering member constituency Carshalton and Wallington answering member printed Tom Brake question first answered 02/07/2019 16:19:30 answering member 151 label Biography information for Tom Brake previous answer version 125150 answering member constituency Carshalton and Wallington answering member printed Tom Brake answering member 151 label Biography information for Tom Brake
	tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead