Show Search Form

Search Results

registered interest	true false
date	exactly: or between: and
answering body
answering dept id
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name
hansard heading
house id
legislature	pref label
question text
tabling member constituency
tabling member printed
uin
answer	is ministerial correction true false date of answer exactly: or between: and answer text answering member constituency answering member printed grouped question UIN question first answered answering member label previous answer version answering member constituency answering member printed answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

1002759

	registered interest
	date	06/11/2018
	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	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 discussions she has had with representatives of staff working in job centres and service centres on difficulties experienced by such staff in (a) applying for and (b) receiving payment as claimants of universal credit.
	tabling member constituency	Glasgow South West
	tabling member printed	Chris Stephens
	uin	188874
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/11/2018 answer text <p>My officials regularly meet with trade union representatives to discuss areas of concerns that staff may have.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 12/11/2018 17:51:28 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
	tabling member	4463 label Biography information for Chris Stephens

1002760

	registered interest
	date	06/11/2018
	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	Universal Credit: Telephone Services
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what process is used by her Department to estimate the (a) average call duration and (b) amount of calls taken by case managers working on universal credit; and if she will publish the results of such estimates for each year for which information is available.
	tabling member constituency	Glasgow South West
	tabling member printed	Chris Stephens
	uin	188875
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/11/2018 answer text <p>Data can be extracted from the Universal Credit Full Service system to establish the average number of calls per day and the average duration.</p><p> </p><p>We have no plans to collect or publish this data routinely given the costs involved in maintaining it to official statistics standards.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 12/11/2018 18:05:10 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
	tabling member	4463 label Biography information for Chris Stephens

1002761

	registered interest
	date	06/11/2018
	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	Universal Credit: Telephone Services
	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 case managers working on universal credit who are seconded to the national telephony team for each shift; and if she will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Glasgow South West
	tabling member printed	Chris Stephens
	uin	188876
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/11/2018 answer text <p>We currently have 400 colleagues assigned to Universal Credit national tier telephony. We retain the flexibility to adjust the number of colleagues working on some of the core functions within Universal Credit to accommodate fluctuations in demand and the number of colleagues deployed to National Tier telephony will vary month on month as required.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 12/11/2018 18:02:05 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
	tabling member	4463 label Biography information for Chris Stephens

1002762

	registered interest
	date	06/11/2018
	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	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 funding the Government has allocated for transitional payments for people moving onto universal credit; and by what process claimants will receive such payments.
	tabling member constituency	Glasgow South West
	tabling member printed	Chris Stephens
	uin	188877
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/12/2018 answer text <p>We recently laid the draft Universal Credit (Managed Migration) Regulations 2018 in Parliament. These will introduce a transitional payment to those eligible claimants who were in receipt of the Severe Disability Premium whilst on an existing benefit and who have already moved to Universal Credit.</p><p> </p><p>As announced in the 2018 Autumn Budget, the income related elements of Employment and Support Allowance and Jobseeker’s Allowance, and Income Support will continue for two weeks after a claim for Universal Credit has been made from July 2020. Claimants will therefore receive one two week run-on payment when being migrated to Universal Credit. Both of these measures are subject to parliamentary approval. These payments are in addition to the 2 week run-on of Housing Benefit, which we introduced in April 2018.</p><p> </p><p>The Government has also committed to ensuring that claimants who are moved onto Universal Credit as part of the managed migration process see no decrease in their benefit entitlement, providing their circumstances remain the same.</p><p> </p><p>The Government will be spending over £3bn on transitional protection over the next 10 years to ensure that claimants who are migrated onto Universal Credit as part of the managed migration process do not experience a financial loss at the point of transition.</p><p> </p><p>Transitional protection will be calculated based on the claimant’s circumstances on the last day of their entitlement to existing benefits. To do this we will make a comparison between the total amount of all relevant existing benefits to which the claimant was entitled at this point and the total amount of Universal Credit to which the claimant would be entitled as calculated based on the same set of circumstances. If the entitlement to the existing benefits is the greater amount then the difference will be awarded as a Transitional Element. When awarded, this Transitional Element will be taken into account with any other applicable Elements to determine a claimant’s Universal Credit award in each Assessment Period.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 13/12/2018 14:37:05 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma previous answer version 84612 answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
	tabling member	4463 label Biography information for Chris Stephens

860569

	registered interest
	date	12/03/2018
	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	Jobseeker's Allowance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance her Department provides to claimants receiving job seekers allowance who volunteer for a Credit Union; and if she will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Glasgow South West
	tabling member printed	Chris Stephens
	uin	131926
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/03/2018 answer text <p>DWP recognises the value of volunteering in developing skills which can be transferred into the world of paid work, as well as benefitting local communities and wider society.</p><p> </p><p>Jobseeker’s Allowance claimants are able to volunteer so long as they meet the conditions of their Claimant Commitment. There is no specific guidance provided regarding volunteering for a Credit Union.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 15/03/2018 09:05:55 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
	tabling member	4463 label Biography information for Chris Stephens

890122

	registered interest
	date	23/04/2018
	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: Glasgow
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many violence-at-work incidents have been reported at Govan job centre; and if she will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Glasgow South West
	tabling member printed	Chris Stephens
	uin	137172
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/04/2018 answer text <p>The Department for Work and Pensions takes any form of abuse and harassment (including violence-at-work incidents) of its staff by customers and claimants very seriously. Robust controls are in place to mitigate the risk of unacceptable customer behaviour (UCB) and eliminate violence-at-work as far as reasonably practicable, including security presence, risk assessments and training for our staff. We review outcomes of our most serious incidents and consider any lessons learned to make improvements to our processes and training when necessary to help prevent reoccurrence.</p><p> </p><p>Govan Jobcentre and its staff follow Departmental policy and guidance to minimise violence at work. We encourage our people to report every instance of UCB and we take action against individuals, with measures proportionate to the seriousness of the incident. Where acts of violence do occur we provide a number of solutions through employee assistance and wellbeing initiatives to support those individuals that require it.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>In the last year to March 2018, there has been 1 reported incident of attempted assault, 20 reported incidents of verbal abuse, 4 reported incidents of verbal threats and 12 incidents recorded for other reasons at Govan Jobcentre. A full health and safety check was undertaken at Govan Jobcentre on 26 April 2018.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma grouped question UIN 137173 137174 question first answered 27/04/2018 10:27:38 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
	tabling member	4463 label Biography information for Chris Stephens

890123

	registered interest
	date	23/04/2018
	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: Crimes of Violence
	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 eliminate violence-at-work incidents in (a) Govan jobcentre and (b) her Department's offices across the UK; and if she will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Glasgow South West
	tabling member printed	Chris Stephens
	uin	137173
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/04/2018 answer text <p>The Department for Work and Pensions takes any form of abuse and harassment (including violence-at-work incidents) of its staff by customers and claimants very seriously. Robust controls are in place to mitigate the risk of unacceptable customer behaviour (UCB) and eliminate violence-at-work as far as reasonably practicable, including security presence, risk assessments and training for our staff. We review outcomes of our most serious incidents and consider any lessons learned to make improvements to our processes and training when necessary to help prevent reoccurrence.</p><p> </p><p>Govan Jobcentre and its staff follow Departmental policy and guidance to minimise violence at work. We encourage our people to report every instance of UCB and we take action against individuals, with measures proportionate to the seriousness of the incident. Where acts of violence do occur we provide a number of solutions through employee assistance and wellbeing initiatives to support those individuals that require it.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>In the last year to March 2018, there has been 1 reported incident of attempted assault, 20 reported incidents of verbal abuse, 4 reported incidents of verbal threats and 12 incidents recorded for other reasons at Govan Jobcentre. A full health and safety check was undertaken at Govan Jobcentre on 26 April 2018.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma grouped question UIN 137172 137174 question first answered 27/04/2018 10:27:39 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
	tabling member	4463 label Biography information for Chris Stephens

890124

	registered interest
	date	23/04/2018
	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: Glasgow
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when the most recent risk assessment was conducted at Govan jobcentre on violence at work; and if she will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Glasgow South West
	tabling member printed	Chris Stephens
	uin	137174
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/04/2018 answer text <p>The Department for Work and Pensions takes any form of abuse and harassment (including violence-at-work incidents) of its staff by customers and claimants very seriously. Robust controls are in place to mitigate the risk of unacceptable customer behaviour (UCB) and eliminate violence-at-work as far as reasonably practicable, including security presence, risk assessments and training for our staff. We review outcomes of our most serious incidents and consider any lessons learned to make improvements to our processes and training when necessary to help prevent reoccurrence.</p><p> </p><p>Govan Jobcentre and its staff follow Departmental policy and guidance to minimise violence at work. We encourage our people to report every instance of UCB and we take action against individuals, with measures proportionate to the seriousness of the incident. Where acts of violence do occur we provide a number of solutions through employee assistance and wellbeing initiatives to support those individuals that require it.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>In the last year to March 2018, there has been 1 reported incident of attempted assault, 20 reported incidents of verbal abuse, 4 reported incidents of verbal threats and 12 incidents recorded for other reasons at Govan Jobcentre. A full health and safety check was undertaken at Govan Jobcentre on 26 April 2018.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma grouped question UIN 137172 137173 question first answered 27/04/2018 10:27:39 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
	tabling member	4463 label Biography information for Chris Stephens

942864

	registered interest
	date	17/07/2018
	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: Disqualification
	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 assist households facing financial difficulties as a result of benefit sanctions.
	tabling member constituency	Glasgow South West
	tabling member printed	Chris Stephens
	uin	165077
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/07/2018 answer text <p>Sanctions are only used in a minority of cases, when people fail to meet their conditionality requirements without good reason. When considering whether a sanction is appropriate, a Decision Maker will take all the claimant’s individual circumstances, including any health conditions or disabilities and any evidence of good reason, into account before deciding whether a sanction is warranted</p><p> </p><p>We have a well-established system of hardship payments, available as a safeguard if a claimant demonstrates that they cannot meet their immediate and most essential needs, including accommodation, heating, food and hygiene, as a result of their sanction.</p><p> </p><p>Additionally, claimants on legacy benefits will continue to receive passported benefits, such as Housing Benefits, when they are sanctioned. Similarly, in Universal Credit, claimants will continue to receive other elements they are entitled to, such as the housing and children element.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 25/07/2018 14:32:25 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
	tabling member	4463 label Biography information for Chris Stephens

942866

	registered interest
	date	17/07/2018
	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 the effect is of a claimant refusing a job with a prospective employer where the terms and conditions on offer include a zero hours contract on that claimant's continued receipt of benefits.
	tabling member constituency	Glasgow South West
	tabling member printed	Chris Stephens
	uin	165078
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/07/2018 answer text <p>Universal Credit (UC) radically transforms the welfare system by seeking to ensure not only that claimants are better off in work, but that they are better off working more hours and earning more money, helping them ultimately to become financially independent. Their UC payments adjust automatically depending on the amount they earn, so that they are financially supported and do not need to switch their benefit claim.</p><p>UC claimants may be required to look for and accept jobs with a zero hours contract. Such contracts can be a beneficial and positive way for claimants to boost their income and gain valuable work experience.</p><p> </p><p>UC claimants are expected to take responsibility for meeting any mandatory conditionality requirements they have agreed and will be supported by their Work Coach throughout. If there is no reason why a claimant should not take a zero hours contract job and they refuse, they may be sanctioned. However, sanctions are only used in a minority of cases and that is when claimants fail to meet their conditionality requirements without good reason.</p><p> </p><p>Jobseeker's Allowance claimants are not required to apply for zero hours contract jobs.</p><p>This is because of the impact that fluctuating earnings and hours may have on a claim – entitlement will end when a claimant earns more than a certain amount or works more than 16 hours in a week. This means they would then need to reclaim when lower, or no hours are offered, posing a real risk of gaps in income. This disincentive to take on flexible work, or work more hours, has been designed out of UC to ensure support for people whose hours fluctuate.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 24/07/2018 15:07:06 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
	tabling member	4463 label Biography information for Chris Stephens