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228349

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	Health and Safety Executive
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 16 March 2015 to Question 226915, which specific issues have been discussed by which Ministers on which dates in the last 12 months.
tabling member constituency	Sheffield, Heeley
tabling member printed	Meg Munn
uin	228247
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/03/2015 answer text <p>We do not disclose details of meetings between Ministers and Officials.</p> answering member constituency Forest of Dean answering member printed Mr Mark Harper grouped question UIN 227851 227852 question first answered 23/03/2015 16:54:48 answering member 1520 label Biography information for Mr Mark Harper
tabling member	1448 label Biography information for Meg Munn

227957

registered interest
date	17/03/2015
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	Social Security Benefits: Fraud
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 people who have committed benefit fraud whose cases were not prosecuted in court (a) have repaid, (b) are repaying, (c) are in arrears with repayments of and (d) have been subsequently prosecuted for breaching their agreement to repay those benefits and any financial penalties in each of the last three years.
tabling member constituency	Bedford
tabling member printed	Richard Fuller
uin	227946
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/03/2015 answer text <p /> <p>This information is not readily accessible within the time available.</p> answering member constituency Forest of Dean answering member printed Mr Mark Harper question first answered 24/03/2015 17:55:06 answering member 1520 label Biography information for Mr Mark Harper
tabling member	3912 label Biography information for Richard Fuller

227959

registered interest
date	17/03/2015
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	Mesothelioma: Compensation
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 merits of extending compensation to children who have been exposed to asbestos as a result of contact with parents who have mesothelioma.
tabling member constituency	Torridge and West Devon
tabling member printed	Mr Geoffrey Cox
uin	227876
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/03/2015 answer text <p /> <p>Children exposed to asbestos from their parents can already receive compensation in their own right if they are suffering from Diffuse Mesothelioma under Part 4: Lump Sum Payments: Mesothelioma etc., of the Child Maintenance and Other Payments Act 2008.</p> answering member constituency Forest of Dean answering member printed Mr Mark Harper question first answered 24/03/2015 14:41:46 answering member 1520 label Biography information for Mr Mark Harper
tabling member	1508 label Biography information for Sir Geoffrey Cox

228242

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	Employment Schemes: Disability
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 an assessment of the progress and effectiveness of the Disability Confident campaign in Lancashire.
tabling member constituency	Pendle
tabling member printed	Andrew Stephenson
uin	228043
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/03/2015 answer text <p /> <p><strong> </strong></p><p>Employers and wider society both benefit from recruiting more disabled people. Disability Confident is a campaign to help employers discover for themselves the talents and value that disabled people bring to business.</p><p> </p><p>Launched in July 2013 by the Prime Minister, supported by business leaders and disability employment organisations, Disability Confident sets out the business case for those employers unsure about the benefits of employing disabled people. It overcomes the fear factor for those employers worried about the logistics or afraid of saying the wrong thing, and emphasises the support available for employers. It highlights the great work that employers are already doing and encourages others to join in.</p><p> </p><p>Disability Confident is a partnership approach – a business-to-business dialogue. Partners learn from each other about how to become disability confident, with support from Government and disability organisations.</p><p> </p><p>In the first year of the Disability Confident campaign we held seven regional events across the UK, reaching more than 1,100 employers, including a well-attended event in Manchester.</p><p> </p><p>In July 2014 we launched a toolkit for MPs – so they can bring together employers and disabled people in their own constituencies.</p><p> </p><p>We look forward to employers throughout Lancashire attending these local events, learning from and supporting each other, and becoming more Disability Confident.</p> answering member constituency Forest of Dean answering member printed Mr Mark Harper question first answered 24/03/2015 09:42:29 answering member 1520 label Biography information for Mr Mark Harper
tabling member	4044 label Biography information for Andrew Stephenson

228348

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	Employment Schemes: Disability
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what progress he has made in implementing the recommendations of (a) the review to Government by Liz Sayce titled Getting in, staying in and getting on, published in June 2011 and (b) the expert panel chaired by Mike Adams in 2013 on Access to Work.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	228188
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/03/2015 answer text <p /> <p>The Government confirmed in March 2012 that it accepted the overall recommendation in the Sayce Review to focus resources on tailored personalised support for individuals through services like Access to Work, rather than “one size fits all” institutions and programmes, so that we could significantly increase the number of disabled people who could be supported to access the labour market.</p><p> </p><p>The Written Ministerial Statement on Access to Work published on 12 March 2015 sets out proposals to address two key recommendations of the Sayce Review with respect to developing online functionality and personal budgets.</p><p> </p><p>The Sayce recommendations on Remploy have been implemented.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Esther McVey MP issued two Written Statements on 19 November 2012 and 16 July 2013 setting out changes arising from the work of the expert panel chaired by Mike Adams. I can confirm that all the changes announced in those statements have been implemented so that individuals have the facility to:</p><p>· have a fast-track assessment process for individuals who already know their support requirements;</p><p>· transfer equipment between employers;</p><p>· have a pre-existing disabled students allowance assessment considered in determining support;</p><p>· have accesses to travel buddies, travel training, or adaptations to a vehicle to promote independent travel and have this reflected in award letters agreeing travel support;</p><p>· receive support via New Enterprise Allowance;</p><p>· receive up-front payments where customers need this in some circumstances;</p><p>· have some tolerances built into their awards.</p><p> </p><p>We also:</p><p>· removed a standard list of equipment that Access to Work would not fund;</p><p>· removed cost share for small business;</p><p>· provided funding for Disabled People’s user led organisations to promote the service and provide peer support;</p><p>· ran a targeted marketing campaign; and</p><p>· extended support to traineeships, sector-based work academies, supported internships and self-directed work experience.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Forest of Dean answering member printed Mr Mark Harper question first answered 24/03/2015 10:53:42 answering member 1520 label Biography information for Mr Mark Harper
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

228673

registered interest
date	19/03/2015
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	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 change has been in the amount of (a) employment and support allowance and (b) other incapacity benefit paid in each month since May 2013.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	228514
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/03/2015 answer text <p /> <p>The information is in the table.</p><p> </p><p>Monthly incapacity benefits expenditure, May 2013 to January 2015</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p>£ million, nominal</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>Employment and Support Allowance</p></td><td><p>Other incapacity benefits</p></td><td><p>Total</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>May 2013</p></td><td><p>794</p></td><td><p>357</p></td><td><p>1,151</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>June 2013</p></td><td><p>801</p></td><td><p>317</p></td><td><p>1,118</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>July 2013</p></td><td><p>850</p></td><td><p>299</p></td><td><p>1,149</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>August 2013</p></td><td><p>872</p></td><td><p>280</p></td><td><p>1,152</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>September 2013</p></td><td><p>860</p></td><td><p>251</p></td><td><p>1,112</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>October 2013</p></td><td><p>913</p></td><td><p>241</p></td><td><p>1,155</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>November 2013</p></td><td><p>904</p></td><td><p>213</p></td><td><p>1,116</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>December 2013</p></td><td><p>940</p></td><td><p>200</p></td><td><p>1,141</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>January 2014</p></td><td><p>970</p></td><td><p>181</p></td><td><p>1,151</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>February 2014</p></td><td><p>897</p></td><td><p>148</p></td><td><p>1,045</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>March 2014</p></td><td><p>985</p></td><td><p>156</p></td><td><p>1,141</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>April 2014</p></td><td><p>981</p></td><td><p>156</p></td><td><p>1,138</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>May 2014</p></td><td><p>1,031</p></td><td><p>155</p></td><td><p>1,186</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>June 2014</p></td><td><p>1,006</p></td><td><p>142</p></td><td><p>1,147</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>July 2014</p></td><td><p>1,058</p></td><td><p>128</p></td><td><p>1,186</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>August 2014</p></td><td><p>1,073</p></td><td><p>122</p></td><td><p>1,195</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>September 2014</p></td><td><p>1,061</p></td><td><p>112</p></td><td><p>1,173</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>October 2014</p></td><td><p>1,104</p></td><td><p>112</p></td><td><p>1,215</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>November 2014</p></td><td><p>1,070</p></td><td><p>103</p></td><td><p>1,173</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>December 2014</p></td><td><p>1,132</p></td><td><p>102</p></td><td><p>1,234</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>January 2015</p></td><td><p>1,135</p></td><td><p>97</p></td><td><p>1,231</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Notes</p><p> </p><p>1) Totals may not sum, because of rounding.</p><p>2) Other incapacity benefits comprise Incapacity Benefit, Severe Disablement Allowance and Income Support on grounds of incapacity for work.</p><p>3) Figures are for total benefit expenditure paid to claimants, and therefore do not include benefit recoveries and accounting adjustments. They are, however, consistent with figures that are net of these adjustments and shown in the tables published at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/benefit-expenditure-and-caseload-tables-2015" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/benefit-expenditure-and-caseload-tables-2015</a>.</p><p>4) Annual uprating of benefits by a mix of 1% and the Consumer Prices Index (2.7%) increases spending from April 2014, though this is masked by the fact that April has fewer days than March, and that increases do not occur at the start of April.</p><p>5) The main reason for month-on-month variations is the number of days in the month.</p> answering member constituency Forest of Dean answering member printed Mr Mark Harper question first answered 24/03/2015 17:57:12 answering member 1520 label Biography information for Mr Mark Harper
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

228674

registered interest
date	19/03/2015
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	Personal Independence Payment: Halton
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 Halton constituency waited more than (a) one month, (b) three and (c) six months for a decision on their personal independence payment claim in the last three years.
tabling member constituency	Halton
tabling member printed	Derek Twigg
uin	228491
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/03/2015 answer text <p /> <p>The available information on average (median) waiting times, at a national level, has been published and is available from the Personal Independence Payment statistics home page: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/personal-independence-payment-statistics" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/personal-independence-payment-statistics</a>. The requested level of disaggregation could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.</p> answering member constituency Forest of Dean answering member printed Mr Mark Harper question first answered 24/03/2015 17:53:19 answering member 1520 label Biography information for Mr Mark Harper
tabling member	429 label Biography information for Derek Twigg

228677

registered interest
date	19/03/2015
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	Work Capability Assessment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans he has to introduce text or email notifications for claimants of the employment and support allowance required to attend a medical assessment.
tabling member constituency	Preston
tabling member printed	Mark Hendrick
uin	228377
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/03/2015 answer text <p /> <p>A trial was held during the autumn of 2014 when claimants were sent text reminder messages of their assessment appointments. Following evaluation of that trial discussions were held with the new Health Assessment Advisory Service provider - Centre for Health and Disability Assessments (operated by MAXIMUS) – and the intention is to introduce the service nationally later in the year.</p> answering member constituency Forest of Dean answering member printed Mr Mark Harper question first answered 24/03/2015 17:53:22 answering member 1520 label Biography information for Mr Mark Harper
tabling member	473 label Biography information for Sir Mark Hendrick

228679

registered interest
date	19/03/2015
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	Employment and Support Allowance: Work Capability Assessment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent estimate he has made of the average time between a claim being made for employment and support allowance and the claimant receiving a work capability assessment.
tabling member constituency	Newport East
tabling member printed	Jessica Morden
uin	228323
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/03/2015 answer text <p /> <p>The Department is committed to reducing the time taken between claim and assessment for claimants of Employment and Support Allowance. The recent appointment of Centre for Health and Disability Assessments (operated by MAXIMUS) is integral to bringing improvement into the process as they bring both clinical expertise and a fresh approach that, over time, will significantly reduce waiting times and provide a better experience for claimants.</p> answering member constituency Forest of Dean answering member printed Mr Mark Harper question first answered 24/03/2015 18:11:30 answering member 1520 label Biography information for Mr Mark Harper
tabling member	1548 label Biography information for Jessica Morden

228140

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	Farms: Safety
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to (a) reduce accidental deaths on farms and (b) improve safety in the vicinity of slurry pits.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	228016
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/03/2015 answer text <p>The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) leads on matters of farm safety in Great Britain.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>(a) In consultation with key industry stakeholders, HSE has developed an Agriculture Sector Strategy to reduce the number of fatal and non-fatal accidents and ill health across this sector. Amongst other things, this includes: HSE supporting the farm safety partnerships in England, Scotland and Wales, in their work to change the culture of the industry and promote professional modern farming – including improving management and control of health and safety risks through industry led farm safety campaigns, such as “Safe Stop” and “Farm Safety Week”; activities targeting young farmers entering the industry such as the NFU Mutual’s Farm Safety Workshops that are being rolled out to agricultural colleges and universities; and delivering an annual programme of Safety and Health Awareness Days for farmers targeted at small and medium sized farms to promote awareness and understanding of common risks and control measures.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>(b) HSE has published an Agricultural Information Sheet [<a href="http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/ais9.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/ais9.pdf</a>] which gives guidance on preventing access to slurry storage areas, addressing the precautions necessary to prevent unauthorised access and to manage the risks associated with drowning in slurry stores. HSE’s Agriculture webpages also highlights the risks posed by slurry gas and confined spaces, and the precautions required to avoid being overcome or killed by these gases.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>HSE has also worked closely with the Farm Safety Partnership in England in support of their campaign to address the risks from slurry gas. (Stop! Think! Slurry Gas! - <a href="http://www.nfuonline.com/business/farm-safety/farm-safety-partnership/campaigns/slurry-safety/" target="_blank">http://www.nfuonline.com/business/farm-safety/farm-safety-partnership/campaigns/slurry-safety/</a>). The campaign was launched in May 2014 and includes a leaflet and posters to raise awareness of the risks presented by slurry gas and the precautions farmers should take to protect themselves. The GB partnerships, and the Northern Ireland partnership, which is chaired by HSE Northern Ireland, have freely exchanged campaign materials and information to ensure wide dissemination of the slurry safety message.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Forest of Dean answering member printed Mr Mark Harper question first answered 25/03/2015 11:38:20 answering member 1520 label Biography information for Mr Mark Harper
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon