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1139387

	registered interest
	date	16/07/2019
	answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	answering dept id	10
	answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	hansard heading	Loneliness
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how many times the cross-government ministerial group on loneliness has met since the publication of the loneliness strategy.
	tabling member constituency	Strangford
	tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
	uin	277736
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/07/2019 answer text <p>The cross-government ministerial group has met twice since the launch of the strategy last year, meeting in December 2018 and March 2019, in addition to regular correspondence and updates, most recently in July 2019. Further meetings are planned in the future.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Eastleigh answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 23/07/2019 15:06:15 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1139389

	registered interest
	date	16/07/2019
	answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	answering dept id	10
	answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	hansard heading	Loneliness
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether his Department has met the Loneliness Action Group to discuss the implementation of the loneliness strategy.
	tabling member constituency	Strangford
	tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
	uin	277737
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/07/2019 answer text <p>To help ensure effective implementation of the loneliness strategy, ‘A connected society - A strategy for tackling loneliness’ and to progress wider work on loneliness, Government Officials from the tackling loneliness team regularly engage with the Loneliness Action Group, convened by the British Red Cross and Co-op.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Officials have presented on implementation of the strategy at the two meetings of the Loneliness Action Group which have taken place since the strategy’s publication, in November 2018 and February 2019. The Minister for Loneliness and officials also spoke at the Loneliness Action Group conference, ‘From Policy to Action: Where Next for Loneliness?’on 21 May 2019.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Officials also conduct regular discussions with representatives from the British Red Cross and Co-op partnership.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Eastleigh answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 23/07/2019 15:07:20 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1139392

	registered interest
	date	16/07/2019
	answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	answering dept id	10
	answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	hansard heading	Loneliness
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department has taken to set a quantitative target for reducing loneliness.
	tabling member constituency	Strangford
	tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
	uin	277738
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/07/2019 answer text <p>The government’s loneliness strategy, ‘A connected society - A strategy for tackling loneliness’, recognises that, while increasingly we understand the impact of loneliness, there is less certainty about its drivers and what works to tackle it. As a result, the strategy did not set a quantitative target for change. Rather it sets out the government's commitment to establishing a clearer picture of the prevalence of loneliness, through a new national measure and by developing the evidence base on what works. It commits government to publishing annual progress reports that provide an update on the implementation of the policies set out in the strategy, as well as the development of additional policies. As government reviews its approach, and further learning is generated, government will explore the possibility – and suitability – of setting a quantitative target for change. This is not likely to be possible for some years, as it will take time for sufficient data and learning to be available. The government’s first annual report on tackling loneliness, expected to be published later this year, will provide an update on this.</p> answering member constituency Eastleigh answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 23/07/2019 15:11:42 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1139395

	registered interest
	date	16/07/2019
	answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	answering dept id	10
	answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	hansard heading	Loneliness
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what progress his Department has made on the commitment in the loneliness strategy to (a) include loneliness in the guidance for the family test and (b) embed consideration of loneliness and relationships throughout the policy-making process.
	tabling member constituency	Strangford
	tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
	uin	277739
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/07/2019 answer text <p>As announced in last year’s loneliness strategy, ‘A connected society - A strategy for tackling loneliness’, Government’s intention is to embed consideration of loneliness and relationships throughout the policy-making process. Government is exploring various mechanisms for doing this and an update on progress will be provided in the first annual report on tackling loneliness, expected to be published later this year.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The guidance for the Family Test is currently being refreshed and consideration of loneliness is included in the draft text. The updated guidance is due to be published later this year.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Eastleigh answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 23/07/2019 15:12:22 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1141443

	registered interest
	date	23/07/2019
	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	Child Maintenance Service
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much her Department has collected through the Child Maintenance Service's (a) four per cent and (b) twenty per cent collection fees under Collect and Pay in each of the last five years.
	tabling member constituency	Motherwell and Wishaw
	tabling member printed	Marion Fellows
	uin	281113
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/09/2019 answer text <p>Income received through the Child Maintenance Service collection charges from 2014/15 through to 2017/18 is as follows:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p><strong>2014/15</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2015/16</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2016/17</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2017/18</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong> </strong></p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p><strong>£m</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>£m</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>£m</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>£m</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>PP Collection Charge</p></td><td><p>20%</p></td><td><p>1.649</p></td><td><p>5.573</p></td><td><p>10.494</p></td><td><p>16.878</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>RP Collection Charge</p></td><td><p>4%</p></td><td><p>0.325</p></td><td><p>1.086</p></td><td><p>2.026</p></td><td><p>3.241</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p>The 2018/19 Child Maintenance Service Annual Report and Accounts have not been audited yet so we are unable to include figures from this period in PQ responses.</p><p>Income received is used to offset the administration cost of the Child Maintenance Group.</p> answering member constituency Eastleigh answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 03/09/2019 13:24:44 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	4440 label Biography information for Marion Fellows

1141444

	registered interest
	date	23/07/2019
	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	Child Maintenance Service
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much revenue her Department has collected through the Child Maintenance Service's £20 application fee in each of the last five years.
	tabling member constituency	Motherwell and Wishaw
	tabling member printed	Marion Fellows
	uin	281114
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/09/2019 answer text <p>Income received from the Child Maintenance Service £20 Application fee from 2014/15 through to 2017/18 is as follows:</p><p> </p><p>2014/15 £0.828m</p><p>2015/16 £1.692m</p><p>2016/17 £1.799m</p><p>2017/18 £1.520m</p><p> </p><p>The 2018/19 Child Maintenance Service Annual Report and Accounts have not been audited yet so we are unable to include figures from this period in PQ responses.</p><p>Income received is used to offset the administration cost of the Child Maintenance Group.</p> answering member constituency Eastleigh answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 03/09/2019 12:58:50 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	4440 label Biography information for Marion Fellows

1141469

	registered interest
	date	23/07/2019
	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	Sunscreens: Employment
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he plans to bring forward legislative proposals to require employers to provide sun cream for employees that predominantly work outdoors.
	tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
	tabling member printed	Paul Farrelly
	uin	280954
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/09/2019 answer text <p>The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is responsible for regulating health and safety risks arising from work activities and has no plans to introduce additional legislation to require employers to provide sun cream to their employees.</p><p> </p><p>HSE provides specific advice aimed at employers and employees on preventing health risks due to exposure to the sun at <a href="http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg337.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg337.pdf</a> and <a href="http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg147.pdf" target="_blank">www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg147.pdf</a>. This includes following the “APC approach” (Avoid, Protect, Check) which can help to reduce the chances of developing skin cancer, whether work related or not.</p> answering member constituency Eastleigh answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 03/09/2019 12:15:54 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	1436 label Biography information for Paul Farrelly

1141717

	registered interest
	date	24/07/2019
	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	Industrial Health and Safety: Noise
	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 the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005, what steps she is taking to ensure that employers protect employees' hearing.
	tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
	tabling member printed	Paul Farrelly
	uin	281642
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/09/2019 answer text <p>The Government’s policy on ensuring that employers protect their employees’ hearing is well established. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has responsibility for occupational health and safety legislation which includes the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005. The Regulations impose duties which, depending on the level of risk, require employers to:</p><p> </p><ul><li>take action to reduce exposure to noise and ensure the legal limits on noise exposure are not exceeded;</li><li>ensure that equipment is properly maintained and used;</li><li>provide employees with personal hearing protection where it’s appropriate;</li><li>provide information, instruction and training;</li><li>carry out health surveillance.</li></ul><p> </p><p>HSE focuses its activities on industries where there are high numbers of workers who are exposed and/or where there is evidence of a high incidence rate of noise induced hearing loss. It does this through a range of approaches and interventions, specifically:</p><p> </p><ul><li>securing effective risk management and control through a variety of interventions with businesses including inspections, investigations of incidents and concerns raised by workers and others;</li><li>leading and engaging those who undertake or influence health and safety;</li><li>the provision of comprehensive guidance;</li><li>ensuring that the regulatory framework remains effective.</li></ul> answering member constituency Eastleigh answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 03/09/2019 12:31:20 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	1436 label Biography information for Paul Farrelly

1142234

	registered interest
	date	25/07/2019
	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 work coaches will be provided with additional training to ensure that they can effectively advise universal credit claimants on meeting upfront childcare costs.
	tabling member constituency	High Peak
	tabling member printed	Ruth George
	uin	282503
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/09/2019 answer text <p>DWP is committed to providing the best possible support for all our claimants to meet their individual circumstance.</p><p> </p><p>Our Work Coaches and Decision Makers undergo a comprehensive learning journey designed to equip them with the tools, skills and behaviours required to provide a high quality service, which includes training on children, childcare and payment of upfront childcare costs.</p><p> </p><p>In addition, DWP supporting information is available on Universal Credit Guidance and Universal Learning sites which enhances learning, and is available at the point of need for each individual personal requirement.</p> answering member constituency Eastleigh answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 03/09/2019 15:22:12 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	4662 label Biography information for Ruth George

1142236

	registered interest
	date	25/07/2019
	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, how many universal credit claimants have been offered a flexible support fund payment between 1 January 2019 and 25 July 2019 to assist with upfront childcare costs.
	tabling member constituency	High Peak
	tabling member printed	Ruth George
	uin	282505
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/09/2019 answer text <p>The information requested is not held in a format that can be easily disaggregated and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.</p> answering member constituency Eastleigh answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 03/09/2019 15:31:41 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	4662 label Biography information for Ruth George

1142288

	registered interest
	date	25/07/2019
	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, with reference to her oral contribution to the Work and Pensions Committee, of 24 July 2019, what criteria will be used for claimants to receive upfront childcare costs.
	tabling member constituency	High Peak
	tabling member printed	Ruth George
	uin	282549
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/09/2019 answer text <p>The Government is committed to supporting parents with moving into work and, as part of this, we have increased the level of ongoing financial support for childcare costs from 70 per cent in legacy benefits to up to 85 per cent in Universal Credit, which is called the ‘childcare element’. The Universal Credit childcare policy aligns with the wider government childcare offer, which includes free childcare hours and tax free childcare. This offer means that reasonable childcare costs should not form a barrier to work.</p><p> </p><p>Beyond the Universal Credit childcare element, there is other financial support to help with childcare costs: the Flexible Support Fund and Budgeting Advances. Claimants are able to discuss eligibility for these with their jobcentre work coach.</p><p> </p><p>Where initial upfront childcare costs or deposits may prevent a claimant from starting work, work coaches have the discretion to use the Flexible Support Fund to support the transition into work until a claimant receives their first wage. Individual claimant circumstances are considered each time assistance may be appropriate.</p><p> </p><p>A budgeting advance can help with one-off urgent financial events for Universal Credit claimants, such as upfront childcare, and is repayable over a period of up to 12 monthly instalments. Only one Budgeting Advance will be paid at a time and further advances will be unavailable until the balance of the previous Budgeting Advance is cleared.</p><p> </p><p>The Department is working hard to ensure that the Universal Credit childcare offer continues to operate effectively for claimants. Since February 2018, Universal Credit claimants have been able to upload digital copies of their childcare cost receipts or invoices through their online Universal Credit account. When parents have good reason for late reporting of their childcare costs, the Department is piloting a more flexible approach to enable parents to be reimbursed at a later point.</p> answering member constituency Eastleigh answering member printed Mims Davies grouped question UIN 282553 282555 282559 282560 question first answered 03/09/2019 12:46:50 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	4662 label Biography information for Ruth George

1142291

	registered interest
	date	25/07/2019
	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, with reference to her oral contribution to the Work and Pensions Committee, of 24 July 2019, what guidance her Department provides to work coaches on how to apply discretionary support for upfront childcare costs.
	tabling member constituency	High Peak
	tabling member printed	Ruth George
	uin	282552
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/09/2019 answer text <p>The Department maintains guidance for its work coaches surrounding the eligibility and processes for awarding discretionary support to assist with claimants’ upfront childcare costs for those claiming Universal Credit.</p><p> </p><p>There are two discretionary sources of financial support to help with childcare costs: The Flexible Support Fund and Universal Credit Budgeting Advances. Claimants are able to discuss eligibility for these with their jobcentre work coach.</p><p> </p><p>Budgeting Advances provide valuable access to interest free payments for one-off items. They are designed to help claimants with irregular expenses including upfront childcare costs. Budgeting Advance payments are discretionary subject to eligibility conditions and must be repaid. Work coaches also have the discretion to use the Flexible Support Fund to support the transition into work until a claimant receives their first wage and is not repayable. Individual claimant circumstances are considered each time assistance may be appropriate.</p><p> </p><p>The Department deposits guidance to the House’s library on a range of Universal Credits topics including the below. This was last updated on 28 March 2019 and we are currently working to share the latest guidance.</p><p> </p><p>Childcare costs: <a href="http://data.parliament.uk/DepositedPapers/Files/DEP2019-0465/Childcare_costs_v11.0.pdf" target="_blank">http://data.parliament.uk/DepositedPapers/Files/DEP2019-0465/Childcare_costs_v11.0.pdf</a></p><p>Budgeting Advance: <a href="http://data.parliament.uk/DepositedPapers/Files/DEP2019-0465/Advances-_Budgeting_Advances_v2.0.pdf" target="_blank">http://data.parliament.uk/DepositedPapers/Files/DEP2019-0465/Advances-_Budgeting_Advances_v2.0.pdf</a></p><p>Flexible Support Fund: <a href="http://data.parliament.uk/DepositedPapers/Files/DEP2019-0465/Flexible_Support_Fund_v4.0.pdf" target="_blank">http://data.parliament.uk/DepositedPapers/Files/DEP2019-0465/Flexible_Support_Fund_v4.0.pdf</a></p> answering member constituency Eastleigh answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 03/09/2019 15:13:28 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	4662 label Biography information for Ruth George

1142292

	registered interest
	date	25/07/2019
	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, with reference to her oral contribution to the Work and Pensions Committee, 24 July 2019, how frequently claimants will be able to receive support for upfront childcare costs.
	tabling member constituency	High Peak
	tabling member printed	Ruth George
	uin	282553
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/09/2019 answer text <p>The Government is committed to supporting parents with moving into work and, as part of this, we have increased the level of ongoing financial support for childcare costs from 70 per cent in legacy benefits to up to 85 per cent in Universal Credit, which is called the ‘childcare element’. The Universal Credit childcare policy aligns with the wider government childcare offer, which includes free childcare hours and tax free childcare. This offer means that reasonable childcare costs should not form a barrier to work.</p><p> </p><p>Beyond the Universal Credit childcare element, there is other financial support to help with childcare costs: the Flexible Support Fund and Budgeting Advances. Claimants are able to discuss eligibility for these with their jobcentre work coach.</p><p> </p><p>Where initial upfront childcare costs or deposits may prevent a claimant from starting work, work coaches have the discretion to use the Flexible Support Fund to support the transition into work until a claimant receives their first wage. Individual claimant circumstances are considered each time assistance may be appropriate.</p><p> </p><p>A budgeting advance can help with one-off urgent financial events for Universal Credit claimants, such as upfront childcare, and is repayable over a period of up to 12 monthly instalments. Only one Budgeting Advance will be paid at a time and further advances will be unavailable until the balance of the previous Budgeting Advance is cleared.</p><p> </p><p>The Department is working hard to ensure that the Universal Credit childcare offer continues to operate effectively for claimants. Since February 2018, Universal Credit claimants have been able to upload digital copies of their childcare cost receipts or invoices through their online Universal Credit account. When parents have good reason for late reporting of their childcare costs, the Department is piloting a more flexible approach to enable parents to be reimbursed at a later point.</p> answering member constituency Eastleigh answering member printed Mims Davies grouped question UIN 282549 282555 282559 282560 question first answered 03/09/2019 12:46:50 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	4662 label Biography information for Ruth George

1142296

	registered interest
	date	25/07/2019
	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, with reference to her evidence at the Work and Pensions select committee of 24 July 2019 on increased support with upfront childcare costs on Wednesday 24 July, whether claimants will be able to get this loan if they already hold a budgeting advance of universal credit.
	tabling member constituency	High Peak
	tabling member printed	Ruth George
	uin	282555
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/09/2019 answer text <p>The Government is committed to supporting parents with moving into work and, as part of this, we have increased the level of ongoing financial support for childcare costs from 70 per cent in legacy benefits to up to 85 per cent in Universal Credit, which is called the ‘childcare element’. The Universal Credit childcare policy aligns with the wider government childcare offer, which includes free childcare hours and tax free childcare. This offer means that reasonable childcare costs should not form a barrier to work.</p><p> </p><p>Beyond the Universal Credit childcare element, there is other financial support to help with childcare costs: the Flexible Support Fund and Budgeting Advances. Claimants are able to discuss eligibility for these with their jobcentre work coach.</p><p> </p><p>Where initial upfront childcare costs or deposits may prevent a claimant from starting work, work coaches have the discretion to use the Flexible Support Fund to support the transition into work until a claimant receives their first wage. Individual claimant circumstances are considered each time assistance may be appropriate.</p><p> </p><p>A budgeting advance can help with one-off urgent financial events for Universal Credit claimants, such as upfront childcare, and is repayable over a period of up to 12 monthly instalments. Only one Budgeting Advance will be paid at a time and further advances will be unavailable until the balance of the previous Budgeting Advance is cleared.</p><p> </p><p>The Department is working hard to ensure that the Universal Credit childcare offer continues to operate effectively for claimants. Since February 2018, Universal Credit claimants have been able to upload digital copies of their childcare cost receipts or invoices through their online Universal Credit account. When parents have good reason for late reporting of their childcare costs, the Department is piloting a more flexible approach to enable parents to be reimbursed at a later point.</p> answering member constituency Eastleigh answering member printed Mims Davies grouped question UIN 282549 282553 282559 282560 question first answered 03/09/2019 12:46:50 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	4662 label Biography information for Ruth George

1142302

	registered interest
	date	25/07/2019
	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, with reference to her oral contribution to the Work and Pensions Committee, of 24 July 2019, whether claimants will be required to repay the loan for upfront childcare costs by the end of their assessment period.
	tabling member constituency	High Peak
	tabling member printed	Ruth George
	uin	282559
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/09/2019 answer text <p>The Government is committed to supporting parents with moving into work and, as part of this, we have increased the level of ongoing financial support for childcare costs from 70 per cent in legacy benefits to up to 85 per cent in Universal Credit, which is called the ‘childcare element’. The Universal Credit childcare policy aligns with the wider government childcare offer, which includes free childcare hours and tax free childcare. This offer means that reasonable childcare costs should not form a barrier to work.</p><p> </p><p>Beyond the Universal Credit childcare element, there is other financial support to help with childcare costs: the Flexible Support Fund and Budgeting Advances. Claimants are able to discuss eligibility for these with their jobcentre work coach.</p><p> </p><p>Where initial upfront childcare costs or deposits may prevent a claimant from starting work, work coaches have the discretion to use the Flexible Support Fund to support the transition into work until a claimant receives their first wage. Individual claimant circumstances are considered each time assistance may be appropriate.</p><p> </p><p>A budgeting advance can help with one-off urgent financial events for Universal Credit claimants, such as upfront childcare, and is repayable over a period of up to 12 monthly instalments. Only one Budgeting Advance will be paid at a time and further advances will be unavailable until the balance of the previous Budgeting Advance is cleared.</p><p> </p><p>The Department is working hard to ensure that the Universal Credit childcare offer continues to operate effectively for claimants. Since February 2018, Universal Credit claimants have been able to upload digital copies of their childcare cost receipts or invoices through their online Universal Credit account. When parents have good reason for late reporting of their childcare costs, the Department is piloting a more flexible approach to enable parents to be reimbursed at a later point.</p> answering member constituency Eastleigh answering member printed Mims Davies grouped question UIN 282549 282553 282555 282560 question first answered 03/09/2019 12:46:50 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	4662 label Biography information for Ruth George

1142305

	registered interest
	date	25/07/2019
	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, with reference to her oral contribution to the Work and Pensions Committee, of 24 July 2019, whether claimants will be entitled to claim the childcare element of universal credit in the same month that they have received support for upfront childcare costs.
	tabling member constituency	High Peak
	tabling member printed	Ruth George
	uin	282560
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/09/2019 answer text <p>The Government is committed to supporting parents with moving into work and, as part of this, we have increased the level of ongoing financial support for childcare costs from 70 per cent in legacy benefits to up to 85 per cent in Universal Credit, which is called the ‘childcare element’. The Universal Credit childcare policy aligns with the wider government childcare offer, which includes free childcare hours and tax free childcare. This offer means that reasonable childcare costs should not form a barrier to work.</p><p> </p><p>Beyond the Universal Credit childcare element, there is other financial support to help with childcare costs: the Flexible Support Fund and Budgeting Advances. Claimants are able to discuss eligibility for these with their jobcentre work coach.</p><p> </p><p>Where initial upfront childcare costs or deposits may prevent a claimant from starting work, work coaches have the discretion to use the Flexible Support Fund to support the transition into work until a claimant receives their first wage. Individual claimant circumstances are considered each time assistance may be appropriate.</p><p> </p><p>A budgeting advance can help with one-off urgent financial events for Universal Credit claimants, such as upfront childcare, and is repayable over a period of up to 12 monthly instalments. Only one Budgeting Advance will be paid at a time and further advances will be unavailable until the balance of the previous Budgeting Advance is cleared.</p><p> </p><p>The Department is working hard to ensure that the Universal Credit childcare offer continues to operate effectively for claimants. Since February 2018, Universal Credit claimants have been able to upload digital copies of their childcare cost receipts or invoices through their online Universal Credit account. When parents have good reason for late reporting of their childcare costs, the Department is piloting a more flexible approach to enable parents to be reimbursed at a later point.</p> answering member constituency Eastleigh answering member printed Mims Davies grouped question UIN 282549 282553 282555 282559 question first answered 03/09/2019 12:46:50 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	4662 label Biography information for Ruth George

1142307

	registered interest
	date	25/07/2019
	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, with reference to her evidence of 24 July 2019 to the Work and Pensions Committee on increased support with upfront childcare costs, whether work coaches use the Flexible Support Fund to provide that additional support after the first month.
	tabling member constituency	High Peak
	tabling member printed	Ruth George
	uin	282561
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/09/2019 answer text <p>Work Coaches can use the Flexible Support Fund (FSF) to pay 100% of the upfront childcare costs up to the payment limits set that the claimant incurs between starting work and receiving their first wage. This is paid directly to the childcare providers and is not repayable. Examples of what it can be used to cover include:</p><p> </p><ul><li>Deposit – To pay a provider a one off advance payment of childcare costs.</li><li>Retainer – To pay a provider a one off advance payment to secure the nursery provision prior to the parent starting work or training.</li><li>Fees – To pay a provider upfront childcare fees in advance of the service being delivered; and</li><li>Taster/Settling in periods – To pay a provider a one off advance payment to enable the parent to prepare their child before taking up the full childcare offer.</li></ul><p> </p><p>Once a claimant has received their first wage, we have given Work Coaches the flexibility to use Budgeting Advances to help pay for further upfront childcare costs where required and where a claimant is eligible. This includes - during school holidays, change of childcare provider, or additional childcare in order to increase work hours. Budgeting Advances do have to be repaid, however, up to 85% of these childcare costs can be reimbursed through the UC childcare offer (up to caps) once a paid receipt is submitted.</p> answering member constituency Eastleigh answering member printed Mims Davies grouped question UIN 282562 question first answered 05/09/2019 11:53:46 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	4662 label Biography information for Ruth George

1142308

	registered interest
	date	25/07/2019
	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, with reference to her oral evidence of 24 July 2019 to the Work and Pensions Committee on increased support with upfront childcare costs on Wednesday 24 July, whether work coaches will be given greater flexibility to use the Flexible Support Fund.
	tabling member constituency	High Peak
	tabling member printed	Ruth George
	uin	282562
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/09/2019 answer text <p>Work Coaches can use the Flexible Support Fund (FSF) to pay 100% of the upfront childcare costs up to the payment limits set that the claimant incurs between starting work and receiving their first wage. This is paid directly to the childcare providers and is not repayable. Examples of what it can be used to cover include:</p><p> </p><ul><li>Deposit – To pay a provider a one off advance payment of childcare costs.</li><li>Retainer – To pay a provider a one off advance payment to secure the nursery provision prior to the parent starting work or training.</li><li>Fees – To pay a provider upfront childcare fees in advance of the service being delivered; and</li><li>Taster/Settling in periods – To pay a provider a one off advance payment to enable the parent to prepare their child before taking up the full childcare offer.</li></ul><p> </p><p>Once a claimant has received their first wage, we have given Work Coaches the flexibility to use Budgeting Advances to help pay for further upfront childcare costs where required and where a claimant is eligible. This includes - during school holidays, change of childcare provider, or additional childcare in order to increase work hours. Budgeting Advances do have to be repaid, however, up to 85% of these childcare costs can be reimbursed through the UC childcare offer (up to caps) once a paid receipt is submitted.</p> answering member constituency Eastleigh answering member printed Mims Davies grouped question UIN 282561 question first answered 05/09/2019 11:53:46 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	4662 label Biography information for Ruth George

1142674

	registered interest
	date	02/09/2019
	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	Children: Maintenance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many enforcement actions the HMRC and Child Maintenance Group liaison group has conducted since January 2017.
	tabling member constituency	Glenrothes
	tabling member printed	Peter Grant
	uin	284156
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/09/2019 answer text <p>The Department is currently working with HMRC to identify opportunities for closer working on a range of enforcement activities, as part of the implementation of the DWP’s child maintenance compliance and arrears strategy.</p><p>Alongside this work the Department’s Financial Investigations Unit continues to conduct investigations into child maintenance matters. Between January and March 2019 the CMS’s Financial Investigations Unit launched 530 complex earnings investigations and 20 criminal investigations.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Eastleigh answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 05/09/2019 11:29:36 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	4466 label Biography information for Peter Grant

1142697

	registered interest
	date	02/09/2019
	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	Children: Maintenance
	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 issues to (a) non-resident parents and (b) parents with care on changes to their child maintenance calculations when their case transfers from the Child Support Agency to the Child Maintenance Service.
	tabling member constituency	Motherwell and Wishaw
	tabling member printed	Marion Fellows
	uin	284195
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2019 answer text <p>Ahead of closure Child Support Agency send customers a series of letters advising about their case closing and what they can do should they want child maintenance payments to continue. This advice includes making an advance application to the Child Maintenance Service, t o ensure there are no breaks in child maintenance.</p><p> </p><p>When the Child Support Agency case is closed, we write to non-resident parent during the stage where we are confirming the arrears position, to remind them of the amount we have worked out they owe. We advise them to contact us if they have any other relevant information which would impact this. A letter is then sent to receiving parent advising we have confirmed their balance of child maintenance. Where child maintenance is owed, we ask if the balance is correct and if they want their arrears written off or managed by Child Maintenance Service. Parents are provided with contact details to discuss their case, at all points.</p><p> </p><p>In cases where the arrears are moved to Child Maintenance Service, a letter is sent to both parties confirming their Child Support Agency case is fully closed. We also advise the unpaid child maintenance is now being managed by Child Maintenance Service. This provides the parent with the new telephone number they will need if they wish to contact Child Maintenance Service.</p><p> </p><p>Where there is a new Child Maintenance Service case, which was previously a Child Support Agency case, the calculation can change. This is because it is a fresh start under the new service, with new rules and data.</p><p> </p><p>At the outset of a Child Maintenance Service case, we issue an indicative calculation letter to the parents. This explains the new calculation, including the information used in the calculation. This provides opportunity for the non-resident parent to provide any further information that would impact the calculation. Following this we issue an initial calculation letter which confirms the calculation and the details used.</p><p> </p><p>Parents are advised they have the opportunity, throughout the application process and the life of the case as well as at annual review stage, to challenge the information used and request change.</p> answering member constituency Eastleigh answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 09/09/2019 13:21:58 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	4440 label Biography information for Marion Fellows

1142783

	registered interest
	date	02/09/2019
	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	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 steps she is making to support claimants who submit their application forms for benefits on time but who do not receive an acknowledgement of receipt until after the deadline has passed, and are asked to explain why the form was submitted late.
	tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
	tabling member printed	Frank Field
	uin	284416
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/09/2019 answer text <p>DWP processes are designed to ensure claimants have adequate time to complete applications for benefits. Processes for different benefits vary and extensions can be applied. Where appropriate, reminders are issued when forms have not been received within expected timescales. Acknowledgements are sent for claims which have been submitted within timescales where applicable. If there are instances where this has not happened, we welcome the opportunity to investigate them if details can be provided.</p> answering member constituency Eastleigh answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 06/09/2019 12:50:52 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead

1142784

	registered interest
	date	02/09/2019
	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	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, whether she will introduce an email address to allow people to send their application for benefits electronically.
	tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
	tabling member printed	Frank Field
	uin	284419
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/09/2019 answer text <p>There are no plans to introduce email as a secure method of exchanging citizen information.</p><p> </p><p>DWP’s security policy defines how we communicate with claimants using email and ensures DWP is vigilant to risks such as data breaches and data loss as well as the possible corruption of DWP’s IT systems.</p><p> </p><p>Once information leaves DWP’s secure systems there is a risk that information may be subsequently lost, manipulated or stolen. We take positive steps to minimise these and other risks, such as limiting the exchange of personal information using email.</p><p> </p><p>We do communicate with disabled claimants using email as a reasonable adjustment where this best meets their communication needs. As there are additional security risks associated with using email we always make sure that the disabled customer is aware of the risk of potential data loss before we put this solution in place.</p> answering member constituency Eastleigh answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 06/09/2019 12:43:20 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead

1142828

	registered interest
	date	02/09/2019
	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	Children: Maintenance
	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 have had their (a) driving licence and (b) passport removed as a result of Child Maintenance Service enforcement measures.
	tabling member constituency	Arfon
	tabling member printed	Hywel Williams
	uin	284276
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2019 answer text <p>This information is not reported. However we do hold clerical data and can advise 15 driving licenses have been removed or suspended and 3 passports have been suspended.</p><p> </p><p>The information regarding committal orders, or sanctions as they are called in the Child Maintenance Service, are reported in our published statistics and can be on found table 11 of the tables document on the attached link:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/child-maintenance-service-august-2013-to-march-2019-experimental" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/child-maintenance-service-august-2013-to-march-2019-experimental</a></p><p> </p><p>We reported enforcement activities in our CSA statistics until September 2017 when we reduced the number of tables published because most CSA cases had been closed or had begun the Case Closure process. The last publication including the enforcement activities can be found on table 22 of the attached link:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/child-support-agency-quarterly-summary-of-statistics-june-2017" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/child-support-agency-quarterly-summary-of-statistics-june-2017</a></p> answering member constituency Eastleigh answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 09/09/2019 12:45:51 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	1397 label Biography information for Hywel Williams

1142841

	registered interest
	date	02/09/2019
	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	Department for Work and Pensions: Catering
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much her Department spent on refreshments in (a) 2017 and (b) 2018.
	tabling member constituency	Newport West
	tabling member printed	Ruth Jones
	uin	284305
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2019 answer text <p>It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation</p> answering member constituency Eastleigh answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 09/09/2019 16:29:27 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	4716 label Biography information for Ruth Jones

1142861

	registered interest
	date	02/09/2019
	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	Department for Work and Pensions: Travel
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much her Department spent on ministerial travel by (a) first class, (b) second class and (c) in total in 2018.
	tabling member constituency	Newport West
	tabling member printed	Ruth Jones
	uin	284362
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2019 answer text <p>It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation</p> answering member constituency Eastleigh answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 09/09/2019 16:30:43 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	4716 label Biography information for Ruth Jones