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 attachment file name title previous answer version answering member constituency answering member printed answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

1052463

registered interest
date	01/02/2019
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Post Office Card Account: Rural Areas
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on elderly people in rural areas of the planned discontinuation of the Post Office card system.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Stephen Kerr
uin	215600
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/02/2019 answer text <p>The Government’s contract for the Post Office card account comes to an end on 30 November 2021. For those claimants and pensioners who are unable to open a mainstream account ahead of this date, the DWP will implement an alternative payment service that allows users to obtain cash payments in their local area (including suburban and rural locations) before the end of the contract. When commissioning this alternative payment service, it will be our priority to ensure that elderly vulnerable people are protected and catered for.</p><p> </p><p>Our communications with Post Office card account users will highlight that 99% of a banks’ personal customers, are able to withdraw cash, deposit cash and cheques, and make balance enquiries at a Post Office counter via its network of 11,600 branches. Therefore, those receiving benefit and pension payments into a bank account can continue to collect their money from the Post Office so there should be minimal effect on elderly people in rural areas. We have already introduced a phased conversion process ahead of 2021 and we will be writing to all Post Office card account users to ensure they are provided with an alternative payment service.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 11/02/2019 13:01:55 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4604 label Biography information for Stephen Kerr

1194420

registered interest
date	11/05/2020
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: ICT
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps have been taken to increase the server capacity for her Department during the covid-19 oubreak.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Alyn Smith
uin	45447
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/05/2020 answer text <p>We regularly monitor capacity of servers and storage and have not had any issues provisioning additional capacity due to COVID-19.</p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 20/05/2020 14:17:04 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies previous answer version 22279 answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
tabling member	4738 label Biography information for Alyn Smith

1197185

registered interest
date	19/05/2020
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: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what additional support her Department is providing to the Heath and Safety Executive to ensure effective regulation of SARS-CoV-2 in workplaces throughout the UK.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Alyn Smith
uin	49119
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/06/2020 answer text <p>The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is playing a crucial role in the Government’s response to covid-19, including its continued work with trade unions, employers and stakeholders to help ensure workplaces are safe environments.</p><p> </p><p>The Government has already announced it has made up to £14 million additional funding available to HSE for extra call centre employees, inspectors and equipment to support their work. HSE working with the Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy published guidance on 11th May 2020 on working safely during the coronavirus pandemic.</p><p> </p><p>HSE is funded to deliver its wide-ranging regulatory functions and has also redirected resource to this activity as a priority. In addition, HSE continues to address reported workplace concerns with employers, including those relating to employees with a heighted risk from Covid-19.</p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 04/06/2020 12:07:01 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies previous answer version 25092 answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
tabling member	4738 label Biography information for Alyn Smith

1197187

registered interest
date	19/05/2020
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: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many reports relating to covid-19 the Heath and Safety Executive has received in each of the last three months.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Alyn Smith
uin	49120
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/07/2020 answer text <p>RIDDOR places duties on employers, the self-employed and people in control of work premises (the Responsible Person) to report certain serious workplace accidents, occupational diseases and specified dangerous occurrences (near misses). Reports relate to incidents occurring within Great Britain.</p><p>Under RIDDOR, duty-holders are obliged to report cases of Covid-19 when:</p><ul><li>an unintended incident at work has led to someone’s possible or actual exposure to Covid-19 (reportable as a ‘biological agent’ dangerous occurrence under Regulation 7, Schedule 2 – Section 10);</li><li>a worker has been diagnosed as having Covid-19 and there is reasonable evidence that it was caused by exposure at work (reportable as an ‘exposure to a biological agent’ case of disease under Regulation 9(b));</li><li>a worker dies as a result of occupational exposure to Covid-19 and this is confirmed as the likely cause of death by a registered medical practitioner (reportable as a ‘death due to exposure to a biological agent’ case of disease under Regulation 6(2)).</li></ul><p> </p><p>The attached Tables 1 and 2 provide numbers of all Covid-19 related reports i.e. reports of incidents under the RIDDORs (Reporting of Injuries Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013) which fall to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and Local Authorities (LA) as enforcing authorities. Table 3 shows the number of Covid-19 workplace concerns reported to HSE.</p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 02/07/2020 14:07:22 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies attachment 1 file name 49120 HSE Attachment.docx title HSE Tables previous answer version 25094 answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
tabling member	4738 label Biography information for Alyn Smith

1197422

registered interest
date	20/05/2020
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, how many workplace spot checks the Heath and Safety Executive has carried out in each of the last six months.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Alyn Smith
uin	49843
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/06/2020 answer text <p>The numbers of workplace spot checks the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has carried out in each of the last six months is in the table below:</p><p /><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Year</p></td><td><p>Month</p></td><td><p>No. of Proactive Inspections</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><em>2019</em></p></td><td><p>Dec</p></td><td><p>624</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2020</p></td><td><p>Jan</p></td><td><p>898</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2020</p></td><td><p>Feb</p></td><td><p>1041</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2020</p></td><td><p>Mar</p></td><td><p>587</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2020</p></td><td><p>Apr</p></td><td><p>78</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2020</p></td><td><p>1<sup>st</sup> – 20<sup>th</sup> May</p></td><td><p>62</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p>The above data was extracted from HSE’s operational database on 21<sup>st </sup>May 2020 and is subject to change e.g. the administrative process of recording the information in the database can take up to 10 days.</p><p> </p><p>In March, HSE temporarily suspended proactive visits to sites to allow social distancing measures to be put in place to protect visiting staff. It has since developed plans for resuming proactive site inspections.</p><p> </p><p>The above data excludes investigations of workplace concerns including those relating to COVID-19, where checks have been made to ensure that measures have been put in place to comply with the law.</p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 02/06/2020 14:18:00 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
tabling member	4738 label Biography information for Alyn Smith

1247406

registered interest
date	30/10/2020
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	National Insurance: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what progress the Government has made on implementing a digital solution to the process of issuing National Insurance numbers.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Alyn Smith
uin	109656
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/11/2020 answer text <p>We started testing a partial digital solution, on a small scale, in mid-October, to support the issuing of National Insurance Numbers, which is still ongoing. This solution enables collection of the applicant’s data, but not the online verification of their identity.</p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 04/11/2020 17:36:51 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
tabling member	4738 label Biography information for Alyn Smith

1259753

registered interest
date	09/12/2020
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	National Insurance: EEA Nationals
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department may issue National Insurance numbers for (a) EU (b) EEA or (c) Swiss nationals who already have settled or pre-settled status.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Alyn Smith
uin	127650
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/12/2020 answer text <p>The department continues to allocate National Insurance Numbers, however, at present this service is currently limited to specific customer groups.</p><p>DWP started testing a partial digital solution, on a small scale, in mid-October, to support the issuing of National Insurance Numbers, which is still ongoing. This solution enables collection of the applicant’s data, but not the online verification of their identity.</p><p>For those customer groups, where a face to face identity check is required, we are developing and testing alternative identity verification solutions. We recently included EU/EAA and Swiss nationals, who have been granted settled or pre-settled status as part of their EU Settlement Scheme, into the test, as their identity will have been verified, through this process, by the Home Office.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 14/12/2020 13:01:48 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4738 label Biography information for Alyn Smith

1342311

registered interest
date	30/06/2021
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, if she will provide a definition of the term temporary as used by the Child Maintenance Service.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Alyn Smith
uin	25157
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/07/2021 answer text <p>The Child Maintenance Service uses the term temporary as a definition of a measure which lasts for a limited time. This is opposed to something which is permanent.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 07/07/2021 12:22:42 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4738 label Biography information for Alyn Smith

1346356

registered interest
date	13/07/2021
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, pursuant to the Answer of 7 July 2021 to Question 25157, for what reason a change in earnings for a period of two months is deemed a permanent change and a change in contact arrangements for 14 months is deemed a temporary change by the Child Maintenance Service; and what her Department’s policy is on the length of time that constitutes a (a) temporary and (b) permanent change for the purposes of the Child Maintenance Service.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Alyn Smith
uin	32514
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/07/2021 answer text <p>There are multiple factors considered when taking into account a Paying Parent’s income for a Child Maintenance assessment. The scheme is designed so that liabilities remain consistent over the year, with limited changes to the assessment allowing both parents to budget. Time frames will vary depending on what is being assessed and legislation requires that factors which affect income should be expected to last for the “foreseeable future”.</p><p>The Child Maintenance Service follows guidance on when changes should be considered temporary or permanent. These decisions are discretionary and considered on a case by case basis. If a customer is unhappy with the outcome of the decision, they may appeal through a mandatory reconsideration.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 19/07/2021 13:59:55 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4738 label Biography information for Alyn Smith

1645752

registered interest
date	19/06/2023
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	Pensions: Regulation
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of legislation on private pension schemes for (a) support for pensioners during the cost-of-living crisis and (b) introducing an ethics code in the decision of payments.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Alyn Smith
uin	190219
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/06/2023 answer text <p>Employers have legal obligations to provide minimum levels of pension provision for certain groups of employees. As long as they comply with those obligations it is up to the individual employer to decide on the nature of the scheme and the exact benefits which are provided.</p> answering member constituency Sevenoaks answering member printed Laura Trott question first answered 27/06/2023 12:48:33 answering member 4780 label Biography information for Laura Trott
tabling member	4738 label Biography information for Alyn Smith

1645753

registered interest
date	19/06/2023
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	Pensions: EU Countries
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what comparative assessment his Department has made of the merits of pension regulatory regimes of EU member states.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Alyn Smith
uin	190220
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/06/2023 answer text <p>We continually engage and learn from international work, including on the latest developments and findings on the pension regimes in EU member states. This routinely informs policy development in the UK.</p> answering member constituency Sevenoaks answering member printed Laura Trott question first answered 27/06/2023 15:07:46 answering member 4780 label Biography information for Laura Trott
tabling member	4738 label Biography information for Alyn Smith

425182

registered interest
date	27/10/2015
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: Disqualification
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 effect of benefit sanctions on levels of poverty.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Steven Paterson
uin	901946
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/11/2015 answer text <p>The current employment rate of 73.6% is a record high.</p><p>Work is the best route out of poverty, and the system of conditionality that underpins the welfare system is the most effective way to support jobseekers into work.</p> answering member constituency Witham answering member printed Priti Patel question first answered 02/11/2015 17:10:06 answering member 4066 label Biography information for Priti Patel
tabling member	4392 label Biography information for Steven Paterson

445628

registered interest
date	18/01/2016
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Employment: Disability
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, to which countries of the UK his Department's target to halve the disability employment gap during the current Parliament applies.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Steven Paterson
uin	22941
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/01/2016 answer text <p>Employment is a reserved matter. Progress towards halving the disability employment gap is a key part of our aim to achieve full employment across the whole of the UK. This is consistent with the Government’s manifesto commitment which said ‘as part of our objective to achieve full employment, we will aim to halve the disability employment gap’.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 25/01/2016 15:42:02 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4392 label Biography information for Steven Paterson

447951

registered interest
date	26/01/2016
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Employment: Disability
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, by how much the disability employment gap has been reduced since 7 May 2015.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Steven Paterson
uin	24289
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/02/2016 answer text <p>The UK employment rates for disabled and non-disabled people are monitored quarterly based on the Labour Force Survey conducted by the Office for National Statistics. The latest available figures can be found here:</p><p><a href="http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/lms/labour-market-statistics/november-2015/table-a08.xls" target="_blank">http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/lms/labour-market-statistics/november-2015/table-a08.xls</a></p><p>Only year on year comparisons can be made because the data are not seasonally adjusted. Therefore, the change in the UK disability employment gap since 7 May 2015 is not yet available.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 01/02/2016 13:04:36 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4392 label Biography information for Steven Paterson

731427

registered interest
date	21/06/2017
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Universal Credit: Scotland
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what progress has been made on roll-out of Universal Credit in Scotland to date; and what lessons have been learned from that process.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Stephen Kerr
uin	405
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/06/2017 answer text <p>From the early stages of the development and rollout of Universal Credit we have collaborated closely with Scottish Government, Local Authorities and stakeholders. Our roll out so far includes a mixture of rural and urban sites to help us better understand the complex requirements that a reform of this scale entails. We have noted concerns and unique circumstances in Scotland and have taken action to ensure that they are accommodated. We are also working closely with Scottish Government to plan for implementation of the UC flexibilities devolved to Scotland in the Scotland Act 2016.</p><p> </p><p>Universal Credit is available in every jobcentre in Scotland to all new claims from single jobseekers. We are expanding the UC full service and nine jobcentres are taking claims for all claimant types.</p><p> </p><p>Some of the lessons we have learned include the need for better communications with landlords and a smoother process for gathering information to make the first claim. We have made improvements to our processes as a result of this.</p><p> </p><p>The full details of when all Local Authorities and Jobcentres will roll out to Universal Credit is published here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/571711/universal-credit-transition-rollout-schedule-phase-4-to-6-2017-to-2018.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/571711/universal-credit-transition-rollout-schedule-phase-4-to-6-2017-to-2018.pdf</a></p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 28/06/2017 16:43:37 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
tabling member	4604 label Biography information for Stephen Kerr

757839

registered interest
date	05/09/2017
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Children: Maintenance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department plans to bring forward proposals to include redundancy payments and savings in the mandatory disclosure to the Child Maintenance Service in the event of loss of employment by the paying parent.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Stephen Kerr
uin	8807
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/09/2017 answer text <p>We have no plans to require parents to routinely disclose information about redundancy payments or savings as they are not taken into account as income within the calculation, nor can arrears be deducted from a redundancy payment prior to it being deposited into a bank account. Child maintenance arrears can be enforced against both savings and redundancy payments which have been paid out to the non-resident parent.</p> answering member constituency Gosport answering member printed Caroline Dinenage question first answered 11/09/2017 12:04:52 answering member 4008 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Dinenage
tabling member	4604 label Biography information for Stephen Kerr

760178

registered interest
date	13/09/2017
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Department for Work and Pensions: Devolution
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the dates were of the most recent meetings between Ministers of his Department and their counterparts in the devolved administrations; and what the dates are of the next planned meetings.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Stephen Kerr
uin	10407
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/10/2017 answer text <p>The table below lists the most recent meetings between Ministers from his Department and their counterparts in the devolved administrations and the next planned meetings.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Minister</p></td><td><p>Devolved Administration</p></td><td><p>Date of most recent meeting</p></td><td><p>Next planned meeting</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Secretary of State for Work and Pensions</p></td><td><p>Scottish Government</p></td><td><p>14 September 2017</p></td><td><p>N/A</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Minister for Employment</p></td><td><p>Welsh Government</p></td><td><p>13 July 2017</p></td><td><p>Provisional 27 November 2017</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Minister for Disabled People, Work and Health</p></td><td><p>Scottish Government</p></td><td><p>25 October 2016</p></td><td><p>N/A</p></td></tr></tbody></table> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 09/10/2017 16:33:03 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
tabling member	4604 label Biography information for Stephen Kerr

768213

registered interest
date	10/10/2017
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Universal Credit: Stirling
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average length of time in days is that a universal credit applicant waits for their initial payment in Stirling constituency; what proportion of such applicants are assessed within six weeks in that constituency; and what the maximum and minimum times is in days from the date of first application to payment in that constituency.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Stephen Kerr
uin	107025
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/10/2017 answer text <p>We do not hold this information.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 17/10/2017 16:09:45 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
tabling member	4604 label Biography information for Stephen Kerr

795376

registered interest
date	27/11/2017
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Universal Credit: Personal Savings
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	whether savings held in the name of children are taken into account in applications for universal credit.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Stephen Kerr
uin	115797
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/12/2017 answer text <p>Savings and other capital held in the name of children are not taken into account in the assessment of Universal Credit entitlement. As with other means tested benefits, however, there are rules to prevent claimants depriving themselves of capital in order to claim Universal Credit or increase their entitlement to Universal Credit. If claimants deprive themselves of capital by gifting the capital to their children or placing it in a child’s account, notional capital of the amount deprived may still be taken into account when assessing entitlement to Universal Credit.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 05/12/2017 15:25:13 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
tabling member	4604 label Biography information for Stephen Kerr

795443

registered interest
date	27/11/2017
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Department for Work and Pensions: Correspondence
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that all letters and communications it sends to disabled and vulnerable people are accessible and available in easy-read and alternative accessible formats.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Stephen Kerr
uin	115864
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/12/2017 answer text <p>Where our customers need assistance to access our services and information, we make reasonable adjustments to meet their individual needs. This means the Department communicates with customers in a variety of different formats such as Braille, audio, large print, through third party interpreters or by arranging for a member of staff to visit the customer in their home.</p><p> </p><p>The Department is continuously working to improve its written customer communications products, including letters, forms and leaflets, so they are clear and accessible to as many of our customers as possible. We follow accessible design principles, including the use of plain language.</p><p> </p><p>Easy Read is available by request for certain kinds of information. As some of our letters are necessarily complex and difficult to translate into an Easy Read format, we support customers in other ways and will discuss the most appropriate method of communication with the customer, to meet their individual needs. We will be making more customer communications products available in Easy Read in 2018.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton question first answered 05/12/2017 14:43:38 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
tabling member	4604 label Biography information for Stephen Kerr

804319

registered interest
date	11/12/2017
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	First Aid: Adrenaline Auto-injectors
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 merits of including training in the use of Epinephrene auto-injectors in guidance for first aid training course providers.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Stephen Kerr
uin	118549
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/12/2017 answer text <p>The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is responsible for regulating first aid provision in the workplace, as set out in the Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981, but is no longer responsible for the regulation of general workplace first aid training.</p><p> </p><p>The training syllabus for first aid at work requires workplace first aiders to be trained in administering first aid to a casualty in anaphylactic shock; training providers may choose to include the use of adrenaline (epinephrine) auto-injectors as part of this. It is the employer’s responsibility to conduct a first aid needs assessment. If this highlighted a need for training around the use of auto-injectors it would be for them to identify a suitable training provider.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton question first answered 19/12/2017 12:05:59 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
tabling member	4604 label Biography information for Stephen Kerr

824525

registered interest
date	17/01/2018
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Children: Maintenance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reasons arrears payable for child maintenance that require the Child Maintenance Service to arrange payments via the employer only attract a one off fee rather than an additional percentage charge of the arrear.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Stephen Kerr
uin	123326
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/01/2018 answer text <p>When the Child Maintenance Service arranges for maintenance payments to be taken directly from the parent’s earnings via the employer, this is done through a Deductions from Earnings Order. The Paying Parent is charged a one off £50 enforcement fee for the Deduction from Earnings Order, as well as on-going collection charges of 20% of the maintenance liability (including any arrears) for using the Collect and Pay service. Charges are designed to encourage compliance.</p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 22/01/2018 15:29:56 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	4604 label Biography information for Stephen Kerr

834364

registered interest
date	31/01/2018
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	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 Department's test and learn approach to universal credit, what her Department has learned about universal credit during the January pause of its roll-out; and what changes her Department plans to make as a result that learning.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Stephen Kerr
uin	125984
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/02/2018 answer text <p>The Universal Credit Agile methodology means we continuously learn during rollout, listening to feedback from our staff, claimants and stakeholders, and building improvements into the system.</p><p>We release fortnightly updates of the Universal Credit IT build, with the latest release due on 14 February 2018. In addition to various technical fixes, this release will include the changes necessary to remove waiting days for all new claims made on or after 14 February, as announced in the 2017 Budget. It will also include improvements to the processes for referring claimants for Work Capability Assessments and for claimants to record their work search activity.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 07/02/2018 11:32:18 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Lord Sharma
tabling member	4604 label Biography information for Stephen Kerr

850031

registered interest
date	26/02/2018
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	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 parents there are in the Child Maintenance Service collect and pay process; how many of those parents have arrears greater than (a) 12 weeks and (b) 6 months.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Stephen Kerr
uin	129599
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/03/2018 answer text <p>As at the end of December 2017 there were 105,300 Paying Parents using the Collect &amp; Pay Service provided by the Child Maintenance Service. This figure is published quarterly in table 6 of the Child Maintenance Service experimental statistics data tables, which can be found here:</p><p> </p><p>https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/child-maintenance-service-aug-2013-to-dec-2017-experimental</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The amount of maintenance unpaid by Paying Parents is reported in table 9 of our quarterly published statistics, and annually in the Child Maintenance Service Client Fund Accounts, which can be found here:</p><p> </p><p>https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/child-maintenance-client-funds-account-2016-to-2017</p><p> </p><p>Analysis of this unpaid maintenance by age is not currently available.</p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 06/03/2018 11:16:30 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	4604 label Biography information for Stephen Kerr

851507

registered interest
date	28/02/2018
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Employment: Health
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department plans to take steps to encourage companies to improve the health and well-being of their employees.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Stephen Kerr
uin	130270
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/03/2018 answer text <p>As set out in the recent Command Paper, <em>Improving Lives: the Future of Work, Health and Disability</em>, we want to work in partnership with employers to help them draw fully on the talents of disabled people and people with long-term health conditions and build workplaces that promote the health and wellbeing of their workforce. In turn, this can help businesses prosper and grow by attracting and retaining valuable skilled employees and increasing the productivity of the workforce. We are taking a number of steps to do this, including improving advice and support for employers and exploring how to achieve the right balance of incentives and expectations.</p><p> </p><p><em>Thriving at Work</em>: The Stevenson/Farmer Review of mental health and employers sets out a compelling business case for employer action to support staff’s mental health and wellbeing and offers support and advice for businesses. This includes a recommended set of mental health core standards for all employers to adopt, which we will support and encourage employers to take up.</p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton question first answered 07/03/2018 11:21:09 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
tabling member	4604 label Biography information for Stephen Kerr

851525

registered interest
date	28/02/2018
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	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 assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of the Child Maintenance Service's collect and pay system.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Stephen Kerr
uin	130288
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/03/2018 answer text <p>When measuring the effectiveness of collect and pay cases we collect data on rate of compliance. These figures are published quarterly in table 6 of the Child Maintenance Service experimental statistics data tables, which can be found here:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/684262/tables-child-maintenance-service-august-2013-to-december-2017.ods" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/684262/tables-child-maintenance-service-august-2013-to-december-2017.ods</a></p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 06/03/2018 11:18:00 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	4604 label Biography information for Stephen Kerr

860580

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	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 steps her Department is taking to ensure that the outstanding money under the Child Maintenance Service's collect and pay system is swiftly collected.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Stephen Kerr
uin	131937
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/03/2018 answer text <p>The Child Maintenance Service has wide ranging powers to enforce the collection of both ongoing child maintenance liability and also arrears. We recently consulted on a new Compliance and Arrears Strategy with the aim of increasing these powers. The Government’s response to this consultation will be published in due course.</p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse grouped question UIN 131938 question first answered 16/03/2018 16:33:21 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	4604 label Biography information for Stephen Kerr

860581

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	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 steps her Department is taking to prevent parents from accruing arrears under the Child Maintenance Service's collect and pay system.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Stephen Kerr
uin	131938
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/03/2018 answer text <p>The Child Maintenance Service has wide ranging powers to enforce the collection of both ongoing child maintenance liability and also arrears. We recently consulted on a new Compliance and Arrears Strategy with the aim of increasing these powers. The Government’s response to this consultation will be published in due course.</p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse grouped question UIN 131937 question first answered 16/03/2018 16:33:21 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	4604 label Biography information for Stephen Kerr

908993

registered interest
date	21/05/2018
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	Unemployment: Scotland
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 minimum monthly living expenses required for a single unemployed person in central Scotland.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Stephen Kerr
uin	146320
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/05/2018 answer text <p>The Department has not made an assessment of the minimum monthly living expenses required for a single unemployed person in central Scotland.</p><p> </p><p>However, the Department publishes a range of measures of living standards in the Households Below Average (HBAI) publication. The latest estimates are to <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/households-below-average-income-199495-to-201617" target="_blank">2016/17</a> and 2017/18 results have been <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/announcements/households-below-average-income-199495-to-201718" target="_blank">pre-announced</a> to be published in February / March 2019.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 29/05/2018 13:56:12 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Lord Sharma
tabling member	4604 label Biography information for Stephen Kerr

91334

registered interest
date	09/09/2014
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the cost of assessing the eligibility of (a) people with learning disabilities, (b) deaf people, (c) blind people, (d) people with primary or secondary MS, (e) people with Alzheimer's disease, (f) people with motor neurone disease, (g) people with muscular dystrophy and (h) deafblind people who are in receipt of disability living allowance for the personal independence payment (PIP); and how often each will be expected to be reassessed for continued eligibility for PIP.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Mrs Anne McGuire
uin	208667
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/10/2014 answer text <p /> <p>The information you have requested regarding the cost of assessment for PIP regarding different types of disability is not currently available. How often a person will be assessed to decide the correct level of entitlement for PIP will be dependent on the basis of individual needs and circumstances.</p> answering member constituency Forest of Dean answering member printed Mr Mark Harper question first answered 13/10/2014 10:19:35 answering member 1520 label Biography information for Mr Mark Harper
tabling member	636 label Biography information for Dame Anne McGuire

964242

registered interest
date	03/09/2018
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Personal Independence Payment: Scotland
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department has plans to introduce the video recording of assessments for personal independence payments in Scotland.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Stephen Kerr
uin	169674
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/09/2018 answer text <p>As part of our commitment to improve the Personal Independence Payment assessment process, we are progressing options to video record PIP face to face assessments across Great Britain. Following comprehensive work over the summer, we are designing a live testing pilot, due to begin in England later this year. The pilot will inform any full wider roll out decisions, which will be discussed with the Scottish Government.</p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton question first answered 11/09/2018 16:28:33 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
tabling member	4604 label Biography information for Stephen Kerr

1023106

registered interest
date	11/12/2018
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Block Grant: Scotland
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	What assessment he has made of the effect of recent budgetary decisions on the Scottish block grant.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Stephen Kerr
uin	908140
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/12/2018 answer text <p>At Budget we announced a £700m increase in the Scottish block grant for 19/20 because of the additional money we are spending across the country.</p> answering member constituency South West Norfolk answering member printed Elizabeth Truss question first answered 11/12/2018 14:36:20 answering member 4097 label Biography information for Elizabeth Truss
tabling member	4604 label Biography information for Stephen Kerr

1134219

registered interest
date	24/06/2019
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Cash Dispensing
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with UK banks on the costs of running ATMs at their branches.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Stephen Kerr
uin	268598
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/07/2019 answer text The UK has over 60,000 ATMs, almost all connected to the LINK network. These ATMs are owned and operated by banks and building societies (40%), in addition to independent ATM operators (60%). According to the Access to Cash Review, of the estimated £5bn annual cost of the UK’s cash infrastructure, £1bn of this relates to the running and maintenance of ATMs.<p> </p><p>Regarding specific discussions, Treasury Ministers and Officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. Details of ministerial and permanent secretary meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel</a>.</p> answering member constituency Salisbury answering member printed John Glen question first answered 02/07/2019 14:25:31 answering member 4051 label Biography information for John Glen
tabling member	4604 label Biography information for Stephen Kerr

1178749

registered interest
date	12/02/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Off-payroll Working: Scotland
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of proposed changes to IR35 rules from April 2020 on SMEs in Scotland.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Alyn Smith
uin	15098
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/02/2020 answer text <p>The off-payroll working rules are designed to ensure that an individual who works like an employee, but through their own limited company, pays broadly the same Income Tax and National Insurance contributions as other employees. The rules do not apply to the self-employed or stop anyone working through their own company.</p><p> </p><p>The reform of the off-payroll working rules in April 2020 will apply only to medium and large-sized businesses, minimising administrative burdens for the vast majority of engagers. The existing rules will continue to apply to the smallest 1.5m businesses.</p><p> </p><p>The Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) published in July 2019 sets out HMRC’s assessment that the reform to the off-payroll working rules is expected to affect 170,000 individuals. The TIIN can be found here: <a href="http://www.gov.uk/government/publications/rules-for-off-payroll-working-from-april-2020/rules-for-off-payroll-working-from-april-2020" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/publications/rules-for-off-payroll-working-from-april-2020/rules-for-off-payroll-working-from-april-2020</a>. This is a UK-wide figure.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman question first answered 24/02/2020 14:22:31 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	4738 label Biography information for Alyn Smith

1178750

registered interest
date	12/02/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Off-payroll Working
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department has taken to prepare SMEs for the proposed changes to the IR35 rules from April 2020.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Alyn Smith
uin	15099
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/02/2020 answer text <p>The Government is committed to working with organisations to ensure changes to the rules are implemented correctly. HMRC are undertaking an extensive programme of education and support to help organisations prepare for the reform. This includes:</p><p> </p><ul><li>Offering one-to-one support to more than 2,000 of the UK’s biggest employers, and writing directly to 43,000 medium sized businesses and other organisations.</li><li>Providing large and medium sized businesses, public bodies, and charities with factsheets to share with their contractors, and publishing this factsheet on gov.uk.</li><li>Holding workshops with small tax agents, recruitment agencies, charities, and public bodies.</li><li>Holding at least weekly webinars, with small tax agents, recruitment agencies, charities, public bodies and contractors.</li><li>An enhanced version of the Check Employment Status for Tax online tool was published in November 2019 to help individuals and organisations make the right status determinations and apply the off-payroll rules correctly.</li></ul><p> </p><p>The reform of the off-payroll working rules in April 2020 will apply only to medium and large-sized businesses, minimising administrative burdens for the vast majority of engagers. The existing rules will continue to apply to the smallest 1.5m businesses.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman grouped question UIN 15100 question first answered 28/02/2020 10:58:34 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	4738 label Biography information for Alyn Smith

1178751

registered interest
date	12/02/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Off-payroll Working
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department has taken to advise people affected by proposed changes to the IR35 rules from April 2020.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Alyn Smith
uin	15100
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/02/2020 answer text <p>The Government is committed to working with organisations to ensure changes to the rules are implemented correctly. HMRC are undertaking an extensive programme of education and support to help organisations prepare for the reform. This includes:</p><p> </p><ul><li>Offering one-to-one support to more than 2,000 of the UK’s biggest employers, and writing directly to 43,000 medium sized businesses and other organisations.</li><li>Providing large and medium sized businesses, public bodies, and charities with factsheets to share with their contractors, and publishing this factsheet on gov.uk.</li><li>Holding workshops with small tax agents, recruitment agencies, charities, and public bodies.</li><li>Holding at least weekly webinars, with small tax agents, recruitment agencies, charities, public bodies and contractors.</li><li>An enhanced version of the Check Employment Status for Tax online tool was published in November 2019 to help individuals and organisations make the right status determinations and apply the off-payroll rules correctly.</li></ul><p> </p><p>The reform of the off-payroll working rules in April 2020 will apply only to medium and large-sized businesses, minimising administrative burdens for the vast majority of engagers. The existing rules will continue to apply to the smallest 1.5m businesses.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman grouped question UIN 15099 question first answered 28/02/2020 10:58:34 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	4738 label Biography information for Alyn Smith

1194421

registered interest
date	11/05/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Treasury: ICT
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps have been taken to increase the server capacity for his Department during the covid-19 oubreak.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Alyn Smith
uin	45448
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/05/2020 answer text <p>There has been no requirement for additional steps to increase server capacity during the covid-19 outbreak.</p><p> </p><p>HM Treasury retains an elastic, demand-driven infrastructure that is pro-actively monitored to scale as circumstances change.</p> answering member constituency Saffron Walden answering member printed Kemi Badenoch question first answered 18/05/2020 07:24:00 answering member 4597 label Biography information for Kemi Badenoch
tabling member	4738 label Biography information for Alyn Smith

1197509

registered interest
date	20/05/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Tenants: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on financial support for tenants during the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Alyn Smith
uin	49844
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/06/2020 answer text <p>The UK Government has been working closely with the Scottish Government on the response to the Covid-19 outbreak. To help prevent people getting into financial hardship or rent arrears, the UK Government has put in place an unprecedented support package, including support for businesses to pay staff salaries, as well as a strengthening of the welfare safety net with a nearly £7 billion boost to the welfare system. We have also increased Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates so that they are set at the 30th percentile of market rents in each area. These significant financial measures will help to support tenants to continue to pay their living costs, including rental payments.</p> answering member constituency North East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Steve Barclay question first answered 02/06/2020 07:00:17 answering member 4095 label Biography information for Steve Barclay
tabling member	4738 label Biography information for Alyn Smith

1197510

registered interest
date	20/05/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Students: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on financial support for students during the covid-19 outbreak over summer 2020 .
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Alyn Smith
uin	49845
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/06/2020 answer text <p>Education is a devolved matter. The UK Government has announced £3.7 billion of additional funding to the Scottish Government to support people, businesses and public services in Scotland in response to Covid-19. I am regularly in contact with my counterparts to discuss finances more broadly.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency North East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Steve Barclay question first answered 02/06/2020 07:00:36 answering member 4095 label Biography information for Steve Barclay
tabling member	4738 label Biography information for Alyn Smith

1247354

registered interest
date	30/10/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Bowling: VAT
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, for what reason ten pin bowling businesses were not included in the reduction in VAT that was extended to food outlets, cinemas and other competitor businesses in response to the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Alyn Smith
uin	109655
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/11/2020 answer text <p>The temporary reduced rate of VAT was introduced on 15 July to support the cash flow and viability of over 150,000 businesses and protect 2.4 million jobs in the hospitality and tourism sectors, which have been severely affected by COVID-19.</p><p> </p><p>Hospitality for the purposes of this relief includes the supply of food and non-alcoholic beverages from restaurants, cafes, pubs and similar establishments for consumption on the premises. It also includes the supply of hot food and non-alcoholic hot beverages to take away.</p><p> </p><p>Where a ten-pin bowling business provides such hospitality, that hospitality will benefit from the reduced rate, although admission to ten-pin bowling itself is not eligible. Further information can be found in VAT Guidance: reduced rate for hospitality, holiday accommodation and attractions on GOV.UK: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/catering-takeaway-food-and-vat-notice-7091" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/catering-takeaway-food-and-vat-notice-7091</a></p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman question first answered 09/11/2020 16:17:26 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	4738 label Biography information for Alyn Smith

1253432

registered interest
date	18/11/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Revenue and Customs: Debt Collection
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, which debt collection agencies are being used to send final opportunity letters on his Department's behalf.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Alyn Smith
uin	117367
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/11/2020 answer text <p>As part of their overall collections strategy, debt collection agencies (DCAs) provide HMRC with additional capacity. The department keeps under review the cost effectiveness and value for money that using DCAs provides to the Exchequer and UK citizens. There are no current plans to move away from using agencies to send final opportunity letters.</p><p> </p><p>The table below sets out the total expenditure on DCAs by HMRC and the amount spent instructing them to issue final opportunity letters.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>Total spend</p></td><td><p>Final opportunity letter spend</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2017/18</p></td><td><p>£ 32,099,756.77</p></td><td><p>£1,714,901.62</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2018/19</p></td><td><p>£ 26,021,351.78</p></td><td><p>£1,302,490.63</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2019/20</p></td><td><p>£ 26,163,245.08</p></td><td><p>£1,242,984.66</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p>Final opportunity letters are sent on HMRC’s behalf by some of the debt collection agencies that the department works with. These are:</p><ul><li>Advantis Credit Ltd</li><li>Bluestone Credit Management</li><li>1st Locate (UK) Ltd</li><li>Past Due Credit Solutions</li></ul><p> </p><p>The full list of debt collection agencies that HMRC work with can be found on GOV.UK: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/if-you-dont-pay-your-tax-bill/debt-collection-agencies" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/if-you-dont-pay-your-tax-bill/debt-collection-agencies</a>.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman grouped question UIN 117368 117369 117370 question first answered 26/11/2020 11:20:41 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	4738 label Biography information for Alyn Smith

1253433

registered interest
date	18/11/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Revenue and Customs: Debt Collection
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much his Department has spent on debt collection agencies in each of the last three years.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Alyn Smith
uin	117368
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/11/2020 answer text <p>As part of their overall collections strategy, debt collection agencies (DCAs) provide HMRC with additional capacity. The department keeps under review the cost effectiveness and value for money that using DCAs provides to the Exchequer and UK citizens. There are no current plans to move away from using agencies to send final opportunity letters.</p><p> </p><p>The table below sets out the total expenditure on DCAs by HMRC and the amount spent instructing them to issue final opportunity letters.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>Total spend</p></td><td><p>Final opportunity letter spend</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2017/18</p></td><td><p>£ 32,099,756.77</p></td><td><p>£1,714,901.62</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2018/19</p></td><td><p>£ 26,021,351.78</p></td><td><p>£1,302,490.63</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2019/20</p></td><td><p>£ 26,163,245.08</p></td><td><p>£1,242,984.66</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p>Final opportunity letters are sent on HMRC’s behalf by some of the debt collection agencies that the department works with. These are:</p><ul><li>Advantis Credit Ltd</li><li>Bluestone Credit Management</li><li>1st Locate (UK) Ltd</li><li>Past Due Credit Solutions</li></ul><p> </p><p>The full list of debt collection agencies that HMRC work with can be found on GOV.UK: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/if-you-dont-pay-your-tax-bill/debt-collection-agencies" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/if-you-dont-pay-your-tax-bill/debt-collection-agencies</a>.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman grouped question UIN 117367 117369 117370 question first answered 26/11/2020 11:20:41 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	4738 label Biography information for Alyn Smith

1253434

registered interest
date	18/11/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Revenue and Customs: Debt Collection
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has plans to review his Department's use of debt collection agencies to send final opportunity letters.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Alyn Smith
uin	117369
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/11/2020 answer text <p>As part of their overall collections strategy, debt collection agencies (DCAs) provide HMRC with additional capacity. The department keeps under review the cost effectiveness and value for money that using DCAs provides to the Exchequer and UK citizens. There are no current plans to move away from using agencies to send final opportunity letters.</p><p> </p><p>The table below sets out the total expenditure on DCAs by HMRC and the amount spent instructing them to issue final opportunity letters.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>Total spend</p></td><td><p>Final opportunity letter spend</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2017/18</p></td><td><p>£ 32,099,756.77</p></td><td><p>£1,714,901.62</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2018/19</p></td><td><p>£ 26,021,351.78</p></td><td><p>£1,302,490.63</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2019/20</p></td><td><p>£ 26,163,245.08</p></td><td><p>£1,242,984.66</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p>Final opportunity letters are sent on HMRC’s behalf by some of the debt collection agencies that the department works with. These are:</p><ul><li>Advantis Credit Ltd</li><li>Bluestone Credit Management</li><li>1st Locate (UK) Ltd</li><li>Past Due Credit Solutions</li></ul><p> </p><p>The full list of debt collection agencies that HMRC work with can be found on GOV.UK: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/if-you-dont-pay-your-tax-bill/debt-collection-agencies" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/if-you-dont-pay-your-tax-bill/debt-collection-agencies</a>.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman grouped question UIN 117367 117368 117370 question first answered 26/11/2020 11:20:41 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	4738 label Biography information for Alyn Smith

1253435

registered interest
date	18/11/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Revenue and Customs: Debt Collection
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much his Department has spent on instructing debt collection agencies to send final opportunity letters in each of the last three years.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Alyn Smith
uin	117370
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/11/2020 answer text <p>As part of their overall collections strategy, debt collection agencies (DCAs) provide HMRC with additional capacity. The department keeps under review the cost effectiveness and value for money that using DCAs provides to the Exchequer and UK citizens. There are no current plans to move away from using agencies to send final opportunity letters.</p><p> </p><p>The table below sets out the total expenditure on DCAs by HMRC and the amount spent instructing them to issue final opportunity letters.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>Total spend</p></td><td><p>Final opportunity letter spend</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2017/18</p></td><td><p>£ 32,099,756.77</p></td><td><p>£1,714,901.62</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2018/19</p></td><td><p>£ 26,021,351.78</p></td><td><p>£1,302,490.63</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2019/20</p></td><td><p>£ 26,163,245.08</p></td><td><p>£1,242,984.66</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p>Final opportunity letters are sent on HMRC’s behalf by some of the debt collection agencies that the department works with. These are:</p><ul><li>Advantis Credit Ltd</li><li>Bluestone Credit Management</li><li>1st Locate (UK) Ltd</li><li>Past Due Credit Solutions</li></ul><p> </p><p>The full list of debt collection agencies that HMRC work with can be found on GOV.UK: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/if-you-dont-pay-your-tax-bill/debt-collection-agencies" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/if-you-dont-pay-your-tax-bill/debt-collection-agencies</a>.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman grouped question UIN 117367 117368 117369 question first answered 26/11/2020 11:20:41 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	4738 label Biography information for Alyn Smith

1282392

registered interest
date	01/02/2021
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Stock Market: Internet
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to ensure (a) Trading 212, (b) Robinhood and (c) other stock trading companies protect consumer rights to buy and sell stocks.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Alyn Smith
uin	147054
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/02/2021 answer text <p>The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is the UK’s financial markets conduct regulator and is responsible for protecting consumers, ensuring market integrity and promoting effective competition. As set out in the FCA’s statement of 29 January, broking firms are not obliged to offer trading facilities to clients and may withdraw or suspend services if it is necessary or prudent to do so. The FCA’s statement also said that they would take appropriate action wherever they see evidence of UK firms or individuals causing harm to UK consumers or markets.</p><p> </p><p>The Government recognises that the pace and creativity of innovation in UK financial services creates new opportunities for businesses and consumers to participate in markets through technologies such as app-based platforms. However, investors should be aware that investing in securities comes with risks. The FCA’s statement of 29 January warned consumers that any losses that result from such investments are unlikely to be covered under the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.</p> answering member constituency Salisbury answering member printed John Glen question first answered 04/02/2021 11:58:44 answering member 4051 label Biography information for John Glen
tabling member	4738 label Biography information for Alyn Smith

1329566

registered interest
date	04/06/2021
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Royal Bank of Scotland: Small Businesses
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has plans to establish an independent quality assurance review of RBS Global Restructuring Group's treatment of SMEs.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Alyn Smith
uin	10648
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2021 answer text <p>It would be inappropriate for the Government to comment on or intervene in the independent redress process overseen by Sir William Blackburne.</p><p>The Government believes that the financial services industry has changed significantly since the challenging period leading up to and following the financial crisis. For example, all of the major SME lenders have signed up to the Standards of Lending Practice (SLP), which are overseen by the independent Lending Standards Board and contain clear guidance on best practice.</p><p>The Government has always been clear that the fact that there were areas of widespread inappropriate treatment of firms by RBS GRG is unacceptable. RBS has rightly apologised for these mistakes and as stated above, has set up a scheme to compensate victims. The redress scheme has paid out over £130 million so far and the Government continues to monitor how much redress is being paid out.</p><p>There are currently no plans to undertake a review of RBS Global Restructuring Group's treatment of SMEs.</p> answering member constituency Salisbury answering member printed John Glen question first answered 10/06/2021 08:54:36 answering member 4051 label Biography information for John Glen
tabling member	4738 label Biography information for Alyn Smith

1329572

registered interest
date	04/06/2021
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Revenue and Customs: Electronic Government
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people have Government Gateway accounts for (a) personal and (b) business use.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Alyn Smith
uin	10649
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/06/2021 answer text <p>There are currently 73.1 million active credentials/accounts registered with Government Gateway; a single unique user may hold several accounts for use in interactions with HMRC and/or other Government departments.</p><p> </p><p>69.4 million credentials are linked to HMRC services and are profiled across the user types below:</p><ul><li>Tax Agents: 1.0 million</li><li>Individuals: 20.9 million</li><li>Organisations: 47.5 million</li></ul><p> </p><p>The remaining 3.7 million credentials are associated to OGDs (not HMRC) and HMRC do not hold a record as to whether these are used for personal or business use.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman question first answered 11/06/2021 13:54:23 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	4738 label Biography information for Alyn Smith

1416908

registered interest
date	26/01/2022
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme: National Insurance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the role of National Insurance numbers was in the delivery of the Coronavirus Job Retention scheme.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Alyn Smith
uin	112693
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/02/2022 answer text <p>In the context of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, National Insurance Numbers (NINO) were, and are, used for additional verification of employees, including to help protect against fraud.</p><p> </p><p>Employers were required to provide the NINO of an employee they wished to place on furlough at the stage of making a claim.</p><p> </p><p>In exceptional cases where an employee did not need or have a NINO, employers were able to contact HMRC to claim for them. Further exception procedures were applied to larger employers.</p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer question first answered 03/02/2022 15:04:07 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer
tabling member	4738 label Biography information for Alyn Smith

1627308

registered interest
date	12/05/2023
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Revenue and Customs: Standards
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what HMRC's target response times are for (a) public enquiries and (b) Member of Parliament enquiries; and if he will provide details of performance against those targets for each of the last six months.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Alyn Smith
uin	184849
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/05/2023 answer text <p>HMRC publishes monthly and quarterly performance data on the GOV.UK website links below:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmrc-monthly-performance-reports" target="_blank"><em>https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmrc-monthly-performance-reports</em></a></p><p><em><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmrc-quarterly-performance-updates" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmrc-quarterly-performance-updates</a></em></p><p> </p><p>HMRC aims to reply to 80 per cent of Ministerial correspondence within fifteen working days.</p><p> </p><p>The Cabinet Office asks all Government departments to reply to 80 per cent of Ministerial correspondence within 20-working days and publishes data on responses to correspondence from MPs and peers on an annual basis this can be found on the GOV.UK website here:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/data-on-responses-to-correspondence-from-mps-and-peers" target="_blank"><em>https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/data-on-responses-to-correspondence-from-mps-and-peers</em></a></p> answering member constituency Louth and Horncastle answering member printed Victoria Atkins question first answered 18/05/2023 11:19:30 answering member 4399 label Biography information for Victoria Atkins
tabling member	4738 label Biography information for Alyn Smith

1678248

registered interest
date	14/12/2023
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Financial Conduct Authority and Financial Ombudsman Service: Standards
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the consistency of decision-making processes at the (a) Financial Conduct Authority and (b) Financial Ombudsmen Service.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Alyn Smith
uin	7128
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/12/2023 answer text <p>The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) are independent non-governmental bodies.</p><p> </p><p>Both the FCA and the FOS operate within the framework set by Parliament, and they are directly accountable to Parliament for how they discharge their statutory functions.</p><p> </p><p>This accountability includes a requirement for the FCA and the FOS to produce annual reports and accounts which are laid before Parliament by the Treasury. Both bodies are subject to full audit by the National Audit Office and to scrutiny through committee hearings, including the Public Accounts Committee and the Treasury Committee.</p><p> </p><p>Both organisations maintain arrangements for the independent investigation of complaints against them.</p><p> </p><p>The FOS regularly commissions independent reviews of its service. Most recently, a review carried out by Oaklin Consulting in 2021 found that the FOS is widely respected and viewed as reaching fair and impartial outcomes in the majority of cases.</p><p> </p><p>The FOS and the FCA are operationally independent from one another, but engage extensively on a range of issues through the Wider Implications Framework. The Financial Services and Markets Act 2023 introduced a statutory duty for the FCA, the FOS and the Financial Services Compensation Scheme to co-operate on issues which have or are likely to have significant implications for each other, or for the wider financial services market.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hitchin and Harpenden answering member printed Bim Afolami question first answered 20/12/2023 17:08:55 answering member 4639 label Biography information for Bim Afolami
tabling member	4738 label Biography information for Alyn Smith