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535105

registered interest
date	11/07/2016
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	Pension Funds: Valuation
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to introduce a smoothed discount rate for the purpose of pension fund valuation.
tabling member printed	Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts
uin	HL1101
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/07/2016 answer text <p>Government consulted in 2013 on whether legislation should be introduced to allow the ‘smoothing’ of asset values and liabilities in funding valuations.</p><p>Responses to the call for evidence indicated that there was no strong case for legislating to permit smoothing, with the overwhelming majority of respondents against this option. Respondents instead favoured greater use of the flexibilities within the existing legislation governing scheme funding.</p><p>In its response to the call for evidence the Government advised that, given the views received, it did not intend to pursue the option of legislating to permit asset and liability smoothing, and that remains the Government’s position.</p> answering member printed Baroness Altmann question first answered 14/07/2016 13:45:50 answering member 4533 label Biography information for Baroness Altmann
tabling member	1651 label Biography information for Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts

532334

registered interest
date	04/07/2016
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	Bahrain: Technical Assistance
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with Atos and Capita about introducing audio recordings of Personal Independence Payment assessments.
tabling member printed	Baroness Thomas of Winchester
uin	HL931
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/07/2016 answer text <p>There are no current contractual obligations for Personal Independence Payment assessment providers (Atos and Capita) to provide an audio-recording of consultations. Claimants may use their own equipment to record their face-to-face consultation should they wish, subject to any reasonable conditions the Department place on such recordings.</p><p>We regularly keep our position on recording under review and will be having further dialogue with the Assessment Providers on this point.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Altmann question first answered 11/07/2016 14:26:36 answering member 4533 label Biography information for Baroness Altmann
tabling member	3785 label Biography information for Baroness Thomas of Winchester

532335

registered interest
date	04/07/2016
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	Sayed Alwadaei
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they monitor Personal Independence Payment assessments for accuracy.
tabling member printed	Baroness Thomas of Winchester
uin	HL932
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/07/2016 answer text <p>The Department is committed to ensuring that all Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claimants receive high quality, objective, fair and accurate assessments. The Department closely monitors all aspects of the process including the performance of the assessment providers, Atos Healthcare and Capita.</p><p>From 1<sup>st</sup> July 2016, we implemented an independent audit of PIP throughout Great Britain. This covers an audit of assessments carried out by our providers to ensure that the advice they provide to the Department's decision makers is of suitable quality, is fully explained and is justified.</p> answering member printed Baroness Altmann question first answered 11/07/2016 13:47:20 answering member 4533 label Biography information for Baroness Altmann
tabling member	3785 label Biography information for Baroness Thomas of Winchester

532336

registered interest
date	04/07/2016
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	Al-Sayed Alawi Hussain al-Alawi,
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they ensure that all medical reports presented by claimants at Personal Independence Payment assessments are read by assessors.
tabling member printed	Baroness Thomas of Winchester
uin	HL933
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/07/2016 answer text <p>Health Professionals must support their evaluation of the claimant’s health condition by an examination of all submitted materials thereby ensuring that the information provided to the Department’s Decision Makers is fully explained and justified.</p><p>The Department closely monitors all aspects of the process including the performance of Health Professionals to ensure that the advice they provide to the Department's Decision Makers is of suitable quality.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Altmann question first answered 11/07/2016 14:26:12 answering member 4533 label Biography information for Baroness Altmann
tabling member	3785 label Biography information for Baroness Thomas of Winchester

532337

registered interest
date	04/07/2016
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	Teachers: Training
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether all Personal Independence Payment assessment centres are accessible for disabled people.
tabling member printed	Baroness Thomas of Winchester
uin	HL934
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/07/2016 answer text <p>All Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessment sites must be fully compliant with the Equality Act 2010 with suitable ground floor accommodation available. The assessment providers are required to ensure that the needs of all PIP claimants are considered, including proximity to public transport routes and access to suitable parking.</p><p>Before attending a face-to-face consultation, claimants are informed that they can alert their assessment provider of any additional requirements that they may have and the providers will meet any such reasonable requests.<strong> </strong></p><p>Where appropriate, assessments may also be carried out in a claimant’s home.</p> answering member printed Baroness Altmann question first answered 11/07/2016 13:58:41 answering member 4533 label Biography information for Baroness Altmann
tabling member	3785 label Biography information for Baroness Thomas of Winchester

529943

registered interest
date	29/06/2016
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	Stamp Duty Land Tax
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Altmann on 16 June (HL502), what provision is made for claimants suffering severe myalgic encephalomyelitis or chronic fatigue syndrome who are housebound or bedbound and who are unable to attend a face-to-face consultation.
tabling member printed	The Countess of Mar
uin	HL871
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/07/2016 answer text <p>A home consultation can be offered where a claimant is unable to travel to a consultation as a result of their health condition or impairment.</p><p> </p><p>Situations where a claimant may need a home consultation can include where a person’s diagnosis suggests a significant disability that may make travel extremely difficult or the claimant provides evidence from a health professional that they are unable to travel due to their health condition or impairment.</p> answering member printed Baroness Altmann question first answered 13/07/2016 15:08:42 answering member 4533 label Biography information for Baroness Altmann
tabling member	1861 label Biography information for The Countess of Mar

525104

registered interest
date	14/06/2016
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	Holiday Accommodation: Fire Prevention
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many pensioners received Attendance Allowance in (1) London, and (2) the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, in each year since 2012, broken down between (a) the higher, and (b) the lower, rate.
tabling member printed	Baroness King of Bow
uin	HL689
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/06/2016 answer text <p>The numbers of claimants receiving higher or lower rate Attendance Allowance in (1) London and (2) the London Borough of Tower Hamlets are detailed below:</p><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p><strong>Nov - 2012</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Nov - 2013</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Nov - 2014</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Nov - 2015</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>London Total</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>138,710</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>133,470</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>131,930</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>130,760</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Higher</p></td><td><p>80,690</p></td><td><p>78,510</p></td><td><p>78,790</p></td><td><p>79,800</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Lower</p></td><td><p>58,050</p></td><td><p>54,950</p></td><td><p>53,120</p></td><td><p>51,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Tower Hamlets Total</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>3,420</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>3,310</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>3,380</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>3,460</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Higher</p></td><td><p>2,030</p></td><td><p>2,020</p></td><td><p>2,100</p></td><td><p>2,200</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Lower</p></td><td><p>1,380</p></td><td><p>1,290</p></td><td><p>1,290</p></td><td><p>1,260</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br><em>Source: DWP Tab Tool (Cases in Payment)</em></p><p><em>Note: Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10.</em></p><p><em> Figures may not sum due to rounding.</em></p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Altmann question first answered 21/06/2016 15:21:57 answering member 4533 label Biography information for Baroness Altmann
tabling member	143 label Biography information for Baroness King of Bow

525105

registered interest
date	14/06/2016
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	Students: Fees and Charges
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they will publish details of their plans to devolve responsibility for Attendance Allowance to local authorities.
tabling member printed	Baroness King of Bow
uin	HL690
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/06/2016 answer text <p>The Government has announced that by the end of the Parliament local government will retain 100% of local business rates and new responsibilities will be devolved alongside this. As part of this, the government will consider giving councils in England more responsibility to support older people with care needs. Any change would not affect existing Attendance Allowance claimants, and any new responsibilities would be matched by the transfer of equivalent spending power. The Government intends to consult on this in due course.</p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member printed Baroness Altmann question first answered 21/06/2016 12:47:44 answering member 4533 label Biography information for Baroness Altmann
tabling member	143 label Biography information for Baroness King of Bow

524312

registered interest
date	09/06/2016
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	Young Offenders: Restraint Techniques
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether there is any provision for people claiming Personal Independence Payments who have difficulty in completing questions by hand to be able to complete the forms electronically; and if not, whether they plan to introduce such a facility.
tabling member printed	The Countess of Mar
uin	HL583
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/06/2016 answer text <p>We are developing a digital service for claiming Personal Independence Payment (PIP) which brings the current PIP telephony claim and paper form together.</p><p>We have tested a number of different design approaches with users and, based on feedback, are developing an application process that is more tailored to individual needs. From April 2016 we started making the online PIP claim available to a small number of PIP claimants on a voluntary basis. This will allow us to get direct feedback, make ongoing improvements and ensure this new service is effective and secure before it is available nationally.</p> answering member printed Baroness Altmann question first answered 16/06/2016 14:20:46 answering member 4533 label Biography information for Baroness Altmann
tabling member	1861 label Biography information for The Countess of Mar

523687

registered interest
date	07/06/2016
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	Developing Countries: Health Services
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what form of evidence of incapacity is acceptable for Personal Independence Payments claims when a person suffering from severe myalgic encephalomyelitis or chronic fatigue syndrome, for which there is currently no treatment, has had no contact with any medical professionals or auxiliary practitioners for a considerable length of time.
tabling member printed	The Countess of Mar
uin	HL502
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/06/2016 answer text <p>The Department encourages claimants to provide as much relevant evidence as necessary to support their claim. The “How your disability affects you” form and accompanying guidance sets out the range of information that can help the Department reach a decision. The guidance for Health Professionals also sets out sources of further evidence which could help inform their advice to the Department, this includes family members, carers or anyone else who supports them.</p><p> </p><p>Before claimants are invited for a face-to-face consultation, all of the evidence held is reviewed and if, at that stage, a decision can be made on the paper evidence alone, then claimants will not be required to attend a face-to-face consultation. Alternatively, further evidence that might help inform the Department’s decision on the claim can be requested by the Health Professional.</p><p> </p><p>If the Health Professional cannot provide advice to the Department at this stage, or where there is insufficient or no other suitable sources of evidence on which to make an assessment, claimants will be invited to attend a face-to-face consultation. This gives claimants the opportunity to put across their own views of the impact of their health condition on their everyday lives, ensuring that decisions reflect the best evidence. In some cases we carry out consultations in the claimant’s home.</p> answering member printed Baroness Altmann question first answered 16/06/2016 13:47:27 answering member 4533 label Biography information for Baroness Altmann
tabling member	1861 label Biography information for The Countess of Mar