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167852

registered interest
date	03/12/2014
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	State Retirement Pensions: British Nationals Abroad
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of unfreezing state pensions for British citizens living in Commonwealth countries; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Bolton South East
tabling member printed	Yasmin Qureshi
uin	217127
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/12/2014 answer text <p /> <p>The policy of this Coalition Government on the up-rating of UK state pensions paid to people living overseas is the same as that of successive post-war Governments. Namely to up-rate such pensions where we are legally required to under the terms of EU law or a bilateral social security agreement. There are no plans to change policy on this issue.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Steve Webb question first answered 08/12/2014 16:34:06 answering member 220 label Biography information for Steve Webb
tabling member	3924 label Biography information for Yasmin Qureshi

167383

registered interest
date	02/12/2014
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	Renewable Energy
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 capacity of his Departmental buildings for the micro-generation of renewable energy; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Kemptown
tabling member printed	Simon Kirby
uin	216737
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/12/2014 answer text <p /> <p>DWP has outsourced the provision of its estate until 31st March 2018 under a 20-year PFI contract with its private sector partner Telereal Trillium.</p><p> </p><p>Telereal Trillium’s technical experts have undertaken regular extensive reviews (both site based and desk-top studies) of the Department’s estate with a view to assessing the practical and financial viability of investing in micro-generation. These have included:</p><p> </p><p>• solar photo-voltaic and wind turbine generation of electricity; and</p><p> </p><p>• solar and bio-mass generation of heat.</p><p> </p><p>Following this review 18 sites were identified for a site visit and more detailed examination by Telereal Trillium’s technical experts and potential suppliers. Detailed business cases were then developed for the biomass sites offering the quickest payback and with the potential to meet the Department’s investment criteria. Unfortunately, although these sites offered a practical means of generating renewable energy they did not meet the Department’s investment criteria and so have not been pursued. Solar photo-voltaic and wind turbine generation projects had even longer payback periods.</p><p> </p><p>The Department also commissioned EDF to undertake independent surveys at five sites. These confirmed the results of the work undertaken by Telereal Trillium’s technical experts in that the break-even periods were too long to meet the Department’s investment criteria.</p><p> </p><p>Telereal Trillium are continuing to assess whether reductions in costs and/or improvements in technology will improve the financial viability of micro-generation.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Steve Webb question first answered 08/12/2014 13:04:50 answering member 220 label Biography information for Steve Webb
tabling member	3929 label Biography information for Simon Kirby

167384

registered interest
date	02/12/2014
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	Funeral Payments
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 review the process for applying for funeral payments.
tabling member constituency	Bedford
tabling member printed	Richard Fuller
uin	216782
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/12/2014 answer text <p /> <p>We are currently taking steps to improve the scheme and will continue to monitor its effectiveness.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Steve Webb question first answered 08/12/2014 12:54:59 answering member 220 label Biography information for Steve Webb
tabling member	3912 label Biography information for Richard Fuller

167161

registered interest
date	01/12/2014
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	Water
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to reduce water (a) usage and (b) bills in his Department; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Kemptown
tabling member printed	Simon Kirby
uin	216580
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/12/2014 answer text <p>The Department for Work and Pensions, in partnership with its facilities provider Telereal Trillium, continues to reduce water consumption and costs as the tables below from DWP’s Annual Sustainable Development Report 2013 to 2014 illustrate.</p><p> </p><p>We work with our facilities provider to proactively identify and report water leaks by regularly monitoring water usage. Waterless urinals have already been installed throughout the DWP Estate and old large-capacity toilet water cisterns are replaced with dual-flush systems as routine property repairs and improvements are carried out. Water invoices are scrutinised for accuracy and challenged where necessary and we continue to work with our facilities provider to identify initiatives to continue to reduce consumption and costs year on year.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Table 11a: </strong><strong>GGC</strong><strong> Water Target – a) Reduce water consumption from a 2009/10 baseline</strong></p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td> </td><td><p>2009-10</p><p>(Baseline)</p></td><td><p>2011-12</p></td><td><p>2012-13</p></td><td><p>2013-14</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Water</p><p>Consumption(m<sup>3</sup>)</p></td><td><p> </p><p>810,701</p></td><td><p> </p><p>716,155</p></td><td><p> </p><p>639,688</p></td><td><p> </p><p>626,818</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p><strong>Table 11b: Financial Indicators (£)</strong></p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td> </td><td><p>2009-10</p><p>(Baseline)</p></td><td><p>2011-12</p></td><td><p>2012-13</p></td><td><p>2013-14</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Water supply</p></td><td><p>1,185,033</p></td><td><p>1,024,078</p></td><td><p>1,032,589</p></td><td><p>980,776</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Sewerage</p></td><td><p>2,578,008</p></td><td><p>2,335,237</p></td><td><p>2,373,314</p></td><td><p>2,331,337</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Total Water Costs</p></td><td><p> </p><p>3,763,041</p></td><td><p> </p><p>3,359,315</p></td><td><p> </p><p>3,405,903</p></td><td><p> </p><p>3,312,113</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Steve Webb question first answered 04/12/2014 14:52:57 answering member 220 label Biography information for Steve Webb
tabling member	3929 label Biography information for Simon Kirby

167163

registered interest
date	01/12/2014
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	Social Security Benefits: ICT
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he expects support and security accreditation to be restored to the Enhanced Transition Service Enhancements.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	216604
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/12/2014 answer text <p /> <p>The Department keeps the security arrangements for its IT systems under regular review and ensures support and remediation whenever issues are identified. However, it would not be appropriate to comment on individual risk assessments and accreditation arrangements for particular systems, as this is ongoing activity of particular sensitivity.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Steve Webb question first answered 04/12/2014 14:20:03 answering member 220 label Biography information for Steve Webb
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

166611

registered interest
date	27/11/2014
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	Public Health Funerals
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 number of pauper's funerals in each of the last three years; and what steps his Department is taking to support families on low incomes with the costs of funerals.
tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
tabling member printed	Mr Frank Field
uin	216270
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/12/2014 answer text <p /> <p>My department does not collect data on the number of Local Authority funerals.</p><p> </p><p>The Social Fund Funeral Payment scheme continues to provide help towards a simple, respectful, low-cost funeral and in 2013/14, over 33,000 awards were made worth £44.7 million, with an average award of £1,347.</p><p> </p><p>Social Fund Budgeting Loans are also available to those on income related benefits to cover costs relating to funeral expenses.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Steve Webb question first answered 02/12/2014 11:44:12 answering member 220 label Biography information for Steve Webb
tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead

166448

registered interest
date	26/11/2014
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	Pensioners: Social Security Benefits
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department has taken to increase awareness among pensioners of the benefits for which they are eligible.
tabling member constituency	Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport
tabling member printed	Oliver Colvile
uin	216051
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/12/2014 answer text <p>Four months before people reach State Pension age, the Department writes, inviting them to claim their State Pension. An information leaflet about the State Pension is enclosed with that letter; it provides details of how to claim Pension Credit.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The easiest way for customers to claim Pension Credit is by telephone removing the need to complete lengthy application forms; they can also claim Housing Benefit at the same time, and are advised of Pension Credit when they claim their State Pension.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>DWP has also introduced a web-based Pension Credit toolkit at <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pension-credit-toolkit" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pension-credit-toolkit</a></p><p> </p><p>Its purpose is to provide customer representative organisations with all the information needed in order to talk to pensioners about Pension Credit and other benefits they may be entitled to such as Attendance Allowance. In partnership with Age UK, local authorities and other groups, a structured campaign was undertaken to create awareness of the Toolkit amongst those who support our customers.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Steve Webb question first answered 01/12/2014 12:48:04 answering member 220 label Biography information for Steve Webb
tabling member	4022 label Biography information for Oliver Colvile

166450

registered interest
date	26/11/2014
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	Housing Benefit: Lancaster
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have made applications for funding from the Discretionary Housing Fund in Lancaster district since the inception of that fund.
tabling member constituency	Morecambe and Lunesdale
tabling member printed	David Morris
uin	216127
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/12/2014 answer text <p /> <p>The Department does not hold this information. Information on applications for Discretionary Housing Payments should be sought from individual local authorities.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Steve Webb question first answered 01/12/2014 11:43:44 answering member 220 label Biography information for Steve Webb
tabling member	4135 label Biography information for David Morris

166451

registered interest
date	26/11/2014
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	Take-away Food
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much his Department has spent on take-away food for staff since May 2010.
tabling member constituency	Leicester South
tabling member printed	Jonathan Ashworth
uin	216102
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/12/2014 answer text <p /> <p>The Department does not routinely provide take-away food for its employees and does not have specific accounting information for take-away food expenditure. Consequently it is not possible to provide this information.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Steve Webb question first answered 01/12/2014 12:49:15 answering member 220 label Biography information for Steve Webb
tabling member	4244 label Biography information for Jonathan Ashworth

166453

registered interest
date	26/11/2014
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	Catering
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much his Department has spent on catering and hospitality since May 2010.
tabling member constituency	Leicester South
tabling member printed	Jonathan Ashworth
uin	216193
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/12/2014 answer text <p /> <p>Departmental expenditure on Hospitality from the start of the 2010 financial year up to 31<sup>st</sup> October 2014, the latest date for which information is available, is shown in the graph attached. Expenditure on catering is not specifically identified but expenditure on Working Lunches and Refreshments is held and this information is also included in the graph.</p><p> </p><p>Expenditure should be seen in the context of the number of staff employed by the Department, Currently 79,514 (as at 31 October 2014), which works out at a cost per head of £1.45 per year.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Steve Webb question first answered 02/12/2014 13:10:57 answering member 220 label Biography information for Steve Webb attachment 1 file name Catering & Hospitality May 2010-31 Oct 2014.PDF title Catering & Hospitality May 2010-31 Oct 2014
tabling member	4244 label Biography information for Jonathan Ashworth