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
tabling member	label

Search

1091204

registered interest
date	19/03/2019
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Universal Credit
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have applied for universal credit; and how many of those claimants received an advance payment.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	234135
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/03/2019 answer text <p>The latest available information on the number of Universal Credit claims is published and can be found at: <a href="https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/" target="_blank">https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/</a>.</p><p>Guidance on how to extract the information required can be found at: <a href="https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html" target="_blank">https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html</a></p><p> </p><p>Internal data shows that for February 2019, around 60% of eligible new claims to Universal Credit Full Service received an advance payment. Subject to some fluctuation, this rate of advance take-up has been broadly consistent. This shows that claimants are being made aware of advances and are using it where they need this help.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 25/03/2019 14:59:48 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1005997

registered interest
date	13/11/2018
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, what representations she has received about the effect on vulnerable people and those with mental health conditions of joint claims for Universal Credit which are paid to one person in the family.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	190888
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/11/2018 answer text <p>We recognise that the move to a single monthly household payment is a significant change and therefore for a minority of claimants, alternative payment arrangements can be provided to help them manage that change. These include: managed payment of the Universal Credit housing cost to landlords; making payments more frequently than monthly (e.g. twice monthly); and splitting the payment between partners within the household.</p><p> </p><p>Splitting payments between partners is normally considered to prevent hardship to a claimant and their family, for example if the Universal Credit claimant is not managing their financial affairs and cannot or will not budget for their own or their family’s basic day to day needs.</p><p> </p><p>We take seriously the need to support vulnerable claimants. Universal Credit provides enhanced personalised support for people by simplifying the benefits system. All claimants, including vulnerable claimants and those with mental health conditions, receive continuous tailored support managed through personal work coaches, who know each person’s case.</p><p> </p><p>Additionally we can offer Personal Budgeting Support which aims to prepare claimants for the financial changes Universal Credit brings. It provides transitional support to help them manage their monthly payments and prioritise essential bills, such as rent and utilities.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 21/11/2018 16:23:24 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

921859

registered interest
date	11/06/2018
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 Income: Insurance
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 effect of universal credit on households' making provision for themselves through the purchase of individual income protection; and whether that effect will lead to higher levels of welfare dependency, lower levels of financial resilience, and poorer employment outcomes for people who are off work for prolonged periods of time due to injury or ill health.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	152173
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/06/2018 answer text <p>DWP has not assessed the impact of individual income protection (IIP) insurance on welfare dependence, financial resilience or employment outcomes. There are clearly established rules on the treatment of income paid to meet living costs, like IIP insurance, in a means-tested benefit system that have been established for a long time and continued in Universal Credit.</p><p> </p><p>Universal Credit helps people build better futures for themselves and their families, with people moving into work faster and staying in work longer. When Universal Credit is fully rolled out it will deliver £8bn benefits to the UK economy every year by getting more people into work and providing the right support to those who need it.</p><p> </p><p>The “Improving Lives: Work, Health and Disability Green Paper” set out details of the Department’s Personal Support Package for those with health conditions and disabilities. This broad-ranging package is made up of a number of initiatives designed to significantly improve support into employment.</p><p> </p><p>We welcome the significant engagement we have had with the insurance industry and will continue to engage with them as part of our wider work to support people with disabilities to move into work.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma grouped question UIN 152174 152175 question first answered 19/06/2018 16:59:09 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

921860

registered interest
date	11/06/2018
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 Income: Insurance
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 compatibility of potential disincentives posed by universal credit to Individual Income Protection with the Government’s objectives on assisting and facilitating people‘s return to work and to improving employment outcomes for people with disabilities in line with the findings and recommendations of the review entitled Thriving at Work: a review of mental health and employers, published in October 2017, and the Government's Green Paper, Improving Lives, Cm 9342, published in October 2016.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	152174
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/06/2018 answer text <p>DWP has not assessed the impact of individual income protection (IIP) insurance on welfare dependence, financial resilience or employment outcomes. There are clearly established rules on the treatment of income paid to meet living costs, like IIP insurance, in a means-tested benefit system that have been established for a long time and continued in Universal Credit.</p><p> </p><p>Universal Credit helps people build better futures for themselves and their families, with people moving into work faster and staying in work longer. When Universal Credit is fully rolled out it will deliver £8bn benefits to the UK economy every year by getting more people into work and providing the right support to those who need it.</p><p> </p><p>The “Improving Lives: Work, Health and Disability Green Paper” set out details of the Department’s Personal Support Package for those with health conditions and disabilities. This broad-ranging package is made up of a number of initiatives designed to significantly improve support into employment.</p><p> </p><p>We welcome the significant engagement we have had with the insurance industry and will continue to engage with them as part of our wider work to support people with disabilities to move into work.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma grouped question UIN 152173 152175 question first answered 19/06/2018 16:59:09 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

921861

registered interest
date	11/06/2018
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 Income: Insurance
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 on the effect of individual income protection on reducing welfare dependency and improving return to work rates.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	152175
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/06/2018 answer text <p>DWP has not assessed the impact of individual income protection (IIP) insurance on welfare dependence, financial resilience or employment outcomes. There are clearly established rules on the treatment of income paid to meet living costs, like IIP insurance, in a means-tested benefit system that have been established for a long time and continued in Universal Credit.</p><p> </p><p>Universal Credit helps people build better futures for themselves and their families, with people moving into work faster and staying in work longer. When Universal Credit is fully rolled out it will deliver £8bn benefits to the UK economy every year by getting more people into work and providing the right support to those who need it.</p><p> </p><p>The “Improving Lives: Work, Health and Disability Green Paper” set out details of the Department’s Personal Support Package for those with health conditions and disabilities. This broad-ranging package is made up of a number of initiatives designed to significantly improve support into employment.</p><p> </p><p>We welcome the significant engagement we have had with the insurance industry and will continue to engage with them as part of our wider work to support people with disabilities to move into work.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma grouped question UIN 152173 152174 question first answered 19/06/2018 16:59:09 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

838206

registered interest
date	07/02/2018
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	Prince's Trust
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 take steps to introduce the Princes Trust to young people to help them acquire employment.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	127104
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/02/2018 answer text <p>Jobcentre Plus already has a partnership with the Prince’s Trust which it formed in 2007. Last year, the Prince’s Trust helped almost 60,000 people and they estimate that about 30-40% of referrals were from Jobcentre Plus.</p><p> </p><p>In addition, our new programme of intensive support for 18-21 year olds was introduced in April 2017, and is being rolled-out in line with the roll-out schedule for Universal Credit Full Service. As part of this programme, claimants are referred to tailored support drawn from a wide menu of locally available provision, which includes Prince’s Trust programmes.</p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 21/02/2018 14:52:47 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

784804

registered interest
date	06/11/2017
answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Gazumping
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will introduce legislative proposals to prevent gazumping by compelling vendors to sell their properties to accepted bidders.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	111624
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/11/2017 answer text <p>On 22 October my Department launched a Call for Evidence on the home buying and selling process. We have asked how we should best tackle gazumping, and will develop plans in the light of this feedback.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 15/11/2017 17:32:16 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

723867

registered interest
date	24/04/2017
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Diplomatic Service: Religious Freedom
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department has taken to implement its revised toolkit on freedom of religion or belief by embassies overseas.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	71720
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/04/2017 answer text <p>In October 2016, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) made available to staff a revised Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) toolkit to assist all officials working on human rights both in London and at overseas posts. The revised toolkit provides posts with ideas on how to promote freedom of religion or belief in their local context. To support implementation, we provide training to staff to increase religious literacy, including courses on religion and diplomacy. Building on the FCO's conference in October 2016, posts have been encouraged to make FoRB and countering violent extremism themes of their diplomatic and project work.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 27/04/2017 09:04:28 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

722989

registered interest
date	20/04/2017
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	South Korea: Security
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions his Department has had with the Government of South Korea on the external security of that country.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	71391
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/04/2017 answer text <p>The Prime Minister, my Rt. Hon Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Theresa May) spoke to Acting President Hwang Kyo-Ahn on 24 March and the Foreign Secretary, my Rt. Hon Friend the Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip (Boris Johnson) spoke to Foreign Minister Yun Byung-Se on 30 March, as well as hosting him for annual strategic level dialogue on 22 February. The British Ambassador in Seoul is also in frequent contact with the South Korean authorities. In these and other conversations we have made clear that the UK continues to support a robust response to North Korean provocations and United Nations Security Council Resolution violations and that we will continue to work with our international partners, including South Korea and China, to maintain pressure on North Korea.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 25/04/2017 16:49:02 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

714521

registered interest
date	28/03/2017
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Religious Freedom
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what guidance has been given to country desk officers on incorporating an understanding of freedom of religion or belief in their work.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	69539
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/04/2017 answer text <p>Advancing human rights - including the right to freedom of religion and belief (FoRB) - is embedded across the work of our diplomats. In order to enhance the capabilities of staff working to promote FoRB in their country context, the FCO issued a revised toolkit in October 2016. This coincided with our London Conference on FoRB and Countering Violent Extremism, which was attended by a number of country desk officers. The FCO also routinely provides training and seminars to increase religious literacy amongst staff.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 05/04/2017 12:59:47 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon