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1547131

registered interest
date	30/11/2022
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	Air Pollution: Business Premises
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to introduce schemes which rate the indoor air quality of commercial premises and their associated risks of viral transmission.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL3875
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/12/2022 answer text <p>The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is the regulator for workplace health and safety. Whilst HSE expects businesses to consider any risks arising from the quality of the air in their premises and to ensure they have mitigations in place where, for example, work generates fumes or dust that is harmful to workers this does not extend to general infection control. As such HSE has no plans to introduce any schemes to rate indoor air quality or the risks of viral transmission.</p> answering member printed Baroness Stedman-Scott question first answered 19/12/2022 17:21:59 answering member 4174 label Biography information for Baroness Stedman-Scott
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1542108

registered interest
date	14/11/2022
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	Financial Services: Climate Change
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what evidence they have collected regarding the voting record of UK authorised fund managers and pension funds in relation to climate-related resolutions at AGMs.
tabling member printed	Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick
uin	HL3377
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/11/2022 answer text <p>We do not collect this information.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Stedman-Scott question first answered 25/11/2022 14:33:30 answering member 4174 label Biography information for Baroness Stedman-Scott
tabling member	4130 label Biography information for Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick

1536993

registered interest
date	27/10/2022
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Social Security Benefits
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the total saving to His Majesty's Treasury through (1) housing benefit subsidy, and (2) Universal Credit, of imposing a social housing rent cap at less than the usual level of Consumer Price Index plus one per cent.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL2947
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/11/2022 answer text <p>The Government recently consulted on whether to make a temporary amendment to the CPI+1% cap on annual social housing rent increases. The consultation closed on 12 October and the government is carefully considering the responses.</p><p> </p><p>Any decision to change the CPI+1% cap would subsequently be reflected in the fiscal forecasts (including of Universal Credit and Housing Benefit expenditure) that are published by the Office for Budget Responsibility, and the more detailed breakdowns of these expenditure forecasts that are published by DWP.</p> answering member printed Baroness Stedman-Scott question first answered 02/11/2022 17:15:36 answering member 4174 label Biography information for Baroness Stedman-Scott
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1524457

registered interest
date	19/10/2022
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: Menopause
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support people who are experiencing menopause symptoms to return to the workplace.
tabling member printed	Lord Taylor of Warwick
uin	HL2743
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/11/2022 answer text <p>With women over 50 representing the fastest growing segment of the workforce, there are few workplaces where the menopause is not being experienced by staff.</p><p> </p><p>The Minister for Employment commissioned the roundtable on older workers to look at the menopause and employment as an issue, emphasising the importance of the support and understanding by employers. An independent <a href="https://www.thephoenixgroup.com/sites/phoenix-group/files/phoenix-group/views-and-insights/Menopause%20Report/Menopause%20and%20Employment.pdf" target="_blank">menopause and the workplace report</a> was published and the Government’s response was outlined in July.</p><p> </p><p>The Department does not collect such data on the impact of the menopause on employees leaving the workforce or reducing their hours.</p> answering member printed Baroness Stedman-Scott question first answered 03/11/2022 17:05:33 answering member 4174 label Biography information for Baroness Stedman-Scott
tabling member	1796 label Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick

1523462

registered interest
date	18/10/2022
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	Local Housing Allowance
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to increase Local Housing Allowance to support those most in need.
tabling member printed	Lord Allen of Kensington
uin	HL2668
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/10/2022 answer text <p>The level of Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates is reviewed annually by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and a decision will be announced in due course.</p><p> </p><p>LHA rates were increased in April 2020 to the 30th percentile of local rents, an investment costing nearly £1 billion and providing 1.5 million households with an average of £600 more housing support than they would otherwise have received.</p><p> </p><p>LHA rates have been maintained at their increased levels since then ensuring that all claimants who benefited from the increased levels of housing support continue to do so. LHA rates are not intended to cover all rents in all areas.</p><p> </p><p>For those who require additional support with housing costs, Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP) are available from local authorities (LAs). LAs make informed judgements about priorities and needs in their area to ensure that the most vulnerable are supported and funds are targeted effectively. Since 2011 we have provided almost £1.5 billion in DHPs to local authorities.</p><p> </p><p>The government recognises the pressures people are facing with the cost of living and has taken further decisive action to support people with their energy bills. The Energy Price Guarantee is supporting millions of households with rising energy costs, and the Chancellor made clear it will continue to do so from now until April next year. This is in addition to the over £37bn of cost of living support announced earlier this year which includes the £400 non-repayable discount to eligible households provided through the Energy Bills Support Scheme. Also included is an extension to the Household Support Fund backed by £421m, running from 1 October 2022 to 31 March 2023.</p> answering member printed Baroness Stedman-Scott question first answered 27/10/2022 13:08:52 answering member 4174 label Biography information for Baroness Stedman-Scott
tabling member	4304 label Biography information for Lord Allen of Kensington

1521509

registered interest
date	12/10/2022
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: Uprating
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to increase Universal Credit in line with inflation.
tabling member printed	Lord Pendry
uin	HL2550
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/10/2022 answer text <p>The Secretary of State has a statutory annual obligation to review state pensions and benefits including Universal Credit. His review will commence following the publication of the relevant indices by the Office for National Statistics and his decisions will be announced to Parliament shortly.</p> answering member printed Baroness Stedman-Scott question first answered 26/10/2022 16:48:22 answering member 4174 label Biography information for Baroness Stedman-Scott
tabling member	457 label Biography information for Lord Pendry

1504847

registered interest
date	05/09/2022
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	Cost of Living Payments: Universal Credit
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their estimate of the number of Universal Credit claimants who did not qualify for the first cost of living additional payment because of the way their wages were paid during the qualifying month.
tabling member printed	Baroness Lister of Burtersett
uin	HL2136
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/09/2022 answer text <p>We do not currently hold this information. We have deliberately kept the rules for these payments as simple as possible. This is the only way we can ensure that we can develop the systems and processes required to make these payments.</p><p> </p><p>Unfortunately, it is not possible to distinguish between those that have had a permanent increase to their earnings, and those whose earnings are temporarily fluctuating. If a UC claimant’s income subsequently falls, these claimants will return to having a positive award after the cut-off date and may be eligible for the second Cost of Living Payment, worth £324.</p> answering member printed Baroness Stedman-Scott question first answered 20/09/2022 16:01:49 answering member 4174 label Biography information for Baroness Stedman-Scott
tabling member	4234 label Biography information for Baroness Lister of Burtersett

1504848

registered interest
date	05/09/2022
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	Carers: Employment
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, and if so when, they will publish the research on barriers to carers’ employment mentioned in the letter from the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to the Chair of the House of Commons Work and Pensions Committee, dated 15 July; and if not, why not.
tabling member printed	Baroness Lister of Burtersett
uin	HL2137
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/09/2022 answer text <p>We are currently considering the results from the research, and should we decide to publish any findings, we will of course ensure that they are made available to both Houses.</p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member printed Baroness Stedman-Scott question first answered 20/09/2022 15:58:04 answering member 4174 label Biography information for Baroness Stedman-Scott
tabling member	4234 label Biography information for Baroness Lister of Burtersett

1504850

registered interest
date	05/09/2022
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Social Security Benefits
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what would be the level of the benefit cap, set in 2016, if it had kept pace with (1) inflation, (2) average earnings, and (3) Universal Credit rates.
tabling member printed	Baroness Lister of Burtersett
uin	HL2138
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/09/2022 answer text <p>There is a statutory duty to review the levels of the cap at least once in every five years and this will happen at the appropriate time. The current unusual economic period with potentially counter intuitive and shifting trends will need to be considered in the context of any decision regarding a review.</p><p> </p><p>The benefit cap provides a strong work incentive and fairness for hard-working taxpaying households and encourages people to move into work, where possible. The Government firmly believes that where possible it is in the best interests of children to be in working households and the benefit cap provides a clear incentive to move into work.</p><p> </p><p>The table below shows the weekly benefit cap level if it had kept pace with (1) inflation and (2) average earnings. To provide the levels of the benefit cap had it kept pace with Universal Credit rates is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate costs.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>Inflation</p></td><td><p>Average earnings</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>London couples/lone parents</p></td><td><p>£496.51</p></td><td><p>£529.06</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>London single adult</p></td><td><p>£332.67</p></td><td><p>£354.47</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Excluding London couples/lone parents</p></td><td><p>£431.75</p></td><td><p>£460.05</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Excluding London single adult</p></td><td><p>£289.27</p></td><td><p>£308.23</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>The earnings and inflation measure used for uprating DWP benefits have been used.</p><p> </p><p>Inflation and earnings source: House of Commons, Benefit Uprating 2022/23, Table 5 (February 2022).</p> answering member printed Baroness Stedman-Scott question first answered 21/09/2022 14:26:13 answering member 4174 label Biography information for Baroness Stedman-Scott
tabling member	4234 label Biography information for Baroness Lister of Burtersett

1490029

registered interest
date	18/07/2022
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	Working Conditions: Temperature
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to set upper-temperature limits for workplaces.
tabling member printed	Lord Taylor of Warwick
uin	HL1886
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/07/2022 answer text <p>Workplace temperature is one of the potential hazards that employers should address to meet their legal obligations under health and safety law.</p><p> </p><p>The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 place a legal obligation on employers to provide a ‘reasonable’ temperature in indoor workplaces. Detailed guidance for employers on workplace temperature and thermal comfort is available on the Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE)website. This guidance includes information on how to undertake a thermal comfort assessment and specific measures that can be taken to improve thermal comfort.</p><p> </p><p>Responsibility to make workplaces safe and healthy lies with employers, who should consult with employees or their representatives to establish sensible means to cope with high temperatures.</p><p> </p><p>No maximum workplace temperature exists because every workplace is different. No meaningful upper limit can be imposed because in many indoor workplaces extreme temperature is not seasonal, but is created by work activity, for example, in a glass works or foundry. In such environments factors other than air temperature, including radiant temperature, humidity and air velocity, become more significant and the interaction between them becomes more complex with rising temperatures. However, it is still possible to work safely provided appropriate controls are present.</p><p> </p><p>HSE regularly reviews and, where necessary, refreshes the guidance published on its website.</p> answering member printed Baroness Stedman-Scott question first answered 29/07/2022 12:03:26 answering member 4174 label Biography information for Baroness Stedman-Scott
tabling member	1796 label Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick