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1719539

registered interest
date	15/05/2024
answering body	Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
answering dept id	215
answering dept short name	Energy Security and Net Zero
answering dept sort name	Energy Security and Net Zero
hansard heading	Energy: Prices
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of trends in the level of gas consumption on energy prices in Scotland.
tabling member constituency	Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill
tabling member printed	Steven Bonnar
uin	902950
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/05/2024 answer text <p>While we expect levels of gas consumption to decline in the coming years, we are working to facilitate the least-cost pathway to a secure gas system and net zero future.</p><p><br> The Ofgem price cap is around 60% lower now relative to its peak at the start of 2023.</p><p><br> We are prioritising the impact on consumer costs in developing future gas policy.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 21/05/2024 12:08:48 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4748 label Biography information for Steven Bonnar

1150678

registered interest
date	18/10/2019
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	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, what recent estimate her Department has made of the number of personal independence payment claims which have been rejected in Scotland in the latest period for which figures are available.
tabling member constituency	Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill
tabling member printed	Hugh Gaffney
uin	1934
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/10/2019 answer text <p>The latest available data on Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claims cleared by type of decision (e.g. awarded, disallowed or withdrawn) can be found in the ‘PIP clearances’ table at <a href="https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/" target="_blank">https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/</a>. The statistics provide monthly breakdowns up until the end of July 2019, the latest available data, and can also be broken down by region; England, Wales and Scotland.</p><p> </p><p>Guidance on how to use Stat-Xplore can be found here: <a href="https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/index.html" target="_blank">https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/index.html</a></p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 22/10/2019 13:22:34 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4614 label Biography information for Hugh Gaffney

1150679

registered interest
date	18/10/2019
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	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, what steps her Department is taking to reduce the number of complaints made against independent personal independence payment assessment providers.
tabling member constituency	Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill
tabling member printed	Hugh Gaffney
uin	1935
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/10/2019 answer text <p>We are committed to ensuring that all claimants receive a fair, objective and accurate assessment as well as a quality service at all stages of a claim.</p><p>In 2017 and 2018, complaint volumes for Assessment Providers equated to less than 1% of the total number of assessments carried out that year. However, the Department is continually working alongside the PIP Assessment Providers to further improve the quality of assessments.</p><p>Assessment Providers engage with medical experts, charities and relevant Stakeholders to strengthen, review and update their training programmes. Alongside this, the Departments clinicians have been observing PIP assessments to provide further assurance of the face-to face assessment process and suggest areas for improvement.</p><p>The Department ensures a high standard is always maintained by having an Independent Audit function that continually monitors the performance and provides feedback to our Providers. Improvements have been supported by two Independent Reviews of the PIP assessment process, and we take on board recommendations from the Select Committee Enquiry. This ensures that our Providers consistently exceed the Customer Satisfaction target of 90%.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 25/10/2019 09:13:37 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4614 label Biography information for Hugh Gaffney

1146179

registered interest
date	25/09/2019
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	Food Poverty: Brexit
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 she has made of the effect on food poverty levels of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.
tabling member constituency	Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill
tabling member printed	Hugh Gaffney
uin	291140
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/10/2019 answer text <p>The Government has been clear that leaving the EU with a deal is its preferred option.</p><p> </p><p>The Government has put in place contingency plans for a range of exit scenarios. These contingencies ensure that DWP can continue to provide our vital services and that individuals will continue to be able to access DWP benefits and services on the same basis as they do now.</p><p> </p><p>The Government is committed to providing a strong safety-net through the welfare system. We continue to spend over £95 billion a year on benefits for people of working age. DWP continues to monitor the effects of EU exit on the economy. Rates of benefits continue to be reviewed in line with the relevant legislation for uprating.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson grouped question UIN 290576 291446 question first answered 04/10/2019 10:15:06 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4614 label Biography information for Hugh Gaffney

1138912

registered interest
date	15/07/2019
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	Statutory Sick Pay
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to increase access to statutory sick pay for low-paid workers.
tabling member constituency	Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill
tabling member printed	Hugh Gaffney
uin	277255
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/07/2019 answer text <p>On Monday 15th July, the Government launched its consultation: `Health is everyone’s business: proposals to reduce ill health-related job loss.’ The consultation invites views on a range of matters including extending Statutory Sick Pay to the lowest paid. It closes on 7 October 2019 and can be found here:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/health-is-everyones-business-proposals-to-reduce-ill-health-related-job-loss" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/health-is-everyones-business-proposals-to-reduce-ill-health-related-job-loss</a></p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 22/07/2019 16:06:19 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4614 label Biography information for Hugh Gaffney

1138917

registered interest
date	15/07/2019
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	Industrial Accidents: 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 she has made of the number of recorded workplace deaths in Scotland in each of the last three years.
tabling member constituency	Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill
tabling member printed	Hugh Gaffney
uin	277258
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/07/2019 answer text <p>Notifications of workplace fatal injuries to workers are made under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR).</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The table below provides the number of fatal injuries to workers in Scotland reported under RIDDOR over the last 3 years.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong>Fatal injuries to workers in Scotland 2016/17 – 2018/19</strong></p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Year</p></td><td><p>Number of fatal injuries to workers</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2016/17</p></td><td><p>18</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2017/18</p></td><td><p>17</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2018/19</p></td><td><p>29*</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>*Data for 2018/19 is provisional.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>There has been an increase of 12 deaths between 2017/18 and 2018/19 in Scotland, mostly due to an increase in deaths in the Agriculture, forestry and fishing sector (from 3 in 2017/18 to 13 in 2018/19, though 2017/18 was a particularly low year for fatalities in the Agriculture, forestry and fishing sector in Scotland).</p><p> </p><p>Numbers from one-year to the next are subject to natural variation. The increase seen in the number of workplace deaths in Scotland in 2018/19 are within bounds of natural variation.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 22/07/2019 14:23:16 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4614 label Biography information for Hugh Gaffney

1104939

registered interest
date	25/03/2019
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, what assessment she has made of the effect of the bedroom tax on payments to universal credit claimants.
tabling member constituency	Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill
tabling member printed	Hugh Gaffney
uin	236558
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/04/2019 answer text <p>The removal of Spare Room Subsidy was monitored and evaluated over a two-year period from April 2013. The interim report that was published in July 2014 identified that claimants were either increasing their hours of work, or earnings in order to meet the shortfall in their rent. The final report was published in December 2015 and this showed that the policy promoted more effective use of housing stock and encouraging people to enter work and increase their earnings. We are therefore maintaining this policy and continue to protect vulnerable claimants who require additional support through Discretionary Housing Payments.</p><p /><p /> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 01/04/2019 16:16:07 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4614 label Biography information for Hugh Gaffney

1090940

registered interest
date	18/03/2019
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: Cancer
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the effect of the roll-out of universal credit on claimants of benefits with cancer.
tabling member constituency	Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill
tabling member printed	Hugh Gaffney
uin	233583
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/03/2019 answer text <p>The Department takes seriously the need to support vulnerable claimants. We are committed to ensuring that people who have cancer are treated with the upmost sensitivity and care, when making a claim to Universal Credit. For instance, when a claimant is asked to attend a Work Capability Assessment to determine entitlement to the additional component of Universal Credit specifically for disabled claimants, they must complete a UC50 questionnaire which incorporates a 'light touch' evidence gathering process for cancer patients; and makes clear that Clinical Nurse Specialists and consultants can provide information on the form, therefore making the claim and assessment process simpler for people with cancer.</p><p>We are continuously reviewing and improving the service for vulnerable people who claim Universal Credit to ensure that it is accessible and responsive to their needs. This includes how they are identified and supported, either from our own staff or via referrals from local services.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 25/03/2019 16:53:46 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4614 label Biography information for Hugh Gaffney

1083594

registered interest
date	07/03/2019
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: Terminal Illnesses
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 she has made of the potential merits of using existing data to pre-populate Universal Credit applications for people who are (a) terminally ill and (b) in the support group; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill
tabling member printed	Hugh Gaffney
uin	229762
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/03/2019 answer text <p>The Department has no plans to pre-populate Universal Credit applications for a number of reasons.</p><p> </p><p>We want to ensure data is accurate and up-to-date to avoid transferring errors from legacy benefits to the Universal Credit system. Furthermore, the legacy system does not have all of the information needed for a Universal Credit claim. Implementing a claim on inaccurate data will lead to inaccurate awards and claimants not receiving the money they are entitled to.</p><p> </p><p>It is also important to note that not everyone will want to move on to Universal Credit and the Department cannot simply assume that all existing claimants want to claim Universal Credit.</p><p> </p><p>We have however said that we will use existing decisions or verification to make aspects of the process easier. For example, if a claimant has an existing Work Capability Assessment decision, there will be no requirement to have another assessment in order to receive the disability elements of Universal Credit. Also, for claimants who do not have any work-related requirements, we already operate a digital claimant commitment acceptance process and we will carry that forward when moving claimants over to Universal Credit without a change in circumstances.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 15/03/2019 14:13:05 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4614 label Biography information for Hugh Gaffney

1083611

registered interest
date	07/03/2019
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	Personal Independence Payment: Epilepsy
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 25 February 2019 to Question 223219 on Personal Independence Payment: Epilepsy, how many people with epilepsy who were in receipt of disability living allowance but did not receive an award as a result of a reassessment for personal independence payment have chosen to appeal that decision through (a) mandatory reconsideration and (b) a tribunal.
tabling member constituency	Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill
tabling member printed	Hugh Gaffney
uin	229769
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/03/2019 answer text <p>The information requested for Disability Living Allowance (DLA) reassessments is shown in the table below.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong>Personal Independence Payment (PIP) initial decisions, Mandatory Reconsiderations (MRs) and appeals for claimants with a primary disabling condition of Epilepsy, April 2013 to September 2018, Great Britain</strong></p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p><strong>Reassessments</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Initial Decisions</strong></p></td><td><p>28,880</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Initial decisions - disallowed due to failing the assessment</strong></p></td><td><p>15,600</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Of which</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>MR registered</p></td><td><p>10,710</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Appeal lodged</p></td><td><p>5,750</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p>Under PIP, 27 per cent of working age claimants with epilepsy recorded as their primary disabling condition receive the highest level of support compared to 6 per cent under Disability Living Allowance when PIP was introduced.</p><p>Notes</p><p>Data is based on primary disabling condition as recorded on the PIP computer system. Claimants may often have multiple disabling conditions upon which the decision is based but only the primary condition is shown in these statistics. The disability subgroup of Epilepsy in the PIP Computer System includes Cataplexy, Generalised seizures (with status epilepticus in last 12 months), Generalised seizures (without status epilepticus in last 12 months), Narcolepsy, Partial seizures (with status epilepticus in last 12 months), Partial seizures (without status epilepticus in last 12 months) and Seizures - unclassified.</p><p>PIP data includes normal rules and special rules for the terminally ill claimants.</p><p>Data has been rounded to the nearest 10.</p><p>Appeals data taken from the DWP PIP computer system’s management information. Therefore this data may differ from that held by Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service for various reasons such as delays in data recording and other methodological differences in collating and preparing statistics.</p><p>An appeal can only be made against a decision which have gone through the Mandatory Reconsideration process. The number of people who registered an MR and the number of people who lodged a tribunal appeal cannot be added together.</p><p>Claimants who have received benefit decisions more recently may not yet have had time to complete the claimant journey and progress to appeal.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 15/03/2019 14:28:00 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4614 label Biography information for Hugh Gaffney