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173490

registered interest
date	13/01/2015
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	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Labour Market Statistics, table BEN01, published in December 2014, what assessment he has made of the reasons why the number of claimants of employment and support allowance and other incapacity benefits was higher in May 2014 than in May 2013; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	220554
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/01/2015 answer text <p /> <p>Since May 2010, the ESA caseload has fallen by 5.5% or 143,000 claimants. The small increase of less than 1% from May 13 to May 14 was largely driven by WCA supplier capacity issues, which we have taken steps to address by removing and replacing the supplier appointed by the previous government.</p> answering member constituency Forest of Dean answering member printed Mr Mark Harper question first answered 16/01/2015 11:30:46 answering member 1520 label Biography information for Mr Mark Harper
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

173253

registered interest
date	12/01/2015
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	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what average time is taken to resolve those benefit cases subject to mandatory discrimination which are not resolved in the first 30 days.
tabling member constituency	Southport
tabling member printed	John Pugh
uin	220430
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/01/2015 answer text <p>Information on mandatory reconsiderations of benefit decisions was released on 17<sup>th</sup> December 2014. This was an ad-hoc release of experimental statistics on MR requests made between 28<sup>th</sup>October 2013 and 31<sup>st</sup> October 2014.</p><p> </p><p>The available data can be found here:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/mandatory-reconsiderations-of-dwp-benefit-decisions-data-to-october-2014" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/mandatory-reconsiderations-of-dwp-benefit-decisions-data-to-october-2014</a></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Forest of Dean answering member printed Mr Mark Harper question first answered 19/01/2015 17:48:35 answering member 1520 label Biography information for Mr Mark Harper
tabling member	1454 label Biography information for John Pugh

172451

registered interest
date	07/01/2015
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	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department calculates the timescale for decision in a case of mandatory reconsideration of a refusal of benefit from the date on which the claimant contacts his Department to dispute the decision by telephone, the date on which a mandatory reconsideration request is made in writing, or the date on which a request is registered and received by the DWP processing centre.
tabling member constituency	Stretford and Urmston
tabling member printed	Kate Green
uin	219976
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/01/2015 answer text <p /> <p>The start date for calculating the time taken to clear an application for Mandatory Reconsideration is the date of the telephone call initiating the dispute or, where it is made in writing, the date it is received at the department’s Mail Opening Unit. If the request is made by another method – for example in person – it will be the date of that contact.</p> answering member constituency Forest of Dean answering member printed Mr Mark Harper question first answered 14/01/2015 16:08:37 answering member 1520 label Biography information for Mr Mark Harper
tabling member	4120 label Biography information for Kate Green

169619

registered interest
date	10/12/2014
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, by what means and indicators his Department measures the success of performance measurement review officers.
tabling member constituency	Dumfries and Galloway
tabling member printed	Mr Russell Brown
uin	218198
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/12/2014 answer text <p /> <p>The Department has a People Performance policy which is applicable to all its staff below the senior civil service level. This policy provides a framework for managing performance throughout the year, Performance Measurement review officers have key work objectives set in April at the start of the reporting year and they have, as a minimum, monthly performance discussions with their line manager. As part of managing performance a review officer will be accompanied by their line manager on a number of visits each year and in addition the line manager will telephone a number of claimants that have been visited to check the quality of that visit. At the end of the reporting year the Review Officer is given a final reporting rating.</p> answering member constituency Forest of Dean answering member printed Mr Mark Harper question first answered 15/12/2014 17:48:23 answering member 1520 label Biography information for Mr Mark Harper
tabling member	588 label Biography information for Mr Russell Brown

169622

registered interest
date	10/12/2014
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what training is given to staff in his Department in order for them to qualify as performance measurement review officers.
tabling member constituency	Dumfries and Galloway
tabling member printed	Mr Russell Brown
uin	218241
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/12/2014 answer text <p /> <p>Performance Measurement review officers receive training in Performance Measurement processes and appropriate training in the benefits measured (Housing Benefit; Employment and Support Allowance; Job Seekers Allowance; Pension Credit).</p><p> </p><p>They also undertake learning on Responsible for Information Security, Handling Official Information, Remote Working Securely and Keeping Safe – Travelling and working off-site.</p> answering member constituency Forest of Dean answering member printed Mr Mark Harper question first answered 15/12/2014 17:38:39 answering member 1520 label Biography information for Mr Mark Harper
tabling member	588 label Biography information for Mr Russell Brown

169623

registered interest
date	10/12/2014
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, in what locations performance measurement review officers are being deployed.
tabling member constituency	Dumfries and Galloway
tabling member printed	Mr Russell Brown
uin	218188
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/12/2014 answer text <p /> <p>There are Performance Measurement Review Officers that are based in DWP offices across the whole of Great Britain. They undertake benefit reviews for claimants in all parts of Great Britain apart from the Scottish Islands.</p> answering member constituency Forest of Dean answering member printed Mr Mark Harper question first answered 15/12/2014 17:40:35 answering member 1520 label Biography information for Mr Mark Harper
tabling member	588 label Biography information for Mr Russell Brown

168085

registered interest
date	04/12/2014
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
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 place in the Library a copy of his Department's guidance for Performance Measurement Review Officers on how to conduct a review.
tabling member constituency	Dumfries and Galloway
tabling member printed	Mr Russell Brown
uin	217176
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/01/2015 answer text <p /> <p>Yes, the guidance will be placed in the Library.</p><p>Small sections of the document have been redacted to protect the health and safety of the Review Officer where they may possibly be at risk whilst undertaking their duties and to ensure the continued effectiveness of the review process.</p> answering member constituency Forest of Dean answering member printed Mr Mark Harper question first answered 14/01/2015 16:34:36 answering member 1520 label Biography information for Mr Mark Harper previous answer version 32639 answering member constituency Forest of Dean answering member printed Mr Mark Harper answering member 1520 label Biography information for Mr Mark Harper
tabling member	588 label Biography information for Mr Russell Brown

168086

registered interest
date	04/12/2014
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many performance measurement review officers his Department has employed.
tabling member constituency	Dumfries and Galloway
tabling member printed	Mr Russell Brown
uin	217177
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/12/2014 answer text <p /> <p>The Department’s Performance Measurement team totals 230 staff in post. There are 91 visiting staff in post undertaking face to face reviews.</p> answering member constituency Forest of Dean answering member printed Mr Mark Harper question first answered 09/12/2014 16:51:43 answering member 1520 label Biography information for Mr Mark Harper
tabling member	588 label Biography information for Mr Russell Brown

168089

registered interest
date	04/12/2014
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
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 protect sensitive information from being shared by performance measurement review officers when visiting a claimant who lives in shared accommodation.
tabling member constituency	Dumfries and Galloway
tabling member printed	Mr Russell Brown
uin	217174
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/12/2014 answer text <p /> <p><strong> </strong>Performance Measurement staff, like all DWP staff, follow the processes and policies the Department has in place to safeguard claimant’s information. This includes undertaking the Responsible for Information Security learning. They understand the Handling Official Information and follow the guidance on this and Remote Working Securely. Their line managers also carry out validation checks to ensure that they are compliant with the necessary processes. In all cases when visiting a claimant to undertake a review they request evidence verification to ensure they are speaking to the right person before proceeding with the review interview.</p> answering member constituency Forest of Dean answering member printed Mr Mark Harper question first answered 09/12/2014 16:59:21 answering member 1520 label Biography information for Mr Mark Harper
tabling member	588 label Biography information for Mr Russell Brown

167853

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	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, in what circumstances benefit claimants are permitted to undertake paid work which is regarded as therapeutic.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	217129
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/12/2014 answer text <p /> <p>A person who is entitled to Employment and Support Allowance and who does any work will normally be treated as not having limited capability for work and will lose their entitlement accordingly. However, under existing provisions, there are types of work that a claimant can do without losing their benefit entitlement.</p><p> </p><p>This is called ‘exempt work’ (more commonly referred to as ‘permitted work’). <br> The categories of exempt work are Permitted Work; Voluntary Work and work done in a Work Placement. There are four types of permitted work.</p><p> </p><p>· Permitted Work Lower Level: work for no more than £20 a week at any time for as long as the person is on benefit;<br> <br></p><p>· Permitted Work Higher Level: work for less than 16 hours a week with earnings of no more than £104.00 a week for a fixed period of 52 weeks with the aim of progressing to work of more than 16 hours per week; <br> <br></p><p>· Permitted Work Higher Level Subsequent: at the end of the 52 week period of PWHL, if they have not progressed to work of more than 16 hours, claimants can continue to work for no more than £20 per week. After a gap of 52 weeks customers can undertake a subsequent period of 52 weeks at the higher level;<br> <br></p><p>· Supported Permitted Work: claimants can work for no more than £104.00 a week for as long as they are on benefit if they have a disability which is unlikely to improve over time and they need regular and on going support or supervision in the work place in order to make as much progress as they can towards full-time work. A person is able to work and earn up to and including £104.00 a week indefinitely where their work is supervised by someone who is employed by a public or local authority, or a voluntary organisation whose job it is to arrange work for people with disabilities.</p><p> </p><p>A person can only do one type of Permitted Work at any one time and there are rules which cover the length of time that claimants may undertake each category, and the amount they can earn.</p> answering member constituency Forest of Dean answering member printed Mr Mark Harper question first answered 08/12/2014 12:24:20 answering member 1520 label Biography information for Mr Mark Harper
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms