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 question first answered answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

1058635

registered interest
date	11/02/2019
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	Social Security Benefits: Disability
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	Whether her Department has plans to redesign the reassessment process for benefit recipients with severe mental or physical disabilities.
tabling member constituency	Romford
tabling member printed	Andrew Rosindell
uin	909127
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/02/2019 answer text <p>We are committed to assessing people with health conditions and disabilities fairly and accurately, and helping people to access the right support. We made a clear commitment in <em>Improving Lives</em>: <em>The Future of Work, Health and Disability</em> to reform the Work Capability Assessment (WCA) and recognise the importance of getting this right. We are therefore testing new approaches to build the evidence base for what works, and working with external stakeholders to inform future changes to the WCA.</p><p> </p><p>Over the last year we have introduced new guidance into Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and Universal Credit (UC), as well as updated guidance for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) to improve the service we provide for those with the most severe/lifelong conditions. For ESA/UC since September 2017 we have switched off routine reassessments for those who meet the Severe Conditions criteria, and since August 2018, those receiving the highest level of support in PIP, whose needs are unlikely to change or may get worse, will now receive an ongoing award with a light touch review at the ten year point.</p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton question first answered 11/02/2019 17:02:14 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
tabling member	1447 label Biography information for Andrew Rosindell

1058636

registered interest
date	11/02/2019
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	Social Security Benefits: Medical Examinations
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	What recent assessment her Department has made of the (a) accuracy and (b) efficiency of contracted-out health assessments for (i) employment and support allowance and (ii) personal independence payment.
tabling member constituency	Ellesmere Port and Neston
tabling member printed	Justin Madders
uin	909128
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/02/2019 answer text <p>We are committed to ensuring claimants receive high quality assessments. Providers are closely monitored against a range of measures including through independent audit to improve accuracy and decision making. We are seeing continuous improvement in PIP assessment quality and recent data shows both PIP providers meeting quality expectations. We continually look to improve the efficiency of the assessment process by working closely with health assessment providers and the disabled people the Department supports.</p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton question first answered 11/02/2019 16:37:48 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
tabling member	4418 label Biography information for Justin Madders

1055788

registered interest
date	06/02/2019
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reason personal independence renewal documents may not be processed when they are received by her Department, which resulted in my constituent Ms Selina Wilkinson's personal independence payment being stopped.
tabling member constituency	West Lancashire
tabling member printed	Rosie Cooper
uin	217507
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/02/2019 answer text <p>The only time when renewal documents would not be processed is if they are received after the deadline. The deadline is determined in legislation and claimants have one calendar month to return their renewal forms - although duplicate forms and extensions to the deadline can be considered if the claimant requests it.</p><p> </p><p>However, all Personal Independence Payment renewal forms which are received after the deadline are looked at to see if they satisfy the legal test to determine if there was a good cause for lateness. If there was a good cause, the form is accepted; the case is <br>reconsidered and the award review is processed.</p><p>Additionally, where vulnerable claimants are identified as requiring additional support, further steps will be put in place to ensure that the claimant has had the opportunity and support to provide all relevant information before a final decision is made.</p><p> </p><p>I will be happy to look into the specific details of this case if personal details are provided.</p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton question first answered 11/02/2019 16:12:13 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
tabling member	1538 label Biography information for Rosie Cooper

1055931

registered interest
date	06/02/2019
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: Private Rented Housing
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to Answer of 5 February 2019 to Question 215231 on Universal Credit: Private Rented Housing, what timings her Department records when measuring time elapsed relating to complaints received from Private Rental Sector Landlords about universal credit full service tenants.
tabling member constituency	Nottingham North
tabling member printed	Alex Norris
uin	217662
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/02/2019 answer text <p>All complaints received by the Department from any source are handled in accordance with the complaints process published on Gov.uk.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 11/02/2019 16:03:27 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4641 label Biography information for Alex Norris

1055342

registered interest
date	05/02/2019
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	Cold Weather Payments: Banff and Buchan
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 in the Banff and Buchan constituency have received Cold Weather Payments in each of the last five years.
tabling member constituency	Banff and Buchan
tabling member printed	David Duguid
uin	217131
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/02/2019 answer text <p><strong> </strong></p><p>The Cold Weather Payment scheme is administered at weather station level rather than any other standard GB geography such as constituency level. The coverage area for each weather station is determined by the Met Office which assesses the most appropriate weather station for each postcode area. Cold weather payments are triggered when the average temperature recorded at the weather station has been recorded as, or is forecast to be, 0<sup>o</sup>C or below over seven consecutive days, during the Cold Weather season (November to March).</p><p> </p><p>The constituency of Banff and Buchan covers all or part of the following postcode areas: AB41-5, AB51, AB53-4, and AB56.</p><p> </p><p>The above postcode areas are covered by three weather station: Aboyne, Dyce, and Kinloss. Qualifying individuals living in this area will have received a payment in respect of a seven-day period of Cold Weather, as shown in <strong>Table 1</strong>.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td colspan="6"><p><strong>Table 1 Estimated number of Cold Weather Payment recipients, by year and weather station</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Weather station</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2013/14</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2014/15</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2015/16</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2016/17</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2017/18</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Aboyne</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>7,000¹</p></td><td><p>7,000¹</p></td><td><p>7,000</p></td><td><p>7,000²</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Dyce</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>17,000¹</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Kinloss</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>13,000</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>12,000</p></td></tr><tr><td colspan="6"><p>¹ There were two triggers at this weather station; recipients will have received two payments in that year. ² There were five triggers at this weather station; recipients will have received five payments in that year.</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Aboyne, Dyce and Kinloss weather stations cover the following postcode areas, in <strong>Table 2</strong>, which include constituencies other than Banff and Buchan. We estimate that 78,000 payments, to 36,000 recipients, were made in this area as a whole in respect of the triggers in 2017/18. We are not able to break this figure down to a lower level.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td colspan="2"><p><strong>Table 2 Postcode sectors mapped to Weather Stations</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Weather station</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Postcode Sectors Covered</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Aboyne</p></td><td><p>AB30-34, AB38, AB51-55, DD8-9.</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Dyce</p></td><td><p>AB10-16, AB21-25, AB39, AB41-43.</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Kinloss</p></td><td><p>AB44-45, AB56, IV1-3, IV5, IV7-12, IV15-20, IV30-32, IV36.</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Notes</p><p> </p><ol><li>The number of recipients and payments given here is an estimate as information on the exact number is not readily available. These figures are produced by determining the volume of eligible recipients in each weather station area at the start of the winter season and using these figures throughout the winter to estimate payments and expenditure based on the actual triggers recorded.</li></ol><p> </p><ol start="2"><li>The number of payments made is not necessarily the total number of individuals benefitting from a Cold Weather Payment. Any individuals making a joint claim for one of the qualifying benefits, such as a couple living together, will receive one payment between them rather than one payment each. Furthermore, if a weather station triggers more than once throughout a cold weather season then the recipients will receive more than one payment.</li></ol><p> </p><ol start="3"><li>Estimates of Cold Weather Payments are published weekly during the Cold Weather season. The latest published estimates can be found at the link below:</li></ol><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/social-fund-cold-weather-payments" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/social-fund-cold-weather-payments</a></p><p> </p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 11/02/2019 16:39:03 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4606 label Biography information for David Duguid

1054619

registered interest
date	04/02/2019
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: Support for Mortgage Interest
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 31 January 2019 to Question 213323 on Universal Credit, what steps her Department takes to monitor and record repayments of Support for Mortgage Interest.
tabling member constituency	Easington
tabling member printed	Grahame Morris
uin	216273
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/02/2019 answer text <p>SMI loan repayments are recorded on the Department’s loan management administration system.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 11/02/2019 16:21:37 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	3973 label Biography information for Grahame Morris

1054652

registered interest
date	04/02/2019
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	Motability: Children
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 make representations to Motability on the allocation of funding to provide vehicles to children under the age of three that rely on bulky medical equipment from donations received from Motability operations.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow East
tabling member printed	David Linden
uin	216380
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/02/2019 answer text <p>Motability and the Family Fund are independent charities who, after being introduced by the Department, developed a pilot scheme to support families with children under the age of three that rely on bulky medical equipment.</p><p> </p><p>We understand that Motability intend to significantly increase the scale of this project in order to help some of the most severely disabled children in the coming years. I look forward to them sharing their plans for this important initiative.</p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton question first answered 11/02/2019 15:58:55 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
tabling member	4640 label Biography information for David Linden

1054690

registered interest
date	04/02/2019
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	Social Security Benefits: Fraud
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 were given prison sentences for benefit fraud in each of the last three years.
tabling member constituency	Upper Bann
tabling member printed	David Simpson
uin	216287
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/02/2019 answer text <p><strong> </strong></p><p>The Department for Work and Pensions is committed to taking effective action against those who commit benefit fraud. This can include prosecutions resulting in prison sentences.</p><p> </p><p>The table below details the total number of people who were given prison sentences as a result of a prosecution for benefit fraud in each of the last three full years.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Year</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Imprisoned</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Imprisoned </strong> <strong>(suspended sentence)</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2015/16</strong></p></td><td><p>280</p></td><td><p>1,200</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2016/17</strong></p></td><td><p>220</p></td><td><p>1,060</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2017/18</strong></p></td><td><p>130</p></td><td><p>950</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p><em>*Please note that all figures have been rounded to the nearest ten.</em></p><p> </p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 11/02/2019 16:10:06 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	1597 label Biography information for David Simpson