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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

167854

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	Employment and Support Allowance
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 claimants of employment and support allowance are permitted to retain their benefit while undertaking voluntary work.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	217130
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/12/2014 answer text <p>A person can do voluntary work as long as they do not receive any payment other than reasonable expenses. The work can be for a charitable or voluntary organisation, for example, or any other type of volunteering as long as it is not for a relative.</p> answering member constituency Forest of Dean answering member printed Mr Mark Harper question first answered 08/12/2014 12:35:05 answering member 1520 label Biography information for Mr Mark Harper
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

167855

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: Voluntary Work
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what arrangements his Department has in place with the voluntary sector to enable benefit claimants to undertake voluntary work.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	217131
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/12/2014 answer text <p /> <p>We believe that volunteering can play an important part in the life of unemployed people – not only by improving their chances of securing paid work but also through providing valuable support to their communities.</p><p> </p><p>Claimants can therefore do unlimited voluntary work whilst claiming benefits, providing they continue to meet all the usual entitlement conditions, although volunteers are allowed additional time to make themselves available for interviews and to take-up employment.</p> answering member constituency Wirral West answering member printed Esther McVey question first answered 08/12/2014 17:17:26 answering member 4084 label Biography information for Esther McVey
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

167863

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	Employment and Support Allowance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the reasons for the increased number of claimants of employment and support allowance receiving benefit sanctions since mid-2013.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	217132
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/12/2014 answer text <p /> <p>The number of ESA claimants referred to the Work Programme has increased by more than half over the last 2 years and as such we would expect to see a consequential increase in sanction referrals as more people join the programme.</p><p> </p><p>ESA claimants are not sanctioned for not finding or taking up work and all activities claimants are referred to must be reasonable given their circumstances and capabilities. In any month less than 1% of ESA claimants are sanctioned.</p><p> </p><p>Evidence suggests that work and work related activity is good for people with health conditions. Through the Work Programme ESA claimants have access to the support they need to improve their skills and move closer to the labour market. With this increased support, comes increased expectations and where claimants fail to meet reasonable requirements, proportionate sanctions are applied.</p> answering member constituency Forest of Dean answering member printed Mr Mark Harper question first answered 08/12/2014 12:43:13 answering member 1520 label Biography information for Mr Mark Harper
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

167864

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	Jobseeker's Allowance
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 Government's commitment in its response to the Oakley Review, Cm 8904, to strengthen guidance so that hardship provision is clear upfront to all claimants who are sanctioned, what progress has been made in strengthening such guidance; and whether the planned implementation date of August 2014 was achieved.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	216998
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/12/2014 answer text <p /> <p>In response to the recommendation we implemented improvements to the hardship process in July 2014 which includes strengthened guidance for work coaches. All claimants will be informed about how and when they can make an application for hardship payment following a conditionality doubt.</p> answering member constituency Wirral West answering member printed Esther McVey question first answered 08/12/2014 17:23:58 answering member 4084 label Biography information for Esther McVey
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

167570

registered interest
date	02/12/2014
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	Housing Benefit
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 Government's commitment in its response to the Oakley Review, Cm 8904, to implement an IT solution so that local authorities are given the information they need to suspend housing benefit only in cases where it is appropriate to do so, what progress has been made in implementing such a solution; whether the planned implementation date of Autumn 2014 was achieved; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	216814
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/12/2014 answer text <p /> <p>Following Matthew Oakley’s report we have implemented a number of improvements to communications to ensure that claimants understand the sanctions process and can take the necessary action.</p><p>An investigation of housing benefit with local authorities showed that the IT solution is working to specification and correct notifications are being sent. As a safeguard we have also improved guidance to ensure that staff advise all claimants, when sanctioned, to inform their local authority so that their housing benefit is not inadvertently stopped.</p><p>We will continue to monitor the position in cooperation with local authorities.</p> answering member constituency Wirral West answering member printed Esther McVey question first answered 05/12/2014 15:02:34 answering member 4084 label Biography information for Esther McVey
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

167571

registered interest
date	02/12/2014
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	Jobseeker's Allowance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many families claiming jobseeker's allowance with dependent children have been sanctioned since October 2012; and how many such people have subsequently had their sanction rescinded.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	216812
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/12/2014 answer text <p /> <p>The information as requested is not available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.</p> answering member constituency Wirral West answering member printed Esther McVey question first answered 05/12/2014 13:31:28 answering member 4084 label Biography information for Esther McVey
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

167572

registered interest
date	02/12/2014
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	Employment and Support Allowance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many families claiming employment and support allowance with dependent children have been sanctioned since December 2012; and how many such people have subsequently had their sanction rescinded.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	216813
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/12/2014 answer text <p /> <p>The information as requested is not available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.</p> answering member constituency Forest of Dean answering member printed Mr Mark Harper question first answered 05/12/2014 10:38:40 answering member 1520 label Biography information for Mr Mark Harper
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

167573

registered interest
date	02/12/2014
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	Jobseeker's Allowance
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 Answer of 25 March 2013 to Question 149822 and pursuant to the Answer of 1 December 2014 to Question 215974, how much additional jobseeker's allowance in total claimants subject to a fixed sanction would have received if they had continued to be on the benefit for the length of time of their sanction in (a) 2012-13 and (b) 2013-14.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	216815
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/12/2014 answer text <p /> <p>The Department doesn’t make an estimate the amount of benefit that would have been withheld as a result of benefit sanctions. Sanctions are designed to ensure claimants comply with their requirements in order to move off benefits and into work.</p><p> </p><p>The answer of 25 March 2013, Official Report, column 986W, on social security benefits made clear, it is not possible to robustly estimate the actual amounts withheld as we do not know what would have happened in the absence of sanctions. For example, of claimants who leave benefit during a sanction - some may have left irrespective of the sanction being applied, and some may have left because of the sanction.</p> answering member constituency Wirral West answering member printed Esther McVey question first answered 05/12/2014 14:45:24 answering member 4084 label Biography information for Esther McVey
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

167119

registered interest
date	01/12/2014
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Kidnapping: Children
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how he plans to respond to the Law Commission's recommendation on unlawful retention of children in its report on Simplification of Criminal Law: Kidnapping and Related Offences; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	216532
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/12/2014 answer text <p>Kidnap and child abduction can have a devastating and lasting impact on victims and their families. It is vital that the law reflects the gravity of such offences and that those who commit them are punished accordingly. The Law Commission published its report on these offences on 20 November. The Government is considering the recommendations and will respond in due course.</p> answering member constituency Hemel Hempstead answering member printed Mike Penning question first answered 04/12/2014 16:16:35 answering member 1528 label Biography information for Sir Mike Penning
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms