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1135249

registered interest
date	27/06/2019
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	Local Housing Allowance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans the Government has to restore local housing allowance rates to cover the cheapest third of local rents to improve affordability for residents in receipt of that allowance who seek to live in private accommodation.
tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
tabling member printed	Tom Brake
uin	270236
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/07/2019 answer text <p><strong> </strong></p><p>There are no plans to extend or maintain the Benefit Freeze after March 2020. Specific decisions on how to uprate the Local Housing Allowance from April 2020 will form part of the discussions in support of fiscal events later this year.</p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 02/07/2019 10:47:16 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	151 label Biography information for Tom Brake

1131672

registered interest
date	12/06/2019
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 steps her Department is taking to provide additional payments for claimants of universal credit who previously received additional support through the Severe Disability Premium; and what steps her Department is taking to notify former Severe Disability Premium claimants of their entitlement to additional support.
tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
tabling member printed	Tom Brake
uin	263658
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/06/2019 answer text <p>Since the introduction of The Universal Credit (Transitional Provisions) (SDP Gateway) Amendment Regulations 2019, which came into force on 16th January 2019, claimants who are entitled, or have been within the last month, to an award of an existing benefit that includes Severe Disability Premium (SDP) have not been required to move to Universal Credit; even if they have experienced a relevant change in their circumstances.</p><p> </p><p>The draft Universal Credit (Managed Migration Pilot and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2019, which are currently before Parliament, make provision for SDP transitional payments for those eligible claimants who have already moved to UC and for moving existing legacy claimants onto Universal Credit and implementing transitional protection.</p><p> </p><p>On Friday 3 May 2019, the High Court handed down a judgment in relation to Universal Credit and the SDP. The judgment quashed the SDP related parts of the draft Universal Credit (Managed Migration Pilot and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2019. The Department is pleased that the court recognises that it is for Ministers to determine the appropriate transitional arrangements for moving claimants on to Universal Credit, and we are currently considering the options open to us and will respond in due course.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 21/06/2019 13:37:00 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	151 label Biography information for Tom Brake

1126573

registered interest
date	14/05/2019
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	Department for Work and Pensions: Sick Leave
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of officials in her Department took sick leave for reasons relating to stress in the last 12 months; what proportion that leave was of total sick leave taken in her Department; and what the cost was to her Department of officials taking sick leave over that period.
tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
tabling member printed	Tom Brake
uin	254082
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/05/2019 answer text <p>The Department recognises its legal duty to protect the health, safety and welfare of our employees; this includes identifying and reducing workplace stressors. Our approach is a holistic one that utilises the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Management Standards for work related stress and follows key principles to help identify and reduce work place stressors.</p><p> </p><p>2,473 employees took sick leave for reasons relating to stress in the last 12 months which represents 3% of our paid staff. As a percentage, such absences equated to 10.7% of all Working Days Lost due to sickness absence. However, as the Department continues to pay salaries during sickness absence there is no direct financial cost.</p><p> </p><p>Our approach to absence is fair but robust with the emphasis on health promotion and absence prevention. The Department has a range of support from mental health toolkits, stress reduction plans plus tailored support for people who do go off sick or need support through our Employee Assistance Programme which includes counselling.</p><p> </p><p>The Department has 965 Mental Health First Aiders, who provide acute, short-term and structured support to individuals, provide reassurance and signpost colleagues to both DWP and external sources of support as appropriate. Mental Health First Aiders are also provided with continuous professional development and support for their own mental wellbeing.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 22/05/2019 16:17:12 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	151 label Biography information for Tom Brake

1126179

registered interest
date	13/05/2019
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	Department for Work and Pensions: Brexit
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many staff in her Department who were transferred or seconded to work (a) in other departments or (b) on other departmental briefs on preparations for the UK to leave the EU, have since returned to her Department.
tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
tabling member printed	Tom Brake
uin	253470
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/05/2019 answer text <p>The Department for Work and Pensions have transferred/assigned 127 volunteers to other departments to support EU Exit related work, to date 125 have returned. The remaining 2 volunteers will continue to support another department with EU Policy related activity until June/July 2019.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 21/05/2019 13:03:53 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	151 label Biography information for Tom Brake

1037784

registered interest
date	08/01/2019
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	State Retirement Pensions: British Nationals Abroad
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the Government has made an assessment of the change in the relative value of overseas UK pensioners' state pensions for each percentage fall in the value of the pound.
tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
tabling member printed	Tom Brake
uin	206207
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/01/2019 answer text <p><strong> </strong>No such assessment has been made. The exchange rate is subject to fluctuation. As a result state pension payments will change depending on the rate for foreign currency.</p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 15/01/2019 12:21:43 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	151 label Biography information for Tom Brake

1035144

registered interest
date	04/01/2019
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: Sutton
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she plans to roll-out universal credit managed migration in Sutton as a pilot.
tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
tabling member printed	Tom Brake
uin	205073
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/01/2019 answer text <p>The Department is currently working with key stakeholders to determine the approach to a managed migration pilot. We will be starting with very small numbers initially, and as a result will be able to track and support claimants through the process effectively to ensure that those moving onto Universal Credit do so easily and successfully.</p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 14/01/2019 18:02:10 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	151 label Biography information for Tom Brake

994508

registered interest
date	25/10/2018
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	Department for Work and Pensions: Migrant Workers
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many citizens of non-UK EU countries work in (a) her Department, (b) its agencies and (c) its non-departmental public bodies.
tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
tabling member printed	Tom Brake
uin	183817
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/11/2018 answer text <p>a) Documentary evidence of nationality is checked at the point of recruitment into the Department as part of our wider pre-employment checks to ensure that individuals meet Civil Service Nationality Rules. This information is not retained beyond the point at which it has served its purpose. The Department’s staff are not required to record whether they are citizens of non-UK EU countries.</p><p> </p><p>(b) The Department does not have any agencies on which to report.</p><p> </p><p>(c) DWP has four non departmental public bodies. Documentary evidence of nationality is checked at the point of recruitment and this information is not retained beyond the point at which it has served its purpose. Individuals are not required to record whether they are citizens of non-UK EU countries.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 02/11/2018 12:43:10 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	151 label Biography information for Tom Brake

988678

registered interest
date	16/10/2018
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	Department for Work and Pensions: Contracts
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether gagging clauses have been used in contracts drawn up between his Department and any charities, voluntary sector organisations, social enterprises or companies with the intention of stopping any criticism of Ministers of his Department.
tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
tabling member printed	Tom Brake
uin	180065
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/10/2018 answer text <p>In contracts used across government, including at the Department for Work and Pensions there are clauses that vary in different forms, typically these clauses require the supplier to ensure that neither it, nor any of its Affiliates, bring the Authority into disrepute by engaging in any act or omission which is reasonably likely to diminish the trust that the public places in the Authority, regardless of whether or not such act or omission is related to the Supplier’s obligations under said Agreement.</p><p> </p><p>These clauses do not prevent the contracting bodies from making statements critical of government policy or politicians, and certainly do not prevent whistle-blowing (as this would be unlawful). They are designed to protect government, to ensure that contractors adhere to good working practices and do not engage in activities that will bring the Authority into disrepute or otherwise harm the confidence of the public in Government.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 24/10/2018 13:23:13 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	151 label Biography information for Tom Brake

964428

registered interest
date	03/09/2018
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	Department for Work and Pensions: Brexit
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the total cost to the public purse for her Department’s work preparing for the UK to leave the EU has been since 23 June 2016.
tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
tabling member printed	Tom Brake
uin	168888
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/09/2018 answer text <p>The Department for Exiting the European Union is carrying out detailed work with departments to prepare for leaving the EU and coordinating planning. Members of staff across the Department for Work and Pensions provide advice and analysis on EU Exit issues as required.</p><p> </p><p>Given the interactions between EU exit work and the Department’s other priorities, it is not possible to provide the information requested. We can confirm that no additional funding has been sought or provided to the Department by HM Treasury for EU exit preparations.</p><p> </p><p>HM Treasury has assigned over £2 billion of additional funding to departments and the Devolved Administrations for EU exit preparations so far. This breaks down as:</p><p> </p><ul><li><p>£412m of additional funding over the spending review period for the Department for Exiting the European Union, Department for International Trade and the Foreign &amp; Commonwealth Office at Autumn Statement 2016.</p><p> </p></li><li><p>£286m of additional funding for 17/18 (a full breakdown of which can be found in Supplementary Estimates 17/18).</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/679738/PU2137_Supplementary_estimates_web.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/679738/PU2137_Supplementary_estimates_web.pdf</a>.</p><p> </p></li></ul><p>Over £1.5bn of additional funding for 18/19. A full breakdown of which can be found in the Chief Secretary’s Written Ministerial Statement, HCWS540, laid on 13 March 2018: <a href="https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2018-03-13/HCWS540/" target="_blank">https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2018-03-13/HCWS540/</a></p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 10/09/2018 11:48:07 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	151 label Biography information for Tom Brake

964463

registered interest
date	03/09/2018
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	Department for Work and Pensions: Brexit
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 cost to her Department of leaving the EU in accordance with (a) the proposals set out in the Government’s White Paper and (b) a no-deal scenario.
tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
tabling member printed	Tom Brake
uin	168923
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/09/2018 answer text <p>The Government continues undertaking planning for all EU exit scenarios, as is prudent for such a significant issue. At Autumn Budget 2017, the Chancellor set aside £1.5 billion of additional funding for EU Exit preparations in 2019/20. Departments will be invited to bid for 2019/20 EU Exit preparation funding later in the year. Details of timings and process will be announced in due course.</p><p> </p><p>The Department for Work and Pensions continues to work closely with the Department for Exiting the European Union to ensure consistency of plans across government.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 10/09/2018 11:56:41 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	151 label Biography information for Tom Brake