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1129830

registered interest
date	04/06/2019
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	Pensions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent discussions she has had with representatives from the pensions industry about (a) the divestment of pensions funds from carbon-intensive industries and from fossil fuels and (b) incorporating climate-related risk into their investment decision-making.
tabling member constituency	Bristol East
tabling member printed	Kerry McCarthy
uin	259913
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/06/2019 answer text <p>The Government wants to support trustees in making responsible investment decisions. However, it does not seek to direct pension schemes to invest or divest in any particular way.</p><p> </p><p>We recognise that climate change is a key national and international issue and we have made sure that pension schemes understand their role responding to its effects. In September 2018, following extensive consultation with the pensions industry, this Government laid regulations to clarify that trustees should be taking account of the financial risks of climate change when developing their investment strategies. The regulations come into force from October this year. The FCA are consulting on corresponding provisions for workplace personal pension schemes.</p><p>As the Minister for Pensions and Financial Inclusion I have spoken extensively about the new requirements and the Government expectations of pension schemes, including during the Westminster Hall debate regarding Pension Funds: Financial and Ethical Investments on the 22 May 2019:</p><p> </p><p>“For too long there has been a perception by too many trustees -I am happy to clarify this as a Government Minister- that the environmental practices of the firms they invest in are purely ethical concerns, which they do not need to worry about: that is utterly wrong. Aside from the ethical considerations, there are real financial risks resulting from climate change. With the long-term horizons of pension investing, trustees must now consider that when they set out their investment strategies. Trustees who do not consider those matters will be breaching their statutory and potentially their fiduciary duties not only to current but future members.”</p><p> </p><p>The full debate can be viewed here:</p><p><a href="https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2019-05-22/debates/D3194408-7581-4635-AEDC-6D22AD6F0EBC/PensionFundsFinancialAndEthicalInvestments" target="_blank">https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2019-05-22/debates/D3194408-7581-4635-AEDC-6D22AD6F0EBC/PensionFundsFinancialAndEthicalInvestments</a></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman grouped question UIN 259914 question first answered 13/06/2019 11:32:49 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	1491 label Biography information for Kerry McCarthy

1129831

registered interest
date	04/06/2019
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	Pensions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps the Government is taking to encourage the pension industry to (a) divest pension funds from carbon-intensive industries and fossil fuel and (b) adopt the recommendations of the task force on climate-related financial disclosures on reporting structures.
tabling member constituency	Bristol East
tabling member printed	Kerry McCarthy
uin	259914
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/06/2019 answer text <p>The Government wants to support trustees in making responsible investment decisions. However, it does not seek to direct pension schemes to invest or divest in any particular way.</p><p> </p><p>We recognise that climate change is a key national and international issue and we have made sure that pension schemes understand their role responding to its effects. In September 2018, following extensive consultation with the pensions industry, this Government laid regulations to clarify that trustees should be taking account of the financial risks of climate change when developing their investment strategies. The regulations come into force from October this year. The FCA are consulting on corresponding provisions for workplace personal pension schemes.</p><p>As the Minister for Pensions and Financial Inclusion I have spoken extensively about the new requirements and the Government expectations of pension schemes, including during the Westminster Hall debate regarding Pension Funds: Financial and Ethical Investments on the 22 May 2019:</p><p> </p><p>“For too long there has been a perception by too many trustees -I am happy to clarify this as a Government Minister- that the environmental practices of the firms they invest in are purely ethical concerns, which they do not need to worry about: that is utterly wrong. Aside from the ethical considerations, there are real financial risks resulting from climate change. With the long-term horizons of pension investing, trustees must now consider that when they set out their investment strategies. Trustees who do not consider those matters will be breaching their statutory and potentially their fiduciary duties not only to current but future members.”</p><p> </p><p>The full debate can be viewed here:</p><p><a href="https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2019-05-22/debates/D3194408-7581-4635-AEDC-6D22AD6F0EBC/PensionFundsFinancialAndEthicalInvestments" target="_blank">https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2019-05-22/debates/D3194408-7581-4635-AEDC-6D22AD6F0EBC/PensionFundsFinancialAndEthicalInvestments</a></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman grouped question UIN 259913 question first answered 13/06/2019 11:32:49 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	1491 label Biography information for Kerry McCarthy

1129833

registered interest
date	04/06/2019
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	Pensions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on encouraging local government pensions funds to divest from carbon-intensive industries and fossil fuels.
tabling member constituency	Bristol East
tabling member printed	Kerry McCarthy
uin	259915
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/06/2019 answer text <p>The DWP has regular discussions with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government. However, much like with trustees of occupational pension schemes, the local pension committees of the individual Local Government Pension Funds are responsible for their own investment decisions.</p><p> </p><p>As I said during the Westminster Hall debate regarding Pension Funds: Financial and Ethical Investments on the 22 May 2019:</p><p> </p><p>“For too long there has been a perception by too many trustees -I am happy to clarify this as a Government Minister- that the environmental practices of the firms they invest in are purely ethical concerns, which they do not need to worry about: that is utterly wrong. Aside from the ethical considerations, there are real financial risks resulting from climate change. With the long-term horizons of pension investing, trustees must now consider that when they set out their investment strategies. Trustees who do not consider those matters will be breaching their statutory and potentially their fiduciary duties not only to current but future members.”</p><p> </p><p>The full debate can be viewed here:</p><p><a href="https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2019-05-22/debates/D3194408-7581-4635-AEDC-6D22AD6F0EBC/PensionFundsFinancialAndEthicalInvestments" target="_blank">https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2019-05-22/debates/D3194408-7581-4635-AEDC-6D22AD6F0EBC/PensionFundsFinancialAndEthicalInvestments</a></p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 13/06/2019 11:07:47 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	1491 label Biography information for Kerry McCarthy

1128353

registered interest
date	22/05/2019
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	Local Housing Allowance: Bristol
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 adequacy of the level of local housing allowance compared with the cost of rented accommodation in Bristol.
tabling member constituency	Bristol East
tabling member printed	Kerry McCarthy
uin	257483
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/06/2019 answer text <p>No assessment has been made of the adequacy of the level of Local Housing Allowance (LHA) compared with the cost of rented accommodation in Bristol.</p><p> </p><p>The proportion of private market rents that are at or below the LHA rate are set out below. This is based on:</p><ul><li>2019/20 LHA rates published here <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-housing-allowance-lha-rates-applicable-from-april-2019-to-march-2020" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-housing-allowance-lha-rates-applicable-from-april-2019-to-march-2020</a></li><li>Valuation Office Agency data <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-housing-allowance-list-of-rents" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-housing-allowance-list-of-rents</a>.</li></ul><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>Shared accommodation</p></td><td><p>1 bedroom</p></td><td><p>2 bedrooms</p></td><td><p>3 bedrooms</p></td><td><p>4 bedrooms</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Bristol</p></td><td><p>8%</p></td><td><p>7%</p></td><td><p>5%</p></td><td><p>7%</p></td><td><p>10%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>South West</p></td><td><p>12%</p></td><td><p>14%</p></td><td><p>13%</p></td><td><p>12%</p></td><td><p>15%</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Note: South West figures calculated as the average for the following Broad Rental Market Areas: Kernow West, North Cornwall &amp; Devon Borders, Plymouth, South Devon, Exeter, North Devon, Mid &amp; East Devon, Mid &amp; West Dorset, Taunton &amp; West Somerset, Yeovil, Weston-S-Mare, Mendip, Bath, Bristol, Gloucester, Cheltenham, West Wiltshire, Swindon, Salisbury and Bournemouth.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince grouped question UIN 257484 question first answered 05/06/2019 16:29:21 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	1491 label Biography information for Kerry McCarthy

1128354

registered interest
date	22/05/2019
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	Local Housing Allowance: South West
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of rental accommodation is affordable to those receiving the maximum rate of local housing allowance in (a) Bristol and (b) the South West.
tabling member constituency	Bristol East
tabling member printed	Kerry McCarthy
uin	257484
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/06/2019 answer text <p>No assessment has been made of the adequacy of the level of Local Housing Allowance (LHA) compared with the cost of rented accommodation in Bristol.</p><p> </p><p>The proportion of private market rents that are at or below the LHA rate are set out below. This is based on:</p><ul><li>2019/20 LHA rates published here <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-housing-allowance-lha-rates-applicable-from-april-2019-to-march-2020" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-housing-allowance-lha-rates-applicable-from-april-2019-to-march-2020</a></li><li>Valuation Office Agency data <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-housing-allowance-list-of-rents" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-housing-allowance-list-of-rents</a>.</li></ul><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>Shared accommodation</p></td><td><p>1 bedroom</p></td><td><p>2 bedrooms</p></td><td><p>3 bedrooms</p></td><td><p>4 bedrooms</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Bristol</p></td><td><p>8%</p></td><td><p>7%</p></td><td><p>5%</p></td><td><p>7%</p></td><td><p>10%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>South West</p></td><td><p>12%</p></td><td><p>14%</p></td><td><p>13%</p></td><td><p>12%</p></td><td><p>15%</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Note: South West figures calculated as the average for the following Broad Rental Market Areas: Kernow West, North Cornwall &amp; Devon Borders, Plymouth, South Devon, Exeter, North Devon, Mid &amp; East Devon, Mid &amp; West Dorset, Taunton &amp; West Somerset, Yeovil, Weston-S-Mare, Mendip, Bath, Bristol, Gloucester, Cheltenham, West Wiltshire, Swindon, Salisbury and Bournemouth.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince grouped question UIN 257483 question first answered 05/06/2019 16:29:21 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	1491 label Biography information for Kerry McCarthy

983002

registered interest
date	08/10/2018
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	Universal Credit
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will take steps to ensure that Universal Support is available to claimants in advance of the managed migration stage of the roll-out of Universal Credit.
tabling member constituency	Bristol East
tabling member printed	Kerry McCarthy
uin	176050
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/10/2018 answer text <p>Universal Support has been in place for a number of years. DWP has made funding available to Local Authorities (LAs) to help deliver Universal Support and the Department’s current funding arrangements with LAs will continue until March 2019.</p><p>Earlier this month, we announced a new partnership with Citizens Advice and Citizens Advice Scotland to deliver a new approach to Universal Support, initially up to March 2020. Our new partnership will ensure that all those who need to make a claim and need extra support can access it.</p><p>We are considering with stakeholders and partners what additional support might be needed to assist people through the managed migration process.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 11/10/2018 16:48:01 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	1491 label Biography information for Kerry McCarthy

983003

registered interest
date	08/10/2018
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	Universal Credit
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will publish an updated schedule for the next stage of the roll-out of Universal Credit.
tabling member constituency	Bristol East
tabling member printed	Kerry McCarthy
uin	176051
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/10/2018 answer text <p>The schedule for the migration onto Universal Credit has been published and can be found at</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-credit-transition-to-full-service" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-credit-transition-to-full-service</a>.</p><p>Rollout to all Jobcentres will be completed by December 2018.</p><p> </p><p>The next stage of the rollout is managed migration. The regulations to enact managed migration will come before Parliament in the autumn and are subject to parliamentary approval. During 2019 we will test and refine our processes on a small scale to ensure they are working well before we take on larger volumes from 2020 onwards, and complete the process in 2023.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 11/10/2018 16:22:59 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	1491 label Biography information for Kerry McCarthy

923507

registered interest
date	13/06/2018
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	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 23 April 2018 to Question 136602 on Support for Mortgage Interest, how many and what proportion of Support for Mortgage Interest claimants have (a) decided to take out and (b) declined the loan offered by her Department in each English region.
tabling member constituency	Bristol East
tabling member printed	Kerry McCarthy
uin	153223
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/06/2018 answer text <p>The information requested is not available at regional level and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.</p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 18/06/2018 13:02:40 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	1491 label Biography information for Kerry McCarthy

383979

registered interest
date	18/06/2015
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, if he will make an assessment of the feasibility of seconding Job Centre staff to do outreach sessions at food banks to support people who are experiencing problems with the administration of the welfare system.
tabling member constituency	Bristol East
tabling member printed	Kerry McCarthy
uin	3248
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/06/2015 answer text <p /> <p>Local Jobcentre Plus managers have the freedom to develop partnerships with a wide range of organisations based on local needs and circumstances.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Witham answering member printed Priti Patel question first answered 23/06/2015 11:32:45 answering member 4066 label Biography information for Priti Patel
tabling member	1491 label Biography information for Kerry McCarthy

100916

registered interest
date	24/10/2014
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: Disability
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 adequacy of the support available for people with progressive conditions; and to what extent the assessment process for (a) employment and support allowance and (b) personal independence payments takes into account the fluctuating and progressive nature of conditions such as Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis and cystic fibrosis.
tabling member constituency	Bristol East
tabling member printed	Kerry McCarthy
uin	211882
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2014 answer text <p /> <p>Both Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and Personal Independence Payment (PIP) have been designed to take full account of fluctuating conditions and healthcare professionals who undertake assessments are required to fully explore and report any fluctuations in a claimant’s condition(s).</p><p> </p><p>If a claimant has a progressive medical condition, healthcare professionals will take this into consideration when advising the Department as to when the claimant might need to be reviewed.</p><p> </p><p>Entitlement to both ESA and PIP is based on the impact of the claimant’s disability or health conditions.</p> answering member constituency Forest of Dean answering member printed Mr Mark Harper question first answered 29/10/2014 14:56:59 answering member 1520 label Biography information for Mr Mark Harper
tabling member	1491 label Biography information for Kerry McCarthy