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1019786

registered interest
date	04/12/2018
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	Sign Language
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 her Department's response to the consultation entitled, Market review of British Sign Language and communications provision for people who are deaf or have hearing loss, published in July 2017, what steps her Department has taken to fill the evidence gaps identified by respondents.
tabling member constituency	Cardiff South and Penarth
tabling member printed	Stephen Doughty
uin	198838
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/12/2018 answer text <p>The ‘Market review of British Sign Language and communications provision for people who are deaf or have hearing loss’ was a review of the present state of the market for support that facilitates communication for people who are deaf, deaf-blind or have hearing loss and those that need to engage with them.</p><p> </p><p>DWP worked with a wide range of stakeholders to develop the review’s parameters and criteria. These partners included other government departments; organisations that work for and with people who are deaf, Deafblind or have a hearing loss; and individuals from the communication and language professions. However, as was stated in the Report, it was not within the scope of the review to make policy recommendations based on the evidence received.</p><p> </p><p>The review aimed to look at provision in the UK as a whole, covering all forms of language and communication support. Interested organisations and individuals were publically invited to make a submission to the review. As was explained in the report, DWP did not undertake field research during the course of this work and the accuracy of information submitted during the review has therefore not been further assured by the department.</p><p> </p><p>This report published in July 2017 was a summary of the responses received. The report highlights current available evidence relating to the areas under review, including relevant published statistical data, and summarises common themes that were evident in the wide range of submissions that were received.</p><p>The review was designed to be a useful information resource, which would allow commissioners across both the public and private sector to make more informed decisions. The review is also a resource for policymakers. We have not assessed its impact across the public sector, but we can say that findings from the review informed DWP’s decision to increase the Access to Work Cap from £43,100 p.a. to £57,200 p.a. with effect from April 2018. Access to Work is also increasingly supporting the use of video relay services to complement support from face-to-face BSL Interpreters and allow for greater flexibility.</p><p> </p><p>Recruitment levels among British Sign Language interpreters are influenced by a range of market factors, including demand for their services in social and personal situations, which DWP does not directly influence. However, DWP works closely and on an ongoing basis with people who are deaf of or have hearing loss, as well as relevant stakeholder groups, to ensure their needs are understood and that initiatives like Access to Work help to meet those needs.</p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton grouped question UIN 198839 198840 question first answered 11/12/2018 10:11:15 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton previous answer version 91128 answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
tabling member	4264 label Biography information for Stephen Doughty

1019787

registered interest
date	04/12/2018
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	Sign Language: Public Sector
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 her Department's response to the consultation entitled, Market review of British Sign Language and communications provision for people who are deaf or have hearing loss, published in July 2017, what steps her Department has taken to improve the commissioning of British Sign Language interpretation by the public sector.
tabling member constituency	Cardiff South and Penarth
tabling member printed	Stephen Doughty
uin	198839
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/12/2018 answer text <p>The ‘Market review of British Sign Language and communications provision for people who are deaf or have hearing loss’ was a review of the present state of the market for support that facilitates communication for people who are deaf, deaf-blind or have hearing loss and those that need to engage with them.</p><p> </p><p>DWP worked with a wide range of stakeholders to develop the review’s parameters and criteria. These partners included other government departments; organisations that work for and with people who are deaf, Deafblind or have a hearing loss; and individuals from the communication and language professions. However, as was stated in the Report, it was not within the scope of the review to make policy recommendations based on the evidence received.</p><p> </p><p>The review aimed to look at provision in the UK as a whole, covering all forms of language and communication support. Interested organisations and individuals were publically invited to make a submission to the review. As was explained in the report, DWP did not undertake field research during the course of this work and the accuracy of information submitted during the review has therefore not been further assured by the department.</p><p> </p><p>This report published in July 2017 was a summary of the responses received. The report highlights current available evidence relating to the areas under review, including relevant published statistical data, and summarises common themes that were evident in the wide range of submissions that were received.</p><p>The review was designed to be a useful information resource, which would allow commissioners across both the public and private sector to make more informed decisions. The review is also a resource for policymakers. We have not assessed its impact across the public sector, but we can say that findings from the review informed DWP’s decision to increase the Access to Work Cap from £43,100 p.a. to £57,200 p.a. with effect from April 2018. Access to Work is also increasingly supporting the use of video relay services to complement support from face-to-face BSL Interpreters and allow for greater flexibility.</p><p> </p><p>Recruitment levels among British Sign Language interpreters are influenced by a range of market factors, including demand for their services in social and personal situations, which DWP does not directly influence. However, DWP works closely and on an ongoing basis with people who are deaf of or have hearing loss, as well as relevant stakeholder groups, to ensure their needs are understood and that initiatives like Access to Work help to meet those needs.</p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton grouped question UIN 198838 198840 question first answered 11/12/2018 10:11:15 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton previous answer version 91129 answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
tabling member	4264 label Biography information for Stephen Doughty

1019788

registered interest
date	04/12/2018
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	Sign Language
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 her Department's response to the consultation entitled, Market review of British Sign Language and communications provision for people who are deaf or have hearing loss, published in July 2017, what steps her Department has taken to increase the number of fully qualified and registered British Sign Language interpreters.
tabling member constituency	Cardiff South and Penarth
tabling member printed	Stephen Doughty
uin	198840
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/12/2018 answer text <p>The ‘Market review of British Sign Language and communications provision for people who are deaf or have hearing loss’ was a review of the present state of the market for support that facilitates communication for people who are deaf, deaf-blind or have hearing loss and those that need to engage with them.</p><p> </p><p>DWP worked with a wide range of stakeholders to develop the review’s parameters and criteria. These partners included other government departments; organisations that work for and with people who are deaf, Deafblind or have a hearing loss; and individuals from the communication and language professions. However, as was stated in the Report, it was not within the scope of the review to make policy recommendations based on the evidence received.</p><p> </p><p>The review aimed to look at provision in the UK as a whole, covering all forms of language and communication support. Interested organisations and individuals were publically invited to make a submission to the review. As was explained in the report, DWP did not undertake field research during the course of this work and the accuracy of information submitted during the review has therefore not been further assured by the department.</p><p> </p><p>This report published in July 2017 was a summary of the responses received. The report highlights current available evidence relating to the areas under review, including relevant published statistical data, and summarises common themes that were evident in the wide range of submissions that were received.</p><p>The review was designed to be a useful information resource, which would allow commissioners across both the public and private sector to make more informed decisions. The review is also a resource for policymakers. We have not assessed its impact across the public sector, but we can say that findings from the review informed DWP’s decision to increase the Access to Work Cap from £43,100 p.a. to £57,200 p.a. with effect from April 2018. Access to Work is also increasingly supporting the use of video relay services to complement support from face-to-face BSL Interpreters and allow for greater flexibility.</p><p> </p><p>Recruitment levels among British Sign Language interpreters are influenced by a range of market factors, including demand for their services in social and personal situations, which DWP does not directly influence. However, DWP works closely and on an ongoing basis with people who are deaf of or have hearing loss, as well as relevant stakeholder groups, to ensure their needs are understood and that initiatives like Access to Work help to meet those needs.</p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton grouped question UIN 198838 198839 question first answered 11/12/2018 10:11:15 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton previous answer version 91130 answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
tabling member	4264 label Biography information for Stephen Doughty

1019863

registered interest
date	04/12/2018
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	Post Office Card Account
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claimants of (a) disability benefits and (b) the state pension have their benefits paid into a Post Office Card Account.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	198724
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/12/2018 answer text <p>The Department for Work and Pensions provides Post Office card accounts to ensure that customers can continue to access their benefits and pensions in this way.</p><p> </p><p>As of October 2018 there were just under 1.2m active Post Office card accounts. In line with our wider policy on financial inclusion, we have always made it clear that payment into a bank, building society or credit union is the preferred way for all benefits to be paid.</p><p> </p><p>The information requested about the number of disabled social security and pension recipients is not available.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman grouped question UIN 198328 question first answered 10/12/2018 12:07:37 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

1019902

registered interest
date	04/12/2018
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	Social Security Benefits: EU Nationals
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of widening the entitlement to UK welfare payments for EU citizens fleeing domestic violence in the UK.
tabling member constituency	Motherwell and Wishaw
tabling member printed	Marion Fellows
uin	198882
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/12/2018 answer text <p>This Government is committed to tackling violence against all people, including domestic abuse which shatters the lives of victims and families.</p><p> </p><p>EU citizens are permitted to claim income-related benefits if they are legally and habitually resident in the UK and satisfy the eligibility conditions.</p><p> </p><p>The Government’s consultation, ‘Transforming the Response to Domestic Abuse’, which ended in May 2018, sought views on protection and support for victims of domestic abuse, including those with no recourse to public funds. The Home Office is currently analysing the consultation responses and will publish the Government’s response in due course.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 10/12/2018 13:47:41 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	4440 label Biography information for Marion Fellows

1019914

registered interest
date	04/12/2018
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	Social Security Benefits: Disqualification
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 28 November 2018 to Question 193447 on Social Security Benefits: Disqualification, if she will review the (a) purpose, (b) merits and (c) economic and health effects of sanctioning social security claimants in receipt of universal credit.
tabling member constituency	Easington
tabling member printed	Grahame Morris
uin	198808
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/12/2018 answer text <p>In October this year, the Work and Pensions Select Committee set out recommendations relating to the economic and health effects of sanctions, which the Department is considering and will be responding to in due course.</p><p> </p><p>Sanctions are only used in a small percentage of cases, and that is when people fail to meet their agreed commitments without good reason. Latest data, published 12 November in the Benefit Sanction Statistics, shows that in August 2018, 2.9% of people subject to conditionality on Universal Credit had a deduction taken from their benefit award as a result of a sanction.</p><p> </p><p>When considering whether a sanction is appropriate, a Decision Maker will take all the claimant’s individual circumstances, including any health conditions or disabilities and any evidence of good cause, into account before deciding whether a sanction is warranted.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 10/12/2018 18:03:54 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	3973 label Biography information for Grahame Morris

1020006

registered interest
date	04/12/2018
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	Children: Maintenance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much child support arrears are concerned in (a) Motherwell and Wishaw, (b) North Lanarkshire Westminster Parliamentary constituencies, and (c) Scotland, under the Child Support (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2018.
tabling member constituency	Motherwell and Wishaw
tabling member printed	Marion Fellows
uin	198884
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/12/2018 answer text <p>As of June 2018 (most recent published regional data, rounded to nearest thousand), there were the following amounts of unpaid maintenance from Child Support Agency cases:</p><p> </p><p>(a) Motherwell and Wishaw parliamentary constituency - £4,034,000 of child support arrears</p><p> </p><p>(b) North Lanarkshire Local Authority - £17,366,000 of child support arrears</p><p> </p><p>(c) Scotland - £ 225,269,000 of child support arrears</p><p> </p><p>Figures for b and c are published in the regional tables of the Child Support Agency Quarterly Summary of Statistics <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/child-support-agency-quarterly-summary-of-statistics-june-2018" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/child-support-agency-quarterly-summary-of-statistics-june-2018</a></p><p> </p><p>These amounts include all Child Support Agency cases with arrears. This includes cases where recent payments have been made and those where there has been no payment made within the last 3 months. The vast majority of these cases have received no recent payment, and it is only these cases that will be addressed under the Child Support (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2018.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 10/12/2018 10:21:05 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4440 label Biography information for Marion Fellows

1020011

registered interest
date	04/12/2018
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: Training
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department has contracts with external companies to train Departmental staff delivering the Universal Credit programme.
tabling member constituency	Wirral West
tabling member printed	Margaret Greenwood
uin	198859
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/12/2018 answer text <p>The department does not have contracts with external companies to train staff who are delivering Universal Credit.</p><p> </p><p>Work Coaches and other staff delivering Universal Credit undergo comprehensive training designed to equip them with the tools, skills and behaviours required to provide a high quality service to all claimants. Specific training and guidance is provided for working with different vulnerable groups and those with complex needs.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 10/12/2018 17:58:33 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	4400 label Biography information for Margaret Greenwood

1020013

registered interest
date	04/12/2018
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: Telephone Services
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department has contracts with external companies to provide call centre staff to advise social security claimants who contact DWP helplines.
tabling member constituency	Wirral West
tabling member printed	Margaret Greenwood
uin	198860
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/12/2018 answer text <p>The department has several contracts with external companies to answer calls from social security claimants across a range of DWP helplines.</p><p> </p><p>Details as follows:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Supplier</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Contract</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Brief Description</strong></p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Serco</p></td><td><p>PIP</p></td><td><p>For customers wishing to make a claim for PIP</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td rowspan="4"><p> </p></td><td><p>UC</p></td><td><p>For customers requiring an appointment for their UC claim</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Warm Home Discount</p></td><td><p>For Pension Credit customers requiring help with fuel bills</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Package B</p></td><td><p><ul><li>Carers Allowance – for customers wanting a claim pack</li><li>DLA/AA – for customers wanting a claim pack</li><li>National Benefit Fraud Helpline – taking details from citizens wanting to report suspected fraud activity</li><li>NINO appointments - making an appointment for NINO applicants</li><li>Jobcentre Enquiry Line – for customers wishing to contact a Jobcentre</li></ul></p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Support for Mortgage Interest</p></td><td><p>For customers requiring an Informed Discussion about help with mortgage interest</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>G4S</p></td><td rowspan="2"><p>CMG Options</p></td><td rowspan="2"><p>For separating parents requiring advice about maintenance options</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2"><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Package A</p></td><td><p><ul><li>Pension Credit claims – for customers wishing to claim Pension Credit</li><li>Pension Credit Enquiries – for customers enquiring about their Pension Credit claim</li><li>State Pension Enquiries – for customers enquiring about their State Pension claim</li><li>Winter Fuel Enquiry Line – for customers enquiring about Winter Fuel payments</li><li>Jobseekers Allowance (JSA) New Claims – for customers wishing to claim JSA</li><li>Jobseekers Allowance Online (JSAOL) – appointment booking for customers applying for JSA online</li></ul></p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Teleperformance</p></td><td><p>Pension Wise</p></td><td><p>First point of contact for customers requiring a Pension Wise appointment</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 10/12/2018 14:24:01 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4400 label Biography information for Margaret Greenwood

1020036

registered interest
date	04/12/2018
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	Mesothelioma: Compensation
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to increase tariff payments from the Diffuse Mesothelioma Payment Scheme in line with the Consumer Price Index; if so, when; and whether they intend to conduct a review of that Scheme.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL12012
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/12/2018 answer text <p>When the Diffuse Mesothelioma Payment Scheme (DMPS) was introduced in 2014 the payment tariffs were based on 80 percent of the average damages awarded in the civil courts. This amount was increased to 100 percent in 2015</p><p>This increase is far greater than if increases had been made in line with the Consumer Price Index (CPI). For example, the highest DMPS payment for those aged 40 or under in 2014 was £216,896 and this was increased to £271,120 in 2015, and the lowest payment for those aged 90 or over increased from £69,649 to £87,061</p><p> </p><p>Information about the value of court awards or out of court settlements in Diffuse Mesothelioma cases in the past three years is not available. The <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/269880/research-report-858.pdf" target="_blank">'Study into average civil compensation in mesothelioma cases'</a>, published in 2014, estimated average (mean) civil compensation at £153,531 (in 2012 prices). The average payment under the DMPS for each of the last three years is £135,000, £141,000 and £145,000 respectively.</p><p> </p><p>In line with commitments made during the passage of the Mesothelioma Bill, the intention is to review the payment tariffs, in due course, to ensure payments made under the Scheme are maintained at the appropriate level.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe grouped question UIN HL12013 question first answered 17/12/2018 15:36:49 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe attachment 1 file name Research Report - HL12012 & HL12013.pdf title Research Report 2014
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool