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1271943

	registered interest
	date	16/12/2020
	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	Automation
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to increase spending on job support and skills training for jobs at the highest risk of redundancy due to automation.
	tabling member printed	Lord Taylor of Warwick
	uin	HL11558
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/12/2020 answer text <p>o The department (DWP) has a comprehensive package of support through the Plan for Jobs, with new funding to ensure more people will get tailored support to help them find work. This will include:</p><ul><li>support from Jobcentre Plus Work Coaches</li><li>the recently launched Kickstart Scheme - a £2 billion fund which will create paid, quality 6-month work placements for over 250,000 young people on Universal Credit, deemed to be at risk of long term unemployment</li><li>the new DWP Youth Offer and</li><li>the recently announced Restart programme. The government is investing £2.9 billion in the Restart programme over 3 years. Restart will provide intensive and tailored support to over a million people who have been unemployed for over 12 months in England and Wales to help them find work.</li></ul><p>o We recognise that that automation may result in job losses in some sectors, but we also expect jobs to be created in other sectors, to allow unemployed people to pivot into priority sectors, for example in construction, and social care.</p><p>o In the ‘Plan for Jobs’, the Chancellor announced an extra 32,000 Sector-based Work Academy Programme participant starts in 2020/21, providing £17 million for the Department for Education to triple the number of associated vocational training placements. DWP’s Secretary of State also pledged to increase further the number of people taking part in 2021/22. The Sector-based Work Academy Programme offers training, work experience and a guaranteed job interview to those ready to start a job. This is alongside the expansion of support for traineeships in England and for apprenticeships, which enable people to work while having a structured training programme<em>.</em></p> answering member printed Baroness Stedman-Scott question first answered 31/12/2020 10:47:40 answering member 4174 label Biography information for Baroness Stedman-Scott
	tabling member	1796 label Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick

1490029

	registered interest
	date	18/07/2022
	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	Working Conditions: Temperature
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to set upper-temperature limits for workplaces.
	tabling member printed	Lord Taylor of Warwick
	uin	HL1886
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/07/2022 answer text <p>Workplace temperature is one of the potential hazards that employers should address to meet their legal obligations under health and safety law.</p><p> </p><p>The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 place a legal obligation on employers to provide a ‘reasonable’ temperature in indoor workplaces. Detailed guidance for employers on workplace temperature and thermal comfort is available on the Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE)website. This guidance includes information on how to undertake a thermal comfort assessment and specific measures that can be taken to improve thermal comfort.</p><p> </p><p>Responsibility to make workplaces safe and healthy lies with employers, who should consult with employees or their representatives to establish sensible means to cope with high temperatures.</p><p> </p><p>No maximum workplace temperature exists because every workplace is different. No meaningful upper limit can be imposed because in many indoor workplaces extreme temperature is not seasonal, but is created by work activity, for example, in a glass works or foundry. In such environments factors other than air temperature, including radiant temperature, humidity and air velocity, become more significant and the interaction between them becomes more complex with rising temperatures. However, it is still possible to work safely provided appropriate controls are present.</p><p> </p><p>HSE regularly reviews and, where necessary, refreshes the guidance published on its website.</p> answering member printed Baroness Stedman-Scott question first answered 29/07/2022 12:03:26 answering member 4174 label Biography information for Baroness Stedman-Scott
	tabling member	1796 label Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick

1275019

	registered interest
	date	08/01/2021
	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	Air Pollution
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential benefits of the (1) procurement, and (2) deployment, of professional high-efficiency particulate air purifiers in enclosed workspaces.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Finlay of Llandaff
	uin	HL11924
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/01/2021 answer text <p>Workplace health and safety law requires employers to ensure an adequate supply of fresh air in the workplace and this has not changed during the pandemic. It is not the health and safety regulator’s role to identify the benefits of the procurement and deployment of any specific equipment. This should be considered as part of the risk assessment carried out for the workplace. To assist with these assessments, the Health and Safety Executive have issued guidance on ventilation during the pandemic at:</p><p><a href="https://www.hse.gov.uk/coronavirus/equipment-and-machinery/air-conditioning-and-ventilation.htm" target="_blank">https://www.hse.gov.uk/coronavirus/equipment-and-machinery/air-conditioning-and-ventilation.htm</a></p> answering member printed Baroness Stedman-Scott question first answered 19/01/2021 16:39:12 answering member 4174 label Biography information for Baroness Stedman-Scott
	tabling member	3609 label Biography information for Baroness Finlay of Llandaff

1123300

	registered interest
	date	25/04/2019
	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
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect to publish the evaluation of the lower benefit cap they stated would be published in Spring 2019 in the letter from the Minister of Family Support to the Chair of the Work and Pensions Committee dated 18 December 2018.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Lister of Burtersett
	uin	HL15356
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/05/2019 answer text <p>Work on the evaluation of the lower benefit cap is ongoing. The impact evaluation uses a complex methodology that must first isolate the impacts of the lower cap from the original cap, and then analyse how these impacts differ across geographical regions and household types. It is important to ensure that the methodological approach is robust, and the Department has contracted the Institute for Fiscal Studies, independent experts, to advise on the evaluation design and peer review the results for the duration of the project.</p><p> </p><p>Work is progressing well, but in order to ensure that the evaluation design is as rigorous as possible we have decided to extend the timeframe over which we conduct the analysis.</p><p> </p><p>The impact evaluation findings will provide crucial context for the interpretation of the other strands of the evaluation; the claimant survey and local authority case study research undertaken by the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen).</p><p> </p><p>The full evaluation will be published when the peer review of the impact evaluation is completed; we now anticipate this to be in Autumn 2019.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 03/05/2019 13:57:03 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
	tabling member	4234 label Biography information for Baroness Lister of Burtersett

1134314

	registered interest
	date	24/06/2019
	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	Social Security Benefits
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the current (1) weekly rates of Child Benefit, and (2) monthly rates of Universal Credit standard allowances and child elements; and what would each of those rates have been had they not been frozen for the past four years.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Lister of Burtersett
	uin	HL16599
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/07/2019 answer text <p>Work is the best route out of poverty and for people to be more financially independent. Our welfare reforms are part of the Government’s commitment to incentivise moves into work and progression in work, and to better support working families.</p><p>The Department completed an Impact Assessment titled ‘Welfare Reform and Work Bill: Impact Assessment of the Benefit rate freeze’ in July 2015 which included information surrounding the policy objectives and the intended effects. Benefits for the additional costs of disability, and for carers, are exempt from the benefit freeze.</p><p>Currently the weekly rate of Child Benefit is £20.70 for the eldest or only child and £13.70 for additional children.</p><p>Universal Credit is made up of a standard allowance and any additional amounts which apply to claimants with certain circumstances, such as dependent children. The current monthly rates for the requested Universal Credit components are shown in the tables below.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Standard allowance</strong></p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Single and under 25</p></td><td><p>£251.77</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Single and over 25</p></td><td><p>£317.82</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>In a couple and both under 25</p></td><td><p>£395.20 (for both)</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>In a couple and either are 25 or over</p></td><td><p>£498.89 (for both)</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p><strong>Child components</strong></p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>For the first child</p></td><td><p>£277.08 (born before 6 April 2017) £231.67 (born on or after 6 April 2017)</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>For the second or other eligible children</p></td><td><p>£231.67</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>For a disabled or severely disabled child</p></td><td><p>£126.11 or £392.08</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>We are unable to determine what each of the rates would have been had they not been subject to a freeze, as the legacy system is not comparable with Universal Credit.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 08/07/2019 15:17:12 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
	tabling member	4234 label Biography information for Baroness Lister of Burtersett

1683963

	registered interest
	date	22/01/2024
	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	Film and Television: Health and Safety
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what guidance has been issued to the film and television industry regarding the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Smith of Basildon
	uin	HL1824
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/01/2024 answer text <p>Work in the film and television industry is covered under the general requirements of the Health and Safety etc. Act 1974 and associated regulations. However, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) also provides extensive guidance on common or higher risk activities encountered across multiple industries which may be applicable to activities within film and television production, e.g. working at height or managing asbestos (when filming on location).</p><p> </p><p>HSE also provides a range of guidance which is specific to film and television industry that describes the various roles and responsibilities of those within the production process (INDG360: Health and safety in audio-visual production. Your legal duties) and information sheets for specific production activities and risks, e.g. stunts, use of firearms and filming while using vehicles.</p><p> </p><p>All guidance and information are freely available on the HSE website, a section of which is dedicated to health and safety in the film, theatre and broadcasting industries.</p><p> </p><p>Alongside this, industry specific guidance is also available from a range of industry bodies and stakeholders.</p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member printed Viscount Younger of Leckie question first answered 29/01/2024 12:28:07 answering member 4169 label Biography information for Viscount Younger of Leckie
	tabling member	4170 label Biography information for Baroness Smith of Basildon

1549727

	registered interest
	date	07/12/2022
	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	Jobcentres: Staff
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Stedman-Scott on 7 December (HL3726), how often is the provision of work coaching refreshed.
	tabling member printed	Lord Storey
	uin	HL4123
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/12/2022 answer text <p>Work Coaches undertake job specific learning when they are new to role, as well as consolidation of their learning once training is completed. They are supported by Team Leaders who are responsible for assuring the quality of services through a combination of observation of interviews, feedback, coaching and appraisal.</p><p> </p><p>Work Coaches continue to receive ongoing learning to ensure they are confident in providing claimants with the support they need. They also have access to guidance which is refreshed at regular intervals.</p> answering member printed Baroness Stedman-Scott question first answered 21/12/2022 11:18:16 answering member 4174 label Biography information for Baroness Stedman-Scott
	tabling member	4238 label Biography information for Lord Storey

1664745

	registered interest
	date	16/10/2023
	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	Asylum
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have expanded the capacity of the Department of Work and Pensions to provide local support to refugees who have been given asylum recently as a result of the backlog of applications being cleared.
	tabling member printed	Lord German
	uin	HL10528
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/10/2023 answer text <p>Work Coaches have access to information on a range of services and support available in their local area for vulnerable claimants, including refugees. We also have access to a range of translation services to assist, should a claimant need support to overcome any language barriers.</p><p> </p><p>Work Coaches receive training to help them build supportive relationships with claimants, including refugees, encouraging them to openly discuss any barriers, concerns, or problems as they emerge.</p><p> </p><p>Work Coaches will provide tailored employment support to meet their customer’s needs. They utilise a wide range of tools to ensure that we are providing intensive employment support to these customers. This includes the use of Flexible Support Fund, Sector based work academy programme, English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), Jobs Fairs, collaboration with local partners and Group Information Sessions.</p><p> </p><p>Claimants can also give permission to share their UC account journal with support workers. The opportunity to combine face to face contact with on-line support has helped alleviate some of the communication barriers within legacy benefits which were traditionally more reliant on telephone and written forms of communications. Work Coaches can also use the on-line account to remind claimants of any information needed in order to ensure that their claim is processed smoothly.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>More generally, we are increasing capacity in our Decision Making teams, during both this and the next quarter, to help meet demand for benefit decisions.</p> answering member printed Viscount Younger of Leckie grouped question UIN HL10529 question first answered 26/10/2023 09:44:54 answering member 4169 label Biography information for Viscount Younger of Leckie
	tabling member	4163 label Biography information for Lord German

1664746

	registered interest
	date	16/10/2023
	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	Asylum
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have expanded the capacity of the Department of Work and Pensions to provide local support to refugees who, as a consequence of the backlog of applications being cleared, have recently been given asylum.
	tabling member printed	Lord German
	uin	HL10529
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/10/2023 answer text <p>Work Coaches have access to information on a range of services and support available in their local area for vulnerable claimants, including refugees. We also have access to a range of translation services to assist, should a claimant need support to overcome any language barriers.</p><p> </p><p>Work Coaches receive training to help them build supportive relationships with claimants, including refugees, encouraging them to openly discuss any barriers, concerns, or problems as they emerge.</p><p> </p><p>Work Coaches will provide tailored employment support to meet their customer’s needs. They utilise a wide range of tools to ensure that we are providing intensive employment support to these customers. This includes the use of Flexible Support Fund, Sector based work academy programme, English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), Jobs Fairs, collaboration with local partners and Group Information Sessions.</p><p> </p><p>Claimants can also give permission to share their UC account journal with support workers. The opportunity to combine face to face contact with on-line support has helped alleviate some of the communication barriers within legacy benefits which were traditionally more reliant on telephone and written forms of communications. Work Coaches can also use the on-line account to remind claimants of any information needed in order to ensure that their claim is processed smoothly.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>More generally, we are increasing capacity in our Decision Making teams, during both this and the next quarter, to help meet demand for benefit decisions.</p> answering member printed Viscount Younger of Leckie grouped question UIN HL10528 question first answered 26/10/2023 09:44:54 answering member 4169 label Biography information for Viscount Younger of Leckie
	tabling member	4163 label Biography information for Lord German

1453866

	registered interest
	date	23/03/2022
	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: Offenders
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what training they provide to work coaches to help them to support women with criminal records or who are on probation, when they are applying for jobs.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Lister of Burtersett
	uin	HL7287
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/04/2022 answer text <p>Work Coach learning is designed to be gender neutral, and support tailoring actions to individual customer needs. It does not specifically reference women with criminal records or who are on probation, when they are applying for jobs.</p><p> </p><p>Specific Universal Credit Prison Work Coach (PWC) learning is provided for Work Coaches who will be undertaking a role with prison leavers. This comprises of 47 hours of learning, blended to include facilitation, self-study and group work. The learning content can be tailored to learners’ requirements.</p><p> </p><p>This PWC learning aims to provide skills and knowledge without any reference to gender, preparing the PWC to support prison leavers with their Universal Credit claim and journey into employability. There is a focus on building relationships with employment partners to help create workshops and job vacancies for prison leavers.</p><p> </p><p>All Work Coaches including PWCs complete Complex Needs learning. This is upskilling to identify a claimant who has complex needs and be aware of the support that they can give. Concerns, such as prevalent employer attitudes to ex-offenders, stigma and common misconceptions are discussed. Learning highlights that ex-offenders are often vulnerable because they may have lived outside of the modern world for a period and may be less used to managing their own affairs.</p><p> </p><p>The learning provides information on what has to be declared and supports giving advice to ex-offenders on disclosure. Learning stipulates that a Work Coach must get a customer's consent before declaring that they have a conviction to an employer.</p> answering member printed Baroness Stedman-Scott question first answered 06/04/2022 11:36:53 answering member 4174 label Biography information for Baroness Stedman-Scott
	tabling member	4234 label Biography information for Baroness Lister of Burtersett