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1171105

registered interest
date	15/01/2020
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	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 amend the universal credit (a) application form and (b) online journal to enable applicants to consent to their data being used to automatically register eligible children in their household for free school meals.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow South West
tabling member printed	Chris Stephens
uin	3828
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/01/2020 answer text <p>The Universal Credit system is structured around an online personal account which contains all the information relevant to the claim. This includes claimant’s bank account details, savings, capital, medical history, family relationships and address information. We need to ensure a high level of security and protection is maintained to combat unscrupulous individuals and organisations who try to access the information we hold and seek to impersonate genuine advisers. We take all reasonable steps to protect the position of claimants and their data.</p><p> </p><p>Claimants may currently be entitled to a number of other benefits because they are in receipt of Universal Credit. These are known as passported benefits and include free school meals and free prescriptions. The eligibility criteria for each passported benefit remain the responsibility of the departments and devolved administrations that own them. In Scotland and Wales, eligibility criteria for free school meals is a matter for the devolved administrations.</p><p> </p><p>The Department for Education provides an electronic eligibility checking service to all local authorities in England, which is used to confirm eligibility for free school meals.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 23/01/2020 17:27:16 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4463 label Biography information for Chris Stephens

1171106

registered interest
date	15/01/2020
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	Universal Credit
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 new claims for universal credit were paid in full and on time by (a) child element, (b) limited capability for work element, (c) childcare element and (d) housing element in the most recent 12 months for which figures are available.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow South West
tabling member printed	Chris Stephens
uin	3829
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/01/2020 answer text <p>Our latest data shows the proportion of new Universal Credit claims paid in full on time was 88.4%. In many cases where full payment is not made on time, it is due to unresolved issues such as: claimants not accepting their Claimant Commitment or passing identity checks, or having outstanding verification issues, such as housing costs and self-employed earnings.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The latest available information on payments made in full and on time to Universal Credit claimants is published and can be found at:</p><p><a href="https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/" target="_blank">https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/</a>.</p><p> </p><p>Guidance on how to extract the information required can be found at:</p><p><a href="https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html" target="_blank">https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html</a></p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 20/01/2020 14:16:58 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4463 label Biography information for Chris Stephens

1169228

registered interest
date	07/01/2020
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	Television Licences: Scotland
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the cost to the public purse was of providing free television licences to people over 75 for qualifying residents in (a) Glasgow South West constituency, (b) Glasgow city local authority area and (c) Scotland in 2018-19; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow South West
tabling member printed	Chris Stephens
uin	1095
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/01/2020 answer text <p>In the 2015 funding settlement, the Government agreed with the BBC that responsibility for the concession will transfer to the BBC in June 2020.</p><p> </p><p>On 10 June 2019, the BBC announced that the current scheme will end. From 1 June 2020, a free TV licence will only be available to a household with someone aged over 75 who receives Pension Credit.</p><p> </p><p>2018/19 is the first year of the part funding agreement leading up to the BBC taking responsibility for policy and funding of the concession from June 2020. The figures in the table below therefore are DWP’s share only, not the total expenditure.</p><p> </p><p>The table below provides estimates of the costs for 2018/19 of providing free TV licences to people aged 75 years and over in Glasgow South West constituency, Glasgow City local authority and Scotland.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p><strong>Expenditure (£m) (Nominal)</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p><strong>2018-19</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>(a) Glasgow South West constituency</strong></p></td><td><p>£0.5</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>(b) Glasgow City local authority</strong></p></td><td><p>£3.0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>(c) Scotland</strong></p></td><td><p>£38.0</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 13/01/2020 14:35:59 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4463 label Biography information for Chris Stephens

1169230

registered interest
date	07/01/2020
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	Social Security Benefits: Glasgow South West
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many advance benefit payments have been made to claimants in Glasgow South West constituency in each month since January 2019.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow South West
tabling member printed	Chris Stephens
uin	1097
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/01/2020 answer text <p><strong> </strong></p><p>New Universal Credit claimants who require urgent financial support, can apply for new claim advances to provide access to a payment quickly, until the first regular payment is due. Additionally, existing Universal Credit claimants who have told the Department about a change in their circumstances, which means more Universal Credit is owed, may also apply for an advance payment. Budgeting Advances exist to help pay for emergency household costs, for example, buying a new cooker or for help getting a job or staying in work.</p><p> </p><p>There are a range of advance payments that Universal Credit claimants can access. Information surrounding eligibility conditions and how to apply is published online at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/universal-credit-advances#how-to-apply-for-a-universal-credit-advance" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/universal-credit-advances#how-to-apply-for-a-universal-credit-advance</a></p><p> </p><p>The entirety of the number of advances paid, in Glasgow South West parliamentary constituency since January 2019, is provided in the table below.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong> </strong> <strong>Month</strong></p></td><td><p><strong> </strong> <strong>Universal Credit advances paid</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>January 2019</p></td><td><p>420</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>February 2019</p></td><td><p>590</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>March 2019</p></td><td><p>520</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>April 2019</p></td><td><p>510</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>May 2019</p></td><td><p>450</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>June 2019</p></td><td><p>550</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>July 2019</p></td><td><p>510</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>August 2019</p></td><td><p>510</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong>Notes</strong></p><p> </p><ol><li>Figures are rounded to the nearest 10</li><li>Figures go up to August 2019 in line with published statistics relating to households on Universal Credit</li><li>Figures include all types of advances</li><li>Figures relate to Universal Credit full service only</li></ol><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 14/01/2020 14:21:23 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4463 label Biography information for Chris Stephens

1169232

registered interest
date	07/01/2020
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	Universal Credit: Glasgow
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent progress has been made with housing associations in (a) Glasgow South West constituency and (b) Glasgow on their access to information from the Landlord Portal on universal credit claimants; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow South West
tabling member printed	Chris Stephens
uin	1099
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/01/2020 answer text <p><strong> </strong></p><p>The Universal Credit Landlord Portal allows social landlords who are registered users, to verify rent and submit managed payment requests through the Landlord Portal, rather than through the established email processes.</p><p> </p><p>Our Trusted Partner scheme allows social landlords to play a key role in engaging with their tenants who are on Universal Credit, helping those who cannot manage their housing payments to access the support available and to request that managed payments are in place where appropriate.</p><p> </p><p>There are now over 750 Social Landlords using the Portal and Trusted Partner scheme, and enrolment onto the Portal &amp; Trusted Partner remains open for any eligible Social Landlords (further details can be found at <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-credit-landlord-portal-and-trusted-partner-scheme-for-social-landlords/landlord-portal-and-trusted-partner-scheme-for-social-landlords" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-credit-landlord-portal-and-trusted-partner-scheme-for-social-landlords/landlord-portal-and-trusted-partner-scheme-for-social-landlords</a>). The total number of landlords currently enrolled on the Portal represent around 96% of the total Social Rented Sector housing stock.</p><p> </p><p>The Department maintains guidance on GOV.UK, relevant for private and social sector landlords, with information about Universal Credit including the Landlord Portal which has existed since 2017. This can be accessed at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-credit-and-rented-housing--2/universal-credit-and-rented-housing-guide-for-landlords" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-credit-and-rented-housing--2/universal-credit-and-rented-housing-guide-for-landlords</a></p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 15/01/2020 17:58:13 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4463 label Biography information for Chris Stephens

1169234

registered interest
date	07/01/2020
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	Social Security Benefits: Fraud
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many employees in her Department investigate benefit fraud: what recent estimate she has made of the cost to the public purse of that fraud; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow South West
tabling member printed	Chris Stephens
uin	1101
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/01/2020 answer text <p>As of the end of December 2019, the equivalent of around 1,400 full time staff were working as fraud investigators.</p><p> </p><p>In 2018/19 the total value of benefit overpaid as a result of fraud was £2.3bn. This accounts for 1.2% of benefit expenditure.</p><p> </p><p>The vast majority of benefit expenditure is paid correctly, with front line staff working hard to prevent overpayments from occurring. We are constantly improving our processes and continue to invest in the use of data and analytics to identify fraud and to better target our investigations.</p><p> </p><p>It is important to clarify that any overpayment made as a result of fraud is fully recoverable. Last year, DWP and Local Authorities recovered £1.1bn in benefit debt.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 15/01/2020 18:08:55 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4463 label Biography information for Chris Stephens

1150580

registered interest
date	17/10/2019
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: Equal Pay
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many equal pay reviews there have been in her Department since 2010; what the dates were of those reviews; and whether her Department plans to undertake an equal pay review in 2019.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow South West
tabling member printed	Chris Stephens
uin	1730
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/10/2019 answer text <p>DWP is committed to providing services which embrace diversity and which promote equality of opportunity. As an employer, we are also committed to equality and valuing diversity within our workforce. Our goal is to ensure that these commitments are embedded in our day to day working practices with all our customers, colleagues and partners.</p><p> </p><p>The Department is legally required to consider the impact of our policies and processes on people who share a protected characteristic, and to document our findings in order that we can provide evidence on this if challenged. The Equality Act does not specify a prescribed Equality Analysis process, however, since 2010 we have completed department wide Equal Pay Audits for 2011, 2014 and 2016. These were completed in 2012, 2016 and 2018 retrospectively. A further review is scheduled for 2019.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p /> answering member constituency Eastleigh answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 22/10/2019 16:11:39 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
tabling member	4463 label Biography information for Chris Stephens

1150587

registered interest
date	17/10/2019
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: Pay
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the pay system in her Department has been changed to take account of the Employment Appeal Tribunal ruling on Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council v Mr G Willetts and Others on holiday pay and voluntary overtime; and whether affected workers in her Department have been given back pay as a result of that ruling.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow South West
tabling member printed	Chris Stephens
uin	1736
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/10/2019 answer text <p>The Department for Work and Pensions is currently developing a policy to account for the rulings related to holiday pay and voluntary overtime. As this policy is still in development, no payments have been made.</p><p /><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Eastleigh answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 23/10/2019 09:51:24 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
tabling member	4463 label Biography information for Chris Stephens

1147582

registered interest
date	01/10/2019
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: Ethnic Groups
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 staff who applied for promotion within her Department from 1 September 2018 to 1 September 2019 and who identified as (a) BAME and (b) White were successful by each grade in her Department.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow South West
tabling member printed	Chris Stephens
uin	292940
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/10/2019 answer text <p>The Departmental recruitment and promotion exercises are delivered through the Government Recruitment Service (GRS) which is part of Cabinet Office, therefore the Department does not hold the information you have requested of those staff that have applied on promotion or those who have been successfully promoted. The Department is committed to increasing its diversity and inclusivity and does receive and analyse recruitment statistics information from GRS but this data does not distinguish between internal and external candidates.</p> answering member constituency Eastleigh answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 07/10/2019 11:23:38 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
tabling member	4463 label Biography information for Chris Stephens

1145735

registered interest
date	25/09/2019
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	Television Licences: Scotland
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the cost to the public purse was of providing free television licences to people over the age of 75 for qualifying residents in (a) Glasgow South West constituency, (b) Glasgow City local authority area and (c) Scotland in 2018-19; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow South West
tabling member printed	Chris Stephens
uin	290748
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/10/2019 answer text <p>In the 2015 funding settlement, the Government agreed with the BBC that responsibility for the concession will transfer to the BBC in June 2020.</p><p> </p><p>On 10 June 2019, the BBC announced that the current scheme will end. From 1 June 2020, a free TV licence will only be available to a household with someone aged over 75 who receives Pension Credit.</p><p> </p><p>The cost to the public purse for providing free TV licences to those aged over 75 in Scotland in 2018/19 is estimated as £38m. This is the first year of the part funding agreement leading up to the BBC taking responsibility for policy and funding of the concession from June 2020. The figure of £38m therefore is the DWP’s share only, not the total expenditure.</p><p> </p><p>The table below provides estimates of the costs and caseloads for 2017/18 of providing free TV licences to people aged 75 years and over in Glasgow South West constituency and Glasgow City local authority.</p><p> </p><p>The most recent figures available for parliamentary constituency and local authority are for 2017/18. Figures for 2018/19 will be available in October.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p><strong>Expenditure (£m) (Nominal)</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p><strong>2017-18</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>(a) Glasgow South West constituency</strong></p></td><td><p>£0.7</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>(b) Glasgow City local authority</strong></p></td><td><p>£4.1</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Note: The figure of £4.1m for Glasgow City local authority has been revised upwards by £0.1m from £4.0m since figures were last provided in a Parliamentary Question response in June 2019.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 01/10/2019 15:14:34 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman previous answer version 136337 answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4463 label Biography information for Chris Stephens