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1002135

registered interest
date	05/11/2018
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	Pensions Regulator: Risk Assessment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when she plans to bring forward legislative proposals to enhance the moral hazard powers of the Pensions Regulator.
tabling member constituency	Blaenau Gwent
tabling member printed	Nick Smith
uin	188087
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/11/2018 answer text <p>We have announced in the White Paper, <em>Protecting Defined Benefit Pension Schemes, </em>that we intend to introduce a stand-alone interview power and enhanced inspection powers to enable the Pensions Regulator to conduct its investigations in a more efficient way.</p><p> </p><p>The Government’s recent consultation on a stronger Pensions Regulator asked for views on proposals to strengthen the Pensions Regulator’s powers, including specifically enhancing its anti-avoidance powers, which deal with moral hazard. We are considering the responses and hope to publish our conclusions shortly, with a view to taking forward any necessary legislation in due course.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman grouped question UIN 188088 question first answered 12/11/2018 12:41:52 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	3928 label Biography information for Nick Smith

1002136

registered interest
date	05/11/2018
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	Pensions Regulator: Powers
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 bring forward legislative proposals to enhance the (a) information-gathering and (b) anti-avoidance powers of the Pensions Regulator.
tabling member constituency	Blaenau Gwent
tabling member printed	Nick Smith
uin	188088
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/11/2018 answer text <p>We have announced in the White Paper, <em>Protecting Defined Benefit Pension Schemes, </em>that we intend to introduce a stand-alone interview power and enhanced inspection powers to enable the Pensions Regulator to conduct its investigations in a more efficient way.</p><p> </p><p>The Government’s recent consultation on a stronger Pensions Regulator asked for views on proposals to strengthen the Pensions Regulator’s powers, including specifically enhancing its anti-avoidance powers, which deal with moral hazard. We are considering the responses and hope to publish our conclusions shortly, with a view to taking forward any necessary legislation in due course.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman grouped question UIN 188087 question first answered 12/11/2018 12:41:52 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	3928 label Biography information for Nick Smith

1002137

registered interest
date	05/11/2018
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	Pensions: Consumer Information
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what progress her Department has made on proposed verification and security measures for individual users of the proposed Pensions Dashboard.
tabling member constituency	Blaenau Gwent
tabling member printed	Nick Smith
uin	188089
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/11/2018 answer text <p>On Tuesday 4 September 2018, I published a written statement providing an update on pensions including the pensions dashboard. This statement can be found here: <a href="https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2018-09-04/HCWS933/" target="_blank">https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2018-09-04/HCWS933/</a></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>An industry-led Dashboard, facilitated by Government, will harness the best of industry innovation. We will continue to engage with industry, consumer groups and other stakeholders on this model and Government will protect pension savers and personal information by legislating where necessary.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 12/11/2018 12:45:41 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	3928 label Biography information for Nick Smith

999542

registered interest
date	01/11/2018
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, whether claimants migrating from employment support allowance to universal credit will be have to provide medical evidence to demonstrate vulnerability.
tabling member constituency	Stockton North
tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
uin	187020
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/11/2018 answer text <p>Being vulnerable covers a wide range of factors, not just those related to having health conditions and disabilities and as such no medical evidence is necessary to demonstrate vulnerability.</p><p> </p><p>The managed migration process is being designed to ensure a smooth transition of continuous support for all claimants, especially the most vulnerable. The Department is working with a wide range of stakeholders to ensure that the managed migration process works for everyone.</p><p> </p><p>Managed migration will commence in July 2019 during which up to 10,000 claimants will be migrated as part of the testing phase. This gradual and steady approach will allow us to ensure that the process works for everyone.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 06/11/2018 16:36:00 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

999543

registered interest
date	01/11/2018
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, pursuant to the Answer of 25 October 2018 to Question 177771 on Universal Credit, whether the Department’s plans to check evidence of complex needs will include a requirement to undertake a home visit.
tabling member constituency	Stockton North
tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
uin	187021
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/11/2018 answer text <p>We have improved how our Work Coaches and Case Workers view the claimant’s</p><p>Universal Credit account so they can identify a vulnerable claimant, in order to tailor the support they need. This may include contacting the claimant’s healthcare professional.</p><p> </p><p>We are taking a slow, measured approach to managed migration and this will allow for on-going evaluation of the process to ensure that it is working successfully and will allow us to refine our methods to support claimants.</p><p> </p><p>Where it is identified that existing benefit claimants are vulnerable or have complex needs and they have not made a new UC claim by the deadline day, their existing benefit claims are not terminated. This can be delayed until the claimant feels comfortable continuing with the managed migration process or for a home visit to be arranged to help them make a new UC claim.</p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton grouped question UIN 187022 question first answered 06/11/2018 16:41:48 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

999544

registered interest
date	01/11/2018
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, pursuant to the Answer of 25 October 2018 to Question 177771 on Universal Credit, whether the Department’s plans to check evidence of complex needs will include a requirement to contact a claimant’s healthcare professional where that information is known.
tabling member constituency	Stockton North
tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
uin	187022
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/11/2018 answer text <p>We have improved how our Work Coaches and Case Workers view the claimant’s</p><p>Universal Credit account so they can identify a vulnerable claimant, in order to tailor the support they need. This may include contacting the claimant’s healthcare professional.</p><p> </p><p>We are taking a slow, measured approach to managed migration and this will allow for on-going evaluation of the process to ensure that it is working successfully and will allow us to refine our methods to support claimants.</p><p> </p><p>Where it is identified that existing benefit claimants are vulnerable or have complex needs and they have not made a new UC claim by the deadline day, their existing benefit claims are not terminated. This can be delayed until the claimant feels comfortable continuing with the managed migration process or for a home visit to be arranged to help them make a new UC claim.</p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton grouped question UIN 187021 question first answered 06/11/2018 16:41:48 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

999601

registered interest
date	01/11/2018
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	Poverty: Children
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of the effect of the full roll out of universal credit on the number of children living in poverty in (a) the UK, (b) the north east, (c) Northumberland and (d) Wansbeck constituency.
tabling member constituency	Wansbeck
tabling member printed	Ian Lavery
uin	187025
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/11/2018 answer text <p>We have not made an assessment of the information requested.</p><p> </p><p>However, Universal Credit is designed to help people out of poverty. In line with this strategy, Universal Credit is designed to strengthen incentives for parents to move into and progress in work, and it is working. Universal Credit claimants move into work faster and spend more time looking for work.</p><p> </p><p>In addition, Universal Credit provides improved support for childcare for parents, enabling them to reclaim up to 85% of their eligible childcare costs, which is expected to help 500,000 additional families at a cost of around £350m per year.</p><p> </p><p>Further improvements to UC were also announced in the Budget. For example, work allowance rates will be increased by £1000 from April 2019, directing additional support to some of the most vulnerable low paid working families. A two-week run-on of legacy benefits was also announced, enabling claimants to continue to receive Jobseekers’ Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance, or Income Support for the first fortnight of a Universal Credit claim, with no need to pay back the overlap.</p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 06/11/2018 15:52:48 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4139 label Biography information for Ian Lavery

999619

registered interest
date	01/11/2018
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: Fraud
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of the cost to the public purse of welfare and benefits fraud committed by serious and organised criminals in the last three years.
tabling member constituency	Sheffield, Heeley
tabling member printed	Louise Haigh
uin	187088
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/11/2018 answer text <p>The requested information is not readily available and can only be provided at disproportionate cost.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 07/11/2018 10:20:38 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4473 label Biography information for Louise Haigh

999630

registered interest
date	01/11/2018
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, how his Department's arrangement with Citizens Advice to provide universal credit support to claimants will operate in (a) constituencies and (b) local authority areas that do not have a Citizens Advice bureau.
tabling member constituency	Bermondsey and Old Southwark
tabling member printed	Neil Coyle
uin	187046
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/11/2018 answer text <p>Citizens Advice and Citizens Advice Scotland have committed to providing coverage across England, Wales and Scotland</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 09/11/2018 10:51:01 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	4368 label Biography information for Neil Coyle

999640

registered interest
date	01/11/2018
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	Employment: Autism
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to close the autism employment gap.
tabling member constituency	Battersea
tabling member printed	Marsha De Cordova
uin	187154
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/11/2018 answer text <p>The Government is strongly committed to increasing employment opportunities for disabled people, including those with autism. Taking a life course approach, we are working across Government and with local authorities, voluntary organisations and employers in the public and private sectors to achieve this. Help and support for people with autism includes:</p><p> </p><ul><li>Access to Work, a discretionary grant scheme which offers advice and practical and financial support above the level of reasonable adjustments to disabled people who are in work or about to start work. Access to Work has also put in place a Hidden Impairment Specialist Team that gives advice and guidance to help employers support employees with conditions such as Autism, Learning Disability and/or Mental Health conditions. It also offers eligible people an assessment to find out their needs at work and help to develop a support plan.</li><li>In 2017/18, the highest ever number of people received AtW payments - 33,860, up 13% on 2016/17.</li><li>Through working with Autism Alliance, we have developed the Disability Confident Autism and Neurodiversity Toolkit, to help staff from all Government Departments understand how to support people with autism and associated neuro-diverse conditions. We also developed the Disability Passport ‘About Me’ which aims to encourage disabled claimants, including individuals with autism, to disclose their disability/ health conditions at the earliest stage to their Adviser, to improve communication and ensure reasonable adjustments are put in place. Both the toolkit and passport are hosted on Autism Alliance’s website.</li><li>Also through working with Autism Alliance, we delivered Autism and Hidden Impairment training to over 1000 nominated staff across the Jobcentre Plus network. Feedback from delegates confirms that the training helped staff to understand how to support people with autism or hidden impairments into employment.</li><li>The Civil Service has committed to support the Autism Exchange Programme, and my Department is working with Ambitious about Autism to provide work placement opportunities for young people.</li><li>Through the Disability Confident scheme, DWP is engaging with employers and helping to promote the skills, talents and abilities of people with autism and associated hidden impairment conditions. Through the scheme, DWP is providing advice and support to help employers feel more confident about employing disabled people, by signposting them to appropriate advice guidance and support.</li></ul><p><em>Improving Lives: the Future of Work, Health and Disability</em>, published last year, sets out the Government’s strategy for helping people with disabilities or health conditions, including learning difficulties and autism, enter and remain in employment. Whilst the initiatives are not all aimed exclusively at autistic people, we expect that many will benefit from these initiatives.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton question first answered 12/11/2018 11:51:57 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
tabling member	4676 label Biography information for Marsha De Cordova