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1125413

registered interest
date	08/05/2019
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	Social Security Benefits: Medical Examinations
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 ensure that all medical assessors for (a) disability living allowance and (b) personal independence payment are medical professionals.
tabling member constituency	Upper Bann
tabling member printed	David Simpson
uin	251983
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/05/2019 answer text <p>For Disability Living Allowance, information about care and/or mobility needs is submitted on a claim form, supported by medical reports where necessary, which allows the department’s case managers to determine entitlement and make award decisions.</p><p> </p><p>Health Professionals that carry out Personal Independence Payment assessments on behalf of the department must have the following qualifications and experience:</p><p> </p><ul><li>are an occupational therapist, nurse (level 1), physiotherapist, doctor or paramedic</li><li>fully registered with the relevant licensing body (doctors must have a licence to practise)</li><li>the licensing body has not placed restrictions on the health professional's registration. In individual cases, this requirement may be wavered subject to prior written agreement with the department.</li><li>at least 2 years post full registration experience or less than 2 years post full registration experience by specific agreement with the department,</li><li>have passed a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.</li></ul><p> </p><p>Health Professionals are subject to a rigorous recruitment process followed by a comprehensive training programme in disability assessment for both physical and mental health conditions and have to be approved by the department. Health Professionals are then required to complete a programme of continuing professional development.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 17/05/2019 13:16:59 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	1597 label Biography information for David Simpson

1125414

registered interest
date	08/05/2019
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	Maternity Payments: Young People
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people under the age of 18 received a Sure Start Maternity grant in 2018.
tabling member constituency	Upper Bann
tabling member printed	David Simpson
uin	251984
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/05/2019 answer text <p>The information requested is not collated centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 17/05/2019 13:09:45 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	1597 label Biography information for David Simpson

1125417

registered interest
date	08/05/2019
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	Disability: Children
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what financial assistance her Department provides to parents who leave work to undertake full-time care for a child with a disability.
tabling member constituency	Upper Bann
tabling member printed	David Simpson
uin	251986
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/05/2019 answer text <p>The Department recognises that carers provide invaluable support for relatives, partners and friends who may be ill, frail or disabled. As such, there is an additional amount of benefit payable in Universal Credit to support carers who provide care of 35 hours or more each week for a severely disabled person. For claimants who meet these requirements an additional 160.20 per month is included in their Universal Credit entitlement for caring.</p><p> </p><p>Carer’s Allowance is also available to provide a measure of financial support for those who give up full-time employment to care for a severely disabled person for at least 35 hours a week. The rate of Carer’s Allowance has increased from £53.90 in 2010 to £66.15 a week, meaning an additional £635 a year for carers since 2010.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 17/05/2019 12:49:54 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	1597 label Biography information for David Simpson

1125419

registered interest
date	08/05/2019
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	Universal Credit
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what financial support for the costs of childcare her Department provides to parents in receipt of universal credit.
tabling member constituency	Upper Bann
tabling member printed	David Simpson
uin	251987
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/05/2019 answer text <p>The Government recognises that childcare costs can affect parents’ decisions to take up paid work or increase their working hours. We are committed to helping parents into work.</p><p> </p><p>To overcome this barrier to employment, Universal Credit claimants are able to claim up to 85 per cent of their childcare costs, compared to 70% on the legacy system. This can be claimed up to a month before starting a job, and can be worth up to £13,000 a year for families with two children.</p><p> </p><p>Over the last few months we have been trialling a more flexible approach to parents who do not report their childcare costs on time. Following a successful pilot, we are now updating our guidance, so that Work Coaches have more flexibility and discretion to support parents’ claims for this essential service.</p><p> </p><p>The Universal Credit childcare policy also aligns with the wider government childcare offer, which includes free childcare hours and tax free childcare.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 17/05/2019 13:04:12 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	1597 label Biography information for David Simpson

1063936

registered interest
date	19/02/2019
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	Personal Independence Payment: Appeals
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much her Department paid from the public purse to claimants of personal independence payment during the appeals process in each of the the last two years.
tabling member constituency	Upper Bann
tabling member printed	David Simpson
uin	223108
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/02/2019 answer text <p>The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>There are nine possible Personal Independence Payment (PIP) decisions, all of which carry the right to a Mandatory Reconsideration (MR) and appeal. If PIP has been awarded but appealed, that rate will be paid until the appeal is decided.</p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton question first answered 25/02/2019 15:37:41 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
tabling member	1597 label Biography information for David Simpson

1063937

registered interest
date	19/02/2019
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	Personal Independence Payment: Chronic Illnesses
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans her Department has to give indefinite awards of personal independence payment to people with degenerative conditions.
tabling member constituency	Upper Bann
tabling member printed	David Simpson
uin	223109
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/02/2019 answer text <p>Once someone has been awarded Personal Independence Payment (PIP), which can be paid at one of eight rates, that award will be reviewed. Reviews of PIP are a key part of the benefit to ensure that awards remain correct where needs may change and that we maintain contact with the claimant, both features that are missing from its predecessor Disability Living Allowance. The length of an award is based on an individual’s circumstances and can vary from nine months to an on-going award, with a light touch review after ten years.</p><p> </p><p>In August 2018, we introduced updated guidance for case managers which will ensure that those people who receive the highest level of support under PIP, and where their needs are unlikely to change or may get worse, will now receive an ongoing award with a light touch review at the ten-year point. In line with PIP’s aim to be needs-based rather than condition-based, the change to the guidance is not condition specific. However, we believe the changes will ensure that those with severe and/or progressive conditions receive the most appropriate award duration that reflects their condition and the needs arising.</p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton question first answered 25/02/2019 15:32:55 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
tabling member	1597 label Biography information for David Simpson

1063938

registered interest
date	19/02/2019
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	Personal Independence Payment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans her Department has to introduce online application forms for personal independence payments which allow claimants to scan and upload their documents.
tabling member constituency	Upper Bann
tabling member printed	David Simpson
uin	223110
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/02/2019 answer text <p>The Government’s response to recommendation 14 from the second independent review of the Personal Independence Payment assessment, published on 18 December 2017 (<a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/personal-independence-payment-pip-assessment-second-independent-review-government-response" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/personal-independence-payment-pip-assessment-second-independent-review-government-response</a>), sets out the Government’s position in relation to online applications to Personal Independence Payment (PIP).</p><p> </p><p>The response sets out that we are committed to test and learn activity following small-scale pilots on applying for PIP online and that we are exploring ways to make better use of data-sharing across all health and disability benefits so as to provide more personalised support and services.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton question first answered 25/02/2019 15:48:08 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
tabling member	1597 label Biography information for David Simpson

1063940

registered interest
date	19/02/2019
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	Motability
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many personal independence payment claimants lost their mobility entitlement for a motability car on moving from the disabled living allowance in the last two years.
tabling member constituency	Upper Bann
tabling member printed	David Simpson
uin	223112
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/02/2019 answer text <p>The table below provides information on the 357,310 claimants previously in receipt of the higher mobility rate under Disability Living Allowance (DLA) who underwent reassessment within the last two years and their subsequent mobility award on Personal Independence Payment (PIP).</p><p> </p><p>Table: PIP mobility component for DLA to PIP reassessment claimants who previously received the higher mobility component under DLA. (1<sup>st</sup> November 2016 to 31<sup>st</sup> October 2018).</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>PIP Mobility component after reassessment from DLA</p></td><td><p>No. of Claimants</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Enhanced</p></td><td><p>199,570</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Standard</p></td><td><p>79,110</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Nil (but awarded Daily Living)</p></td><td><p>32,090</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Disallowed post-assessment</p></td><td><p>35,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Disallowed pre-assessment</p></td><td><p>9,390</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Withdrawn</p></td><td><p>2,160</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Total re-assessed</p></td><td><p>357,310</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>While some claimants have lost their entitlement to the higher rate mobility component, 144,000 reassessed DLA claimants who did not previously have the enhanced rate of the mobility component on DLA were subsequently awarded this on PIP.</p><p> </p><p>The number of people returning Motability vehicles and the reasons behind this are recorded by Motability. The Department has no right of access to this information as Motability is an independent organisation. It should also be noted that only one third of claimants on the highest rates of mobility choose to join the scheme.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Notes:</p><p>1. Data shows the outcome of the first DWP decision on each PIP claim (i.e. prior to any reconsideration, appeal action and award review), where that decision was made between 1<sup>st</sup> November 2016 and 31st October 2018.</p><p>2. For each individual who has a PIP reassessment outcome their PIP entitlement has been compared to their DLA entitlement at the time of their PIP reassessment registration.</p><p>3. Figures include reassessment outcomes for individuals who were aged between 16 and 64 on 8th April 2013, and include PIP claims made under both normal rules and Special Rules for Terminally Ill (SRTI) people.</p><p>4. This is unpublished data. It should be used with caution and it may be subject to future revision.</p><p>5. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10 and may not total because of rounding.</p><p>6. Great Britain only.</p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton question first answered 25/02/2019 15:57:43 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
tabling member	1597 label Biography information for David Simpson

1054690

registered interest
date	04/02/2019
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: 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 people were given prison sentences for benefit fraud in each of the last three years.
tabling member constituency	Upper Bann
tabling member printed	David Simpson
uin	216287
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/02/2019 answer text <p><strong> </strong></p><p>The Department for Work and Pensions is committed to taking effective action against those who commit benefit fraud. This can include prosecutions resulting in prison sentences.</p><p> </p><p>The table below details the total number of people who were given prison sentences as a result of a prosecution for benefit fraud in each of the last three full years.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Year</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Imprisoned</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Imprisoned </strong> <strong>(suspended sentence)</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2015/16</strong></p></td><td><p>280</p></td><td><p>1,200</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2016/17</strong></p></td><td><p>220</p></td><td><p>1,060</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2017/18</strong></p></td><td><p>130</p></td><td><p>950</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p><em>*Please note that all figures have been rounded to the nearest ten.</em></p><p> </p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 11/02/2019 16:10:06 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	1597 label Biography information for David Simpson

1045647

registered interest
date	21/01/2019
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	Farmers: Industrial Health and Safety
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to reduce risks for farmers at work.
tabling member constituency	Upper Bann
tabling member printed	David Simpson
uin	210531
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/01/2019 answer text <p>The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has responsibility for the regulation of health and safety standards on Great Britain’s farms. In March 2018, HSE published its Agriculture Sector Intervention Strategy (available at: <a href="http://www.hse.gov.uk/aboutus/strategiesandplans/sector-plans/ag-sec-intervention-strategy.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.hse.gov.uk/aboutus/strategiesandplans/sector-plans/ag-sec-intervention-strategy.pdf</a>) which details the actions they will take to tackle farm accidents and ill health.</p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton question first answered 29/01/2019 18:00:29 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
tabling member	1597 label Biography information for David Simpson