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1135807

registered interest
date	01/07/2019
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	Workplace Pensions
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 the publication of the master trust and GPP defaults report by Corporate Adviser magazine, whether her Department plans to reduce the protection on charges for members of occupational pension schemes used for automatic enrolment.
tabling member constituency	Wallasey
tabling member printed	Ms Angela Eagle
uin	271354
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/07/2019 answer text <p>The DWP have no such plans. The Corporate Adviser report (available on request from <a href="https://corporate-adviser.com/" target="_blank">https://corporate-adviser.com/</a>) showed that the vast majority of pension savers are in schemes are able to invest in a range of diversified assets at prices well below the automatic enrolment charge cap. Therefore I do not intend to reduce member protections.</p><p> </p><p>In my 2017 written statement HCWS249 (<a href="https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2017-11-16/HCWS249/" target="_blank">https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2017-11-16/HCWS249/</a>) I committed to reviewing the level and scope of the charge cap in 2020, alongside the suitability of ‘combination charges’ (where a percentage charge on funds is combined with a charge on contribution or a flat annual fee), to see whether a change is needed to protect members.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 04/07/2019 14:12:02 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	491 label Biography information for Dame Angela Eagle

1135527

registered interest
date	28/06/2019
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	Pension Funds: Investment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she is taking steps to ensure that pension companies declare investments in the fossil-fuel industry; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
tabling member printed	Paul Farrelly
uin	270720
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/07/2019 answer text <p>The Government recognises that climate change is a key national and international issue we have made sure that pension schemes understand their role responding to its effects. In September 2018, following extensive consultation with the pensions industry, this Government laid regulations (https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/pension-trustees-clarifying-and-strengthening-investment-duties) to clarify and strengthen trustees’ investment duties, including taking account of the financial risks of climate change when developing their investment strategies. There has been extensive stakeholder engagement since. The regulations come into force from October this year.</p><p> </p><p>Defined contribution occupational pension schemes will be required to publish their policy on consideration of climate risks by October 2019, with most defined benefit schemes being required to follow suit by October 2020.</p><p> </p><p>The FCA are consulting on corresponding provisions for workplace personal pension schemes. As the Minister for Pensions and Financial Inclusion I have spoken extensively about the new requirements and the Government expectations of pension schemes, including at the Westminster Hall debate regarding Pension Funds: Financial and Ethical Investments on the 22 May 2019:</p><p> </p><p>“For too long there has been a perception by too many trustees -I am happy to clarify this as a Government Minister- that the environmental practices of the firms they invest in are purely ethical concerns, which they do not need to worry about: that is utterly wrong. Aside from the ethical considerations, there are real financial risks resulting from climate change. With the long-term horizons of pension investing, trustees must now consider that when they set out their investment strategies. Trustees who do not consider those matters will be breaching their statutory and potentially their fiduciary duties not only to current but future members.”</p><p> </p><p>The full debate can be viewed here:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2019-05-22/debates/D3194408-7581-4635-AEDC-6D22AD6F0EBC/PensionFundsFinancialAndEthicalInvestments" target="_blank">https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2019-05-22/debates/D3194408-7581-4635-AEDC-6D22AD6F0EBC/PensionFundsFinancialAndEthicalInvestments</a></p><p> </p><p>The Government is very keen to support trustees in making responsible investment decisions.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 03/07/2019 10:10:15 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	1436 label Biography information for Paul Farrelly

1135595

registered interest
date	28/06/2019
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	Universal Credit
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when the universal credit managed migration pilot is planned to begin in Harrogate.
tabling member constituency	High Peak
tabling member printed	Ruth George
uin	270819
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/07/2019 answer text <p>On 3 May 2019, the High Court handed down a judgment in relation to Universal Credit and the Severe Disability Premium (SDP). The judgment quashed the SDP related parts of the draft Universal Credit (Managed Migration Pilot and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2019.The Department is currently considering the options open to us and will respond in due course.</p><p> </p><p>We plan to begin the “Move to UC” pilot in July 2019.</p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma grouped question UIN 270820 question first answered 03/07/2019 12:35:48 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	4662 label Biography information for Ruth George

1135249

registered interest
date	27/06/2019
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	Local Housing Allowance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans the Government has to restore local housing allowance rates to cover the cheapest third of local rents to improve affordability for residents in receipt of that allowance who seek to live in private accommodation.
tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
tabling member printed	Tom Brake
uin	270236
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/07/2019 answer text <p><strong> </strong></p><p>There are no plans to extend or maintain the Benefit Freeze after March 2020. Specific decisions on how to uprate the Local Housing Allowance from April 2020 will form part of the discussions in support of fiscal events later this year.</p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 02/07/2019 10:47:16 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	151 label Biography information for Tom Brake

1135341

registered interest
date	27/06/2019
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	Refugees: 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 refugees resettled under the resettlement scheme will be subject to the two-child limit for universal credit.
tabling member constituency	Manchester, Gorton
tabling member printed	Afzal Khan
uin	270446
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/07/2019 answer text <p>Refugees resettled under resettlement schemes are able to work and have access to some DWP benefits upon arrival.</p><p>In the same way as other claimants, they are included in the policy not to provide extra benefit entitlements for more than two children unless those children were born before 6 April 2017 or an exception applies.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 02/07/2019 14:50:47 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	4671 label Biography information for Afzal Khan

1134454

registered interest
date	25/06/2019
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	Children: Maintanance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many committal orders have been issued under each category for (a) the Child Maintenance Service and (b) the Child Support Agency in each of the last five years.
tabling member constituency	Motherwell and Wishaw
tabling member printed	Marion Fellows
uin	269080
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/07/2019 answer text <p>Committal orders, or sanctions as they are called in the Child Maintenance Service, are reported in our published statistics and can be on found table 11 of the tables document on the attached link:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/child-maintenance-service-august-2013-to-march-2019-experimental" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/child-maintenance-service-august-2013-to-march-2019-experimental</a></p><p> </p><p>We reported enforcement activities in our CSA statistics until September 2017 when we reduced the number of tables published because most CSA cases had been closed or had begun the Case Closure process. The last publication including the enforcement activities can be found on table 22 of the attached link:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/child-support-agency-quarterly-summary-of-statistics-june-2017" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/child-support-agency-quarterly-summary-of-statistics-june-2017</a></p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p><strong> </strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p><strong> </strong></p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 01/07/2019 16:56:47 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4440 label Biography information for Marion Fellows

1134588

registered interest
date	25/06/2019
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: Disqualification
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 had their benefit payments reduced to (a) less than £6 per day, (b) less than £5 per day and (c) zero due to the imposition of sanctions by her Department in each year since 2010.
tabling member constituency	Cardiff Central
tabling member printed	Jo Stevens
uin	269074
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/07/2019 answer text <p>The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.</p><p>In Universal Credit, sanctions are calculated with reference to the claimant’s standard allowance only and not any other elements such as housing or children. A sanction will reduce the Universal Credit award by no more than 100% of the standard allowance.</p><p>We have a well-established system of hardship payments, available as a safeguard if a claimant demonstrates that they cannot meet their immediate and most essential needs (including accommodation, heating, food and hygiene) as a result of their sanction.</p><p /> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 01/07/2019 16:14:47 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	4425 label Biography information for Jo Stevens

1134179

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	Pension 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 people are in receipt of pension credits in (a) the UK, (b) Yorkshire and the Humber and (c) Haltemprice and Howden constituency.
tabling member constituency	Haltemprice and Howden
tabling member printed	Mr David Davis
uin	268375
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/07/2019 answer text <p>In November 2018, the number of people in receipt of Pension Credit in Great Britain, Yorkshire and the Humber, and Haltemprice and Howden constituency<strong>, </strong>can be found in the table below:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p><strong>Number of Pension Credit recipients</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Great Britain</strong></p></td><td><p>1,642,874</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Yorkshire and the Humber</strong></p></td><td><p>148,940</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Haltemprice and Howden constituency</strong></p></td><td><p>1,788</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>The information is published and available at:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk" target="_blank">https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk</a></p><p> </p><p>Guidance for users is available at:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/jsf/login.xhtml" target="_blank">https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/jsf/login.xhtml</a></p><p> </p><p><strong></strong></p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 02/07/2019 15:11:41 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	373 label Biography information for Sir David Davis

1134262

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	Assistance Animals
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that all those whose lives could be improved by an assistance dog have access to one.
tabling member constituency	South Holland and The Deepings
tabling member printed	Sir John Hayes
uin	268367
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/07/2019 answer text <p>The services of assistance dogs are provided by a number of UK charities and private sector organisations, including owner trainers, some of whom are accredited by international bodies. The Department for Work and Pensions does not offer financial support or raise awareness for this sector.</p><p> </p><p>As the Government does not directly deliver these services, it does not centrally collect data estimating the prevalence of need for assistance dogs, or record the numbers who have access to one.</p><p>The services and standards of assistance dogs are currently and historically maintained on the basis of a voluntary regulatory framework. There is no specific legislation for the regulation of assistance dogs and no legislation is planned.</p><p>Assistance dogs must be allowed access to premises and services as a reasonable adjustment under the Equality Act 2010. There is also an obligation on service providers to ensure that staff receive disability awareness training. Guidance for service providers on their duties and responsibilities already exists and is available from both the Gov.uk website and from the EHRC – for example:</p><p><a href="https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/publication-download/assistance-dogs-guide-all-businesses" target="_blank">https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/publication-download/assistance-dogs-guide-all-businesses</a></p><p>The Government continues to encourage service providers to do their utmost to provide the fullest possible access for disabled people.</p><p>Officials at the Office for Disability Issues (part of my Ministerial portfolio) initiated and helped convene different members of the assistance dogs sector to look at access, quality and supply issues for assistance dogs, with a view to creating a UK standard. This work is currently being considered by the assistance dogs sector who are responsible for agreeing and implementing this standard.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson grouped question UIN 268368 268369 268370 268371 268372 question first answered 02/07/2019 14:41:39 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	350 label Biography information for Sir John Hayes

1134263

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	Assistance Animals
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to increase the number of assistance dogs.
tabling member constituency	South Holland and The Deepings
tabling member printed	Sir John Hayes
uin	268368
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/07/2019 answer text <p>The services of assistance dogs are provided by a number of UK charities and private sector organisations, including owner trainers, some of whom are accredited by international bodies. The Department for Work and Pensions does not offer financial support or raise awareness for this sector.</p><p> </p><p>As the Government does not directly deliver these services, it does not centrally collect data estimating the prevalence of need for assistance dogs, or record the numbers who have access to one.</p><p>The services and standards of assistance dogs are currently and historically maintained on the basis of a voluntary regulatory framework. There is no specific legislation for the regulation of assistance dogs and no legislation is planned.</p><p>Assistance dogs must be allowed access to premises and services as a reasonable adjustment under the Equality Act 2010. There is also an obligation on service providers to ensure that staff receive disability awareness training. Guidance for service providers on their duties and responsibilities already exists and is available from both the Gov.uk website and from the EHRC – for example:</p><p><a href="https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/publication-download/assistance-dogs-guide-all-businesses" target="_blank">https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/publication-download/assistance-dogs-guide-all-businesses</a></p><p>The Government continues to encourage service providers to do their utmost to provide the fullest possible access for disabled people.</p><p>Officials at the Office for Disability Issues (part of my Ministerial portfolio) initiated and helped convene different members of the assistance dogs sector to look at access, quality and supply issues for assistance dogs, with a view to creating a UK standard. This work is currently being considered by the assistance dogs sector who are responsible for agreeing and implementing this standard.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson grouped question UIN 268367 268369 268370 268371 268372 question first answered 02/07/2019 14:41:39 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	350 label Biography information for Sir John Hayes