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1132544

	registered interest
	date	17/06/2019
	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	Historic Buildings: Health Hazards
	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 protections introduced in Germany and Austria for workers renovating or demolishing buildings against the risk of breathing in historical man-made mineral fibres which are now considered to pose a serious risk to health, what steps she is taking to introduce similar protections for UK workers.
	tabling member constituency	York Central
	tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
	uin	265555
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/06/2019 answer text <p>The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is aware of the guidelines that have been produced in Germany and Austria, advising companies on the measures they should take to protect workers against risks of breathing in historic man-made mineral fibres (MMMFs).</p><p>In Great Britain there is a statutory framework in place to protect workers who may be exposed to any hazardous substance, such as MMMFs, regardless of how that exposure occurs. This framework includes the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 which places a general duty on employers to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of people affected by their work activities.</p><p> </p><p>The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH), places specific duties on employers and implements several EU Directives on worker protection, ensuring our standards meet those required of all EU Member States. COSHH requires employers to carry out a risk assessment to establish the hazards associated with the tasks and processes they are undertaking and put in place suitable arrangements to either prevent or control those risks. Such a risk assessment would need to be carried out for workers renovating or demolishing buildings to enable suitable controls to be put in place for any hazardous substances that may be present or that may be produced, including MMMFs. HSE provides guidance, to help businesses comply with their legal duties.</p><p> </p><p>The regulatory framework, supported by guidance, is sufficient to control occupational exposure to MMMFs.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 24/06/2019 14:39:07 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1132412

	registered interest
	date	17/06/2019
	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	Basic Income: Sheffield
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if her Department will take steps to monitor the roll out of a universal basic income pilot by Sheffield City Council; and if she will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Vale of Clwyd
	tabling member printed	Chris Ruane
	uin	265451
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/06/2019 answer text <p>We are aware of experiments in universal basic income (UBI) around the world and we do not believe there is a case for UBI. We believe Universal Credit is the right approach for the UK because it simplifies the benefit system, promotes and incentivises work, including progression in work, and provides targeted support to those in most need in a way that is affordable.</p><p> </p><p>In February 2018 the OECD concluded in <a href="https://read.oecd-ilibrary.org/economics/oecd-economic-surveys-finland-2018_eco_surveys-fin-2018-en#page45" target="_blank">its survey of the Finnish Economy</a> that the complexity of the current benefits system in Finland was an obstacle to stepping into work and that the basic income experiment, whilst possibly enhancing work incentives, may increase poverty and would require increasing income taxation by nearly 30%. More recently, findings from the evaluation of the Finnish basic income experiment show some improvement in perceived wellbeing, but that it did not increase the employment level of the participants in the first year of the experiment. The OECD also developed a scenario for Finland inspired by the UK’s Universal Credit (UC). They found that this ‘would consistently improve work incentives and reduce complexity, with limited changes to the income distribution and limited fiscal cost.</p><p> </p><p>This <a href="https://oecdecoscope.blog/2018/02/28/why-would-a-universal-credit-be-better-than-a-basic-income-for-finland/" target="_blank">OECD blog</a> post is particularly useful on the OECD’s work to compare UBI and UC.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 20/06/2019 15:59:10 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
	tabling member	534 label Biography information for Chris Ruane

1132567

	registered interest
	date	17/06/2019
	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	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, what criteria her Department uses to determine performance-related awards for officials in her Department.
	tabling member constituency	Newport East
	tabling member printed	Jessica Morden
	uin	265469
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/06/2019 answer text <p>End year performance awards are a key element of the Department for Work and Pension’s reward strategy, supporting performance improvement, employee engagement and delivery of key business objectives. These awards are based on employees’ annual performance ratings, which are scored against their overall achievement of objectives, and the behaviours demonstrated during the performance year. The level of award will vary according to a range of factors including grade and performance rating achieved.</p><p> </p><p>As with all government departments Senior Civil Servants (SCS) in DWP are managed under Cabinet Office policy. Performance related pay awards for this cohort are restricted to top performers only with around 25% of employees falling into this category. Performance ratings are based on delivery against key objectives, effective leadership skills, and demonstration of Civil Service behaviours and values.</p><p> </p><p>The DWP, in common with most other government departments, also operates an in-year Recognition and Reward scheme which is available all year round and consists of one off non-consolidated cash or voucher awards. Employees are encouraged to recognise individuals and teams for their exceptional contributions in areas such as giving a particularly high level of customer service or demonstrating outstanding teamwork.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 20/06/2019 15:43:26 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	1548 label Biography information for Jessica Morden

1132572

	registered interest
	date	17/06/2019
	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	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, how much her Department spent on performance-related awards for officials in (a) 2014, (b) 2015, (c) 2016, (d) 2017, (e) 2018 and (f) January 2019 to June 2019.
	tabling member constituency	Newport East
	tabling member printed	Jessica Morden
	uin	265470
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/06/2019 answer text <p>The periods covered are pay remit years which run from July to June, figures up to 2017/18 are actual and 2018/19 is forecast as this reporting year will not conclude until end June 2019.</p><p> </p><p>The figures provided include expenditure on all DWP performance related awards including; End of year performance awards to delegated grades, SCS Performance Related Payments, Recognition scheme.</p><p> </p><p>2013/14 - £49.635,000, Average Payment by headcount - £505</p><p>2014/15 - £46,277,000, Average Payment by headcount - £513</p><p>2015/16 - £43,056,000, Average Payment by headcount - £510</p><p>2016/17 - £39,435,000, Average Payment by headcount - £473</p><p>2017/18 - £42,341,000, Average Payment by headcount - £509</p><p>2018/19 - £22,854,000 – Payments will be agreed as part of 2019 pay negotiations pending.</p><p> </p><p>We have over 82,000 employees in DWP, approximately 94% are in our most junior grades receiving an annual salary between £18,745 for an AA Grade and £37,262 for an HEO Grade based in Inner London.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 20/06/2019 15:19:09 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	1548 label Biography information for Jessica Morden

1132524

	registered interest
	date	17/06/2019
	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	Carers: Re-employment
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what support her Department provides to single adult carers of adult dependants to re-enter work.
	tabling member constituency	Motherwell and Wishaw
	tabling member printed	Marion Fellows
	uin	265549
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/06/2019 answer text <p>Jobcentre Plus work coaches offer all claimants, including carers, a comprehensive menu of help, including skills provision and job search support, including individual support packages to help people into work. Support and coaching is personalised to the individual so that it works best for them.</p><p /><p>For example, Jobcentre Plus Work Coaches utilise packages of support such as New Enterprise Allowance (NEA) for those considering self-employment and funding from the Flexible Support Fund to help individuals overcome their barriers to enter employment.</p><p> </p><p>In addition, support is available via the National Careers Service in England, co-located in around 90% of Jobcentres and available online. This includes a Skills Health Check designed to help users explore their skills and interests to help identify the right job. In Scotland a broader offer is made via My World of Work.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 20/06/2019 12:55:56 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	4440 label Biography information for Marion Fellows

1132394

	registered interest
	date	17/06/2019
	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	Department for Work and Pensions: Cardiff
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans she has to help ensure that there are adequate (a) parking facilities and (b) public transport connections for staff working in her Department's offices in Merthyr Tydfil when that office is moved to the hub north of Cardiff.
	tabling member constituency	Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney
	tabling member printed	Gerald Jones
	uin	265563
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/06/2019 answer text <p>We plan to move the back of house staff based in Merthyr Tydfil Ty Bethesda into the new office in Treforest between 2021 and 2023.</p><p> </p><p>Building work on the new Treforest site began in January 2019 and the building is currently on track and due for completion in the last quarter of 2020. There are plans for 444 car parking spaces, along with space for motorcycle and cycle storage at this site.</p><p> </p><p>The development of the South Wales Metro continues and discussions are ongoing between DWP and Transport for Wales around the relocation of Trefforest Estate station closer to the new office.</p><p> </p><p>Before any moves take place, staff will have the opportunity for a formal one-to-one discussion with their line managers about how the move will impact them. This helps to assess any travel impacts of the change of location. We anticipate that these formal discussions will take place approximately nine months in advance of any moves.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 20/06/2019 15:51:41 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4501 label Biography information for Gerald Jones

1132577

	registered interest
	date	17/06/2019
	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	Personal Independence Payment: Terminal Illnesses
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claimants awarded personal independence payment under the special rules for terminal illness made an advanced new claim towards the end of their existing award in each of the last five years; and how many of those claimants had motor neurone disease.
	tabling member constituency	Mansfield
	tabling member printed	Ben Bradley
	uin	265610
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/06/2019 answer text <p>The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 24/06/2019 14:41:19 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	4663 label Biography information for Ben Bradley

1132397

	registered interest
	date	17/06/2019
	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	Employment: Mental Health
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans she has to strengthen protections for mental health at work under health and safety legislation.
	tabling member constituency	Knowsley
	tabling member printed	Sir George Howarth
	uin	265450
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/06/2019 answer text <p>In October 2017, the Prime Minister welcomed and accepted the recommendations of the <em>Thriving at Work: The Stevenson / Farmer review of mental health</em> <em>and employers</em>. This recognised that employers should develop a comprehensive approach to managing mental health that includes implementing activity on preventing mental ill health caused by work, promoting good mental health in the workplace and supporting individuals who experience poor mental health. Actions to implement this comprehensive approach are described within the mental health standards developed by the reviewers and accepted by Government.</p><p> </p><p>Existing duties under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 contribute by requiring employers to put in place measures to prevent causes of work-related mental ill health. Specifically, the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 require employers to undertake a risk assessment and act on that assessment by removing or putting in place reasonable steps to control the causes of work-related mental ill health. Additionally, under the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981, employers have a responsibility to consider the mental health needs of their staff as part of their ‘first aid needs assessment’ and decide on what support is necessary. This assessment enables employers to put in place measures that will directly respond to their employee needs and allows businesses flexibility where those needs may change. Supporting individuals in distress until professional help arrives is an important feature of any first aid event regardless of its nature. It is a key component in the first aid syllabus contained in the regulations and meets the NHS recommended approach for assisting an individual who is experiencing a mental health crisis.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Government is committed to working with key stakeholders, public, private and voluntary sectors to ensure that employers of all sizes implement the mental health standards, comply with their legal duties and realise the benefit of healthy inclusive workplaces.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 24/06/2019 14:32:11 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	481 label Biography information for Sir George Howarth

1132493

	registered interest
	date	17/06/2019
	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: Payment Methods
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claimants of universal credit received payments into a Post Office Card Account in each of the last 12 months.
	tabling member constituency	High Peak
	tabling member printed	Ruth George
	uin	265586
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/06/2019 answer text <p>The Department’s standard method of payment for pensions and benefits is into a bank, building society or credit union account. For claimants who cannot open one of these accounts, or provide the details for their own account to access their payment, the Department can offer two alternatives: The Post Office Card Account and HM Government Payment Exception Service, both of which guarantee access to their payment of pension and or benefit.</p><p> </p><p>The Department has been contacting claimants using Post Office Card Accounts since September 2015 offering information to claimants to move to standard payment methods.</p><p> </p><p>As a claimant may receive more than one payment of Universal Credit in each month, we have supplied the total volume of Universal Credit payments made into Post Office Card Accounts in each of the last 12 months in the table below. Increasing volumes of Universal Credit payments into these types of account reflect those naturally migrating from legacy benefits and taking their payment method with them.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Month</p></td><td><p>Payments Made</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>June 2018</p></td><td><p>10,322</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>July 2018</p></td><td><p>9,699</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>August 2018</p></td><td><p>10,686</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>September 2018</p></td><td><p>10,494</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>October 2018</p></td><td><p>10,302</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>November 2018</p></td><td><p>12,160</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>December 2018</p></td><td><p>12,649</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>January 2019</p></td><td><p>12,571</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>February 2019</p></td><td><p>13,807</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>March 2019</p></td><td><p>14,209</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>April 2019</p></td><td><p>14,377</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>May 2019</p></td><td><p>15,724</p></td></tr></tbody></table> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 20/06/2019 14:50:39 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
	tabling member	4662 label Biography information for Ruth George

1132554

	registered interest
	date	17/06/2019
	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	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 the average waiting time to carry out a mandatory reconsideration for personal independence payments is in each administrative area.
	tabling member constituency	Easington
	tabling member printed	Grahame Morris
	uin	265489
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/06/2019 answer text <p>Statistics on the average clearance time for Mandatory Reconsiderations for Personal Independence Payment broken down by local authority are found in Table 7D, ‘MR Clearance Time (median calendar days), Normal Rules, by year of clearance, region and Local Authority’ of the quarterly statistical publication ‘Personal Independence Payment: April 2013 to April 2019’ published by the Department for Work and Pensions and available here:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/personal-independence-payment-april-2013-to-april-2019" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/personal-independence-payment-april-2013-to-april-2019</a></p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 20/06/2019 13:05:01 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	3973 label Biography information for Grahame Morris