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1140856

	registered interest
	date	22/07/2019
	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	Pensions
	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 plans to take to limit a person's pension age rise when age eligibility for the state pension is increased.
	tabling member constituency	Cardiff West
	tabling member printed	Kevin Brennan
	uin	280183
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/08/2019 answer text <p>The Government published its review of State Pension age in July 2017. The report can be viewed here: <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/630065/state-pension-age-review-final-report.pdf" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/630065/state-pension-age-review-final-report.pdf</a>.</p><p>The next Government review of State Pension age will be completed within six years of that report.</p><p>The Pensions Act 2014 requires the Government to regularly review State Pension age and report to Parliament, to help to ensure the rules about State Pension age are appropriate having regard to life expectancy and the costs of increasing longevity are shared fairly between the generations, and provide greater clarity around the plans for changing State Pension age in the future.</p><p> </p><p>The changes to State Pension age became law following consultation and extensive debates in Parliament. During the passage of the Pensions Act 2011, Parliament introduced limits to person’s State Pension age rise, worth £1.1 billion, which reduced the proposed increase in State Pension age for over 450,000 men and women, meaning that no woman will see her pension age change by more than 18 months, relative to the original 1995 Act timetable.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 12/08/2019 10:22:41 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	1400 label Biography information for Kevin Brennan

1141038

	registered interest
	date	22/07/2019
	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	Television Licences: Norwich
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of free television licences issued to residents in (a) the Norwich City Council area (b) Norwich South constituency and (c) Norwich North constituency in each of the last three years; and what the total annual value was of those licences.
	tabling member constituency	Norwich South
	tabling member printed	Clive Lewis
	uin	280459
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/08/2019 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>The government and the BBC agreed at the time that this was a fair deal for the BBC. The BBC benefited as the government closed the iPlayer loophole and committed to increase the licence fee in line with inflation. And to help with financial planning, the government agreed to provide phased transitional funding over 2 years to gradually introduce the cost to the BBC.</p><p>This reform was subject to public discussion and debated extensively during the passage of the Digital Economy Act 2017 through Parliament.</p><p>On 10 June 2019, the BBC <a href="https://www.bbc.com/aboutthebbc/reports/consultation/age-related-tv-licence-policy" target="_blank">announced</a> 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>The table below provides estimates of the costs and caseloads for 2015/16 through to 2017/18 of providing free TV licences to people aged 75 years and over in the geographical areas requested. Expenditure in nominal prices. The figures for 2018/19 will be available in September.</p><p /><p /><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong> </strong></p></td><td><p><strong> </strong></p></td><td colspan="2"><p><strong>Caseload (thousands)</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong> </strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2015-16</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2016-17</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2017-18</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>(a) the Norwich City Council (Norwich local authority area)</strong></p></td><td><p>8.5</p></td><td><p>8.7</p></td><td><p>8.6</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>(b) Norwich South constituency</strong></p></td><td><p>6.7</p></td><td><p>6.9</p></td><td><p>6.8</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>(c) Norwich North constituency</strong></p></td><td><p>7.4</p></td><td><p>7.7</p></td><td><p>7.6</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p><strong> </strong></p></td><td><p><strong> </strong></p></td><td><p><strong> </strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong> </strong></p></td><td><p><strong> </strong></p></td><td colspan="2"><p><strong>Expenditure (£m) (Nominal)</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong> </strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2015-16</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2016-17</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2017-18</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>(a) the Norwich City Council (Norwich local authority area)</strong></p></td><td><p>£1.21</p></td><td><p>£1.21</p></td><td><p>£1.23</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>(b) Norwich South constituency</strong></p></td><td><p>£0.96</p></td><td><p>£0.95</p></td><td><p>£0.97</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>(c) Norwich North constituency</strong></p></td><td><p>£1.06</p></td><td><p>£1.07</p></td><td><p>£1.10</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 01/08/2019 09:41:27 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4500 label Biography information for Clive Lewis

1140879

	registered interest
	date	22/07/2019
	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	Pension Credit: Wales
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many individuals are eligible for pension credit but not claiming the benefit in (a) Wales and (b) each parliamentary constituency in Wales.
	tabling member constituency	Newport East
	tabling member printed	Jessica Morden
	uin	280185
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/08/2019 answer text <p>The information requested on the number of individuals eligible for Pension Credit but do not claim it in (a) Wales and (b) each parliamentary constituency in Wales is only available at Great Britain level.</p><p> </p><p>Official statistics on the take-up of income-related benefits at Great Britain level, including Pension Credit, can be found in the ‘Income-related benefits: estimates of take-up in 2016 to 2017’ publication.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/income-related-benefits-estimates-of-take-up-financial-year-2016-to-2017" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/income-related-benefits-estimates-of-take-up-financial-year-2016-to-2017</a></p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 01/08/2019 09:20:34 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	1548 label Biography information for Jessica Morden

1140906

	registered interest
	date	22/07/2019
	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	Children: Maintenance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, on how many occasions her Department has registered the child maintenance debt of a non-resident parent with credit rating agencies.
	tabling member constituency	Motherwell and Wishaw
	tabling member printed	Marion Fellows
	uin	280279
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/07/2019 answer text <p>This information is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince grouped question UIN 279455 question first answered 29/07/2019 14:18:24 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4440 label Biography information for Marion Fellows

1140944

	registered interest
	date	22/07/2019
	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	Silicosis
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what data her Department holds on the effect on family members of silicosis sufferers.
	tabling member constituency	High Peak
	tabling member printed	Ruth George
	uin	280417
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/07/2019 answer text <p>Dependants of silicosis sufferers who have died can claim compensation under the <em>Pneumoconiosis</em> etc. (Workers' Compensation) <em>Act</em> 1979 scheme. Under this scheme, the Department has paid £10,871 to dependants over the 17/18 and 18/19 financial years.</p><p> </p><p>Arrears of Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB) may also be claimed by the spouse or civil partner of a deceased sufferer of silicosis. Information on the amount of IIDB paid to in these circumstances is not immediately accessible, and would require the merging, filtering and quality assuring of complex datasets, data on these claimants could only be provided at disproportionate cost.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 29/07/2019 12:46:53 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	4662 label Biography information for Ruth George

1140921

	registered interest
	date	22/07/2019
	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	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, pursuant to Written Question 265470 on Department for Work and Pensions: Pay, how much her Department spent on performance-related awards for Senior Civil Service officials in (a) 2014, (b) 2015, (c) 2016, (d) 2017, (e) 2018 and (f) January to June 2019.
	tabling member constituency	Newport East
	tabling member printed	Jessica Morden
	uin	280191
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/07/2019 answer text <p>Performance-related end year awards are given following the end of each appraisal year, which runs from 1 April to 31 March.</p><p> </p><p>From April 2016 Senior Civil Servants also became eligible for non-consolidated in-year performance awards to recognise outstanding contribution.</p><p> </p><p>Awards have not yet been made for the 2018/19 performance year; the total amounts paid out in end-year and in-year awards for the earlier periods requested are shown below.</p><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Performance Years</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Total Spend on Performance Related Awards for SCS in DWP </strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2014-15</p></td><td><p>£659,675</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2015-16</p></td><td><p>£665,700</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2016-17</p></td><td><p>£719,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2017-18</p></td><td><p>£675,392</p></td></tr></tbody></table> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 29/07/2019 11:17:12 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	1548 label Biography information for Jessica Morden

1140909

	registered interest
	date	22/07/2019
	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	Children: Maintenance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what her Department's criteria is for registering the child maintenance debt of a non-resident parent with credit rating agencies.
	tabling member constituency	Motherwell and Wishaw
	tabling member printed	Marion Fellows
	uin	280280
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/07/2019 answer text <p>This information is provided in our internal procedures. It is a discretionary decision and intended as a deterrent measure on those who may otherwise choose to evade maintenance payments, so getting more money flowing to the children and separated parents who need it.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We can consider referral to a Credit Reference Agency (CRA) in the following circumstance:</p><ul><li>when a Liability Order is in force against the non-resident</li><li>21 days (plus postage timing and 2 days) have passed since a written notice was posted to the Paying Parent advising them that we intend to supply information about them to a CRA</li><li>the welfare of the child has been considered</li><li>the Paying Parent has not agreed to a payment agreement where the outstanding amount will be repaid in line with our debt steer, of 2 years</li></ul> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 29/07/2019 11:06:25 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4440 label Biography information for Marion Fellows

1141123

	registered interest
	date	22/07/2019
	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	Employment: Poverty
	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 tackle the rise of in-work poverty.
	tabling member constituency	Newcastle upon Tyne Central
	tabling member printed	Chi Onwurah
	uin	280471
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/07/2019 answer text <p>There is clear evidence that work offers people the best opportunity to get out of poverty. A working-age adult living in a household where every adult is working is about 6 times less likely to be in relative poverty than one living in a household where nobody works.</p><p> </p><p>Universal Credit (UC) replaces six outdated and complex benefits with one – it is simplifying the benefits system and making work pay. As a result, people claiming UC move into work faster, stay in work longer and spend more time looking to increase their earnings. UC provides more help with childcare costs (eligible claimants are able to claim up to 85 per cent of their childcare costs, compared to 70% on the legacy system), a dedicated Work Coach, and removes the 16-hour ‘cliff edge’ for workers.</p><p> </p><p>The Department continues to conduct research and analysis to enhance our understanding surrounding working claimants, as well as working with stakeholders and customers to develop our approach. Our Work Coaches are fully trained to provide tailored advice on career development to help claimants explore ways to grow their earnings.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 29/07/2019 10:57:43 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4124 label Biography information for Chi Onwurah

1140945

	registered interest
	date	22/07/2019
	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	Silica
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps have been taken to encourage the construction industry to protect workers from exposure to silica.
	tabling member constituency	High Peak
	tabling member printed	Ruth George
	uin	280418
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/07/2019 answer text <p>Protecting construction workers from exposure to silica has been a priority for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) for a number of years. During this time, HSE has used a range of approaches to influence the construction industry. These include:</p><p> </p><ul><li>Providing tailored advice, information and guidance on HSE’s website about complying with the law in this area;</li><li>Raising awareness through HSE social media presence as well as engaging with industry through mechanisms such as the Construction Dust Partnership and the Health in Construction Leadership Group;</li><li>Undertaking research with the industry to increase the evidence base available;</li><li>Carrying out targeted inspections. This includes a national inspection initiative undertaken between 17<sup>th</sup> June 2019 – 12<sup>th</sup> July 2019 that focussed on silica and other dusts in the construction industry. This will be repeated in October 2019;</li><li>Taking enforcement action where appropriate to prevent ill-health and hold law-breakers to account.</li></ul><p> </p><p>Silica exposure amongst construction workers will continue to be a priority for HSE while it remains a significant issue. HSE will look to evolve the intervention approaches it uses during this period to maximise its influence.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 26/07/2019 12:30:35 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	4662 label Biography information for Ruth George

1140942

	registered interest
	date	22/07/2019
	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	Silicosis
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what data her Department holds on the groups most vulnerable to silicosis.
	tabling member constituency	High Peak
	tabling member printed	Ruth George
	uin	280416
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/07/2019 answer text <p>Evidence from a body of epidemiological research shows that the risk of silicosis increases according to the extent of exposure to respirable crystalline silica. Groups most vulnerable to developing silicosis are those with the highest exposures. A range of sources of evidence – including reports of silicosis cases from chest physicians, cases assessed for Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit, and epidemiological studies – have identified specific worker groups that are at likely to be at highest risk. These include: quarrying; slate works; foundries; potteries; brick and tile making; stonemasonry; construction work involving cutting or breaking stone, concrete or brick; abrasive blasting and tunnelling; and industries that use silica flour to manufacture goods.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 26/07/2019 12:22:52 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	4662 label Biography information for Ruth George