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1055034

registered interest
date	05/02/2019
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: Medical Examinations
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 21 January 2019 to Question 208914 on Personal Independence Payment: Medical Examinations, what her Department’s definition is of prescriptive.
tabling member constituency	Motherwell and Wishaw
tabling member printed	Marion Fellows
uin	217023
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/02/2019 answer text <p>The word ‘prescriptive’ is not defined in the Personal Independence Payment audit criteria.</p><p>Where DWP considers that assessment reports are not fit for purpose it may return them to Assessment Providers for rework, which will be carried out at their expense.</p><p>The criteria are that reports will be:</p><ul><li>fair and impartial;</li><li>legible and concise;</li><li>in accordance with relevant legislation;</li><li>comprehensive, clearly explaining the medical issues raised, fully clarifying any contradictions in evidence;</li><li>in plain English and free of medical jargon and unexplained medical abbreviations;</li><li>presented clearly; and</li><li>complete.</li></ul><p>The rework action to be taken by Assessment Providers will vary on a case-by-case basis. Wherever possible, cases should be discussed with the original Health Professional or referred back to them for further action to be taken.</p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton question first answered 12/02/2019 11:07:09 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton previous answer version 100775 answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
tabling member	4440 label Biography information for Marion Fellows

1055055

registered interest
date	05/02/2019
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	Independent Case Examiner
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 target timetable is for deciding whether complaints to the Independent Case Examiner will be accepted for investigation; what (a) proportion and (b) number of complaints met that target in each year for which information is available; and how many complaints are currently awaiting a decision on whether or not they will be investigated.
tabling member constituency	Motherwell and Wishaw
tabling member printed	Marion Fellows
uin	217031
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/02/2019 answer text <p>Funding for the Independent Case Examiner’s (ICE) Office is reviewed on an annual basis. In the current financial year, the ICE Office has received funding for thirteen additional posts.</p><p> </p><p>Productivity in the ICE Office has increased by 34% in the current reporting year, with the Office having cleared 1,047 cased by the end of January 2019, compared with 782 in the same period during 2017/18.</p><p>The Office has an internal target to inform 90% of complainants within four weeks of its reciept, whether thier complaint can be accepted for investigation. The Office can only accept a complaint for investigation once it has (a) established that the complainant has exhausted the relevant business complaints process, and (b) reached agreement with the complainant regarding the scope of any investigation.</p><p> </p><p>The table below provides the available performance data.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Year</p></td><td><p>Number of complaints received</p></td><td><p>Number of complaints not accepted for investigation</p></td><td><p>Number of complaints accepted for investigation</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2017/18</p></td><td><p>5,886</p></td><td><p>2,247 (81% within internal target of four weeks)</p></td><td><p>3,639 (38% within internal target of four weeks)</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2018/19 (1<sup>st</sup> April 2018 to 6<sup>th</sup> February 2019)</p></td><td><p>4,169</p></td><td><p>2,928 (68% within internal target of four weeks)</p></td><td><p>1,073 (47% within internal target of four weeks)</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>As at 6<sup>th</sup> February 2019, there were 168 complainants awaiting a decision on whether their complaint could be accepted for examination.</p><p> </p><p>During the period covered by this response the Independent Case Examiner’s Office received 4,118 complaints from women concerning changes to State Pension age, which directly impacted on its ability to meet its internal target for determining whether a complaint can be accepted for examination.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 08/02/2019 12:40:02 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4440 label Biography information for Marion Fellows

1055066

registered interest
date	05/02/2019
answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept id	201
answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
hansard heading	Business: Billing
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when his Department plans to publish a response to its consultation entitled Creating a responsible payment culture: a call for evidence on tackling late payment.
tabling member constituency	Motherwell and Wishaw
tabling member printed	Marion Fellows
uin	217036
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/02/2019 answer text <p>The call for evidence on tackling late payment closed on 29 November 2018 and we received nearly 300 responses. We are currently analysing those responses and intend to publish a response in due course.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 11/02/2019 17:19:35 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst previous answer version 100730 answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
tabling member	4440 label Biography information for Marion Fellows

1049995

registered interest
date	28/01/2019
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	Social Security Benefits: Overpayments
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the effect on the living standards of benefit claimants of the rate at which repayments of overpayments are repaid to her Department.
tabling member constituency	Motherwell and Wishaw
tabling member printed	Marion Fellows
uin	213410
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/01/2019 answer text <p>The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) balances a requirement to protect tax payer’s money with a duty to ensure that claimants are not placed in undue hardship by excessive deductions from their benefit.</p><p> </p><p>For this reason, the maximum deduction rates that can be applied to an on-going benefit award for the recovery of an overpayment are set out in legislation. Different deduction rates will be applied in different circumstances, with the highest rate only being applicable where an overpayment has been classified as fraud.</p><p> </p><p>DWP administers benefits to approximately 20 million people with a wide variety of individual circumstances so it is difficult to make a general assessment on living standards. Therefore, we apply any considerations of this type at an individual level. If a person states they cannot afford the proposed rate of recovery, they are asked to provide details of their income and expenditure. Their individual circumstances will then be taken into account and a temporary reduction in the rate of repayment may be agreed. In exceptional circumstances, a temporary suspension of recovery may be appropriate.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 31/01/2019 14:45:32 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4440 label Biography information for Marion Fellows

1050007

registered interest
date	28/01/2019
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Passports: Fees and Charges
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reason his Department charges more for applications for passports accepted through post offices compared with online applications.
tabling member constituency	Motherwell and Wishaw
tabling member printed	Marion Fellows
uin	213411
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/01/2019 answer text <p>The current fees charged by Her Majesty’s Passport Office for administering a passport application, as approved by Parliament in March 2018, introduced a differential depending upon whether an application is made online or by post to reflect that digital applications are cheaper to process.</p><p>Check &amp; Send is an additional service provided by Post Office Ltd. Fees charged for passport applications submitted at a Post Office include a Check &amp; Send element. This fee is levied by Post Office Ltd for the service that they provide. The fee will differ depending upon whether the customer chooses to apply via a paper form or digitally.</p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes question first answered 31/01/2019 13:59:58 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
tabling member	4440 label Biography information for Marion Fellows

1050218

registered interest
date	28/01/2019
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Immigration: EU Nationals
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reason his Department will accept identity documents only scanned electronically for the purposes of applying to the EU settlement scheme via Android devices.
tabling member constituency	Motherwell and Wishaw
tabling member printed	Marion Fellows
uin	213412
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/01/2019 answer text <p><br>EU citizens make a huge contribution to our economy and society, and we want them to stay. The EU Settlement Scheme enables them to do so. The application process is short and user-friendly, and it will be accessible on any smartphone, tablet or computer using internet browsers.</p><p>The ‘EU Exit: Identity Document Check’ app – which allows applicants to prove their identity remotely, without sending in their passport or national identity card – is currently available only on Android devices. Applicants can, if they wish, use a family member or friend’s Android device to access the app, and complete the rest of the process on their own device.</p><p>Additionally, we currently have 13 locations where applicants can have their ID document scanned, if they choose to do so. Once the scheme is fully open, by 30 March 2019, there will be over 50 locations across the UK where applicants can have their identity document scanned. Applicants will also be able to post identity documents to the Home Office to be checked and returned quickly.</p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes question first answered 31/01/2019 16:09:35 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
tabling member	4440 label Biography information for Marion Fellows

1050221

registered interest
date	28/01/2019
answering body	Cabinet Office
answering dept id	53
answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
hansard heading	Government Departments: Billing
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the target time is for the Government to make payments to small and medium-sized enterprises; and (a) how many and (b) what percentage of payments by the Government met that target in 2018.
tabling member constituency	Motherwell and Wishaw
tabling member printed	Marion Fellows
uin	213413
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/01/2019 answer text <p>Government policy is to pay 80% of undisputed supplier invoices within a 5 day target, with the remaining to be paid within 30 days, as required by the Public Contracts Regulations</p><p>In October 2018, the government announced the ambition that all departments commit to paying 90% of undisputed invoices from SMEs within 5 days. Officials are working with departments to explore how finance systems are able to accomplish this</p><p>Departments are required to publish their prompt payment performance on a quarterly basis on GOV.UK.</p> answering member constituency Hertsmere answering member printed Oliver Dowden question first answered 31/01/2019 14:48:36 answering member 4441 label Biography information for Oliver Dowden
tabling member	4440 label Biography information for Marion Fellows

1048019

registered interest
date	25/01/2019
answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept id	201
answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
hansard heading	Post Offices
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many main post offices opened between (a) April 2016 and March 2017 and (b) April 2017 to March 2018.
tabling member constituency	Motherwell and Wishaw
tabling member printed	Marion Fellows
uin	212636
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/01/2019 answer text <p>The Government recognises the critical role that post offices play in communities and for small businesses across the UK. This is why the Government committed to safeguard the post office network and protect existing rural services. The overall number of post offices across the UK remains at its most stable in decades with over 11,500 branches thanks to significant Government investment of over £2 billion since 2010.</p><p> </p><p>While the Government sets the strategic direction for the Post Office, it allows the company the commercial freedom to deliver this strategy as an independent business. The management of the post office network is an operational matter for the Post Office. I have therefore asked Paula Vennells, the Group Chief Executive of Post Office Limited, to write to the hon Member on this matter. A copy of her reply will be placed in the Libraries of the House.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 30/01/2019 14:57:55 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
tabling member	4440 label Biography information for Marion Fellows

1048020

registered interest
date	25/01/2019
answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept id	201
answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
hansard heading	Post Offices
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if his Department will take steps to increase the number of main post offices; and what plans his Department has to undertake a consultation of post office service provision.
tabling member constituency	Motherwell and Wishaw
tabling member printed	Marion Fellows
uin	212637
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/01/2019 answer text <p>The Government recognises the critical role that post offices play in communities and for small businesses across the UK. This is why the Government committed to safeguard the post office network and protect existing rural services. The overall number of post offices across the UK remains at its most stable in decades with over 11,500 branches thanks to significant Government investment of over £2 billion since 2010.</p><p>While the Government sets the strategic direction for the Post Office, it allows the company the commercial freedom to deliver this strategy as an independent business. The number of main post offices, and their locations, are operational matters for the Post Office.</p><p>The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy conducted a consultation from 8 November to 21 December 2016 to understand what the British public wanted from their Post Office<strong>. </strong>The Government sought responses on the access criteria and the availability of services across the network. The consultation shaped Government decisions to leave access criteria unchanged, and work with the Post Office to extend availability of services to families and small businesses in rural areas. The response received from the Consultation played a central role in informing the Government’s commitment to £370 million of new funding for the Post Office to safeguard the network and invest in its future.</p><p>The Post Office Network Consultation and the Government’s response is available at this link:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/post-office-network" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/post-office-network</a></p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 31/01/2019 09:42:08 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst previous answer version 98596 answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
tabling member	4440 label Biography information for Marion Fellows

1047011

registered interest
date	23/01/2019
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Passports: Applications
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 10 January 2019 to Question 207212 on Passports: Applications, how much (a) has been spent and (b) will be spent on radio advertising.
tabling member constituency	Motherwell and Wishaw
tabling member printed	Marion Fellows
uin	211806
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/01/2019 answer text <p>Of the total communications spend outlined previously (PQ 207212), £222,857 has been spent on radio and digital audio advertising. The 30 second advert aimed to raise awareness of the ease and convenience of the online passport renewal service including the £9.50 cost saving it offers for customers.</p><p>A re-launch of the campaign in the next financial year (2019/20) is being considered, with an estimate of £500,000 forecast for radio and digital audio advertising. However, this activity is dependent on the outcome of the EU Exit withdrawal agreement (in a ‘no deal’ scenario, budget would be re-allocated to activity informing passport holders about the passport validity rules changes).</p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes question first answered 28/01/2019 16:41:28 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
tabling member	4440 label Biography information for Marion Fellows