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1128280

registered interest
date	22/05/2019
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	Department for Work and Pensions: Metro Newspaper
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 from the public purse advertising in The Metro newspaper on 22 May 2019.
tabling member constituency	Airdrie and Shotts
tabling member printed	Neil Gray
uin	257542
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/06/2019 answer text <p>The Department provides services to around 22 million people, and has a responsibility to communicate policy and essential information to claimants and other key audiences, in a similar way to other government departments. Newspaper advertising contributes to our routine communications activity that has been running alongside the rollout of Universal Credit since 2013.</p><p> </p><p>The Universal Credit Uncovered media partnership with the Metro is currently underway and running for a further six weeks so we are unable to provide accurate spend to date figures for the partnership. However, we can commit to publish final full spend on the partnership at the end of July once all activity has concluded.</p><p> </p><p>The information used for the partnership was sourced by DWP officials. The content features actual claimant case studies and interviews from Jobcentre work coaches, and the advertorials have been developed in partnership with the Metro.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma grouped question UIN 257404 257471 257563 257573 question first answered 11/06/2019 16:36:52 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Lord Sharma
tabling member	4365 label Biography information for Neil Gray

1126176

registered interest
date	13/05/2019
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	Poverty
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what progress her Department has made on achieving Sustainable Development Goal 1 to end poverty in all its forms everywhere.
tabling member constituency	Airdrie and Shotts
tabling member printed	Neil Gray
uin	253587
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/05/2019 answer text <p>The Department for Work and Pensions is leading work across Government to assess progress against sustainable development goal 1. The Prime Minister has committed the UK to undertaking a Voluntary National Review (VNR) on progress towards the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals Agenda. This will be presented to the UN’s High Level Political Forum in July this year.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 21/05/2019 13:14:05 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4365 label Biography information for Neil Gray

1126177

registered interest
date	13/05/2019
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Employment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what progress his Department has made on achieving Sustainable Development Goal 8 to promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.
tabling member constituency	Airdrie and Shotts
tabling member printed	Neil Gray
uin	253588
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/05/2019 answer text <p>The UK has made strong progress in recent years on key priorities within Goal 8, including delivering record low unemployment levels, championing small businesses, reforming the financial services sector, and enhancing the role of women in work.</p><p> </p><p>A number of challenges remain, including raising the UK’s productivity, tackling climate change, and ensuring Good Work for all.</p><p> </p><p>The forthcoming Voluntary National Review will set out in greater detail the UK’s progress against all of the Sustainable Development Goals.</p> answering member constituency Newark answering member printed Robert Jenrick question first answered 21/05/2019 07:24:24 answering member 4320 label Biography information for Robert Jenrick
tabling member	4365 label Biography information for Neil Gray

1126178

registered interest
date	13/05/2019
answering body	Women and Equalities
answering dept id	31
answering dept short name	Women and Equalities
answering dept sort name	Women and Equalities
hansard heading	Department for Transport: Equality
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what progress her Department has made on achieving Sustainable Development Goal 10 to reduce inequality within and among countries in respect of inequality within the UK.
tabling member constituency	Airdrie and Shotts
tabling member printed	Neil Gray
uin	253589
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/06/2019 answer text <p>The UK will present a Voluntary National Review (VNR) to the United Nations in July 2019, setting out the UK’s contribution to achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), at home and abroad. The report will include the Government’s progress in supporting delivery of Goal 10 to reduce inequality within and among countries and will include an assessment of the UK’s efforts to empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all and reduce inequalities of outcome and discriminatory laws, policies and practices.</p> answering member constituency Louth and Horncastle answering member printed Victoria Atkins question first answered 14/06/2019 10:56:36 answering member 4399 label Biography information for Victoria Atkins
tabling member	4365 label Biography information for Neil Gray

1123635

registered interest
date	29/04/2019
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, how many and what proportion of universal credit payments were subject to deductions above the maximum cap of 40 per cent in the last month for which data is available.
tabling member constituency	Airdrie and Shotts
tabling member printed	Neil Gray
uin	248697
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/05/2019 answer text <p>The Government recognises the importance of safeguarding the welfare of claimants who have incurred debt. Universal Credit already has procedures and regulations in place to protect claimants from excessive deductions. The maximum rate of deductions cannot normally exceed 40 per cent of the Universal Credit standard allowance, and from October 2019 this will be reduced to 30 per cent.</p><p> </p><p>However, last resort deductions can be applied to protect vulnerable claimants from eviction and/or having their fuel supply (gas/electricity) cut off, by providing a last resort repayment method for arrears of these essential services. In these circumstances, when it’s considered to be in the best interests of the claimant and their family, deductions may be taken above the 40 per cent limit.</p><p> </p><p>If a claimant is in financial difficulty as a result of the level of deductions being made they can contact the Department to request that a reduction in deductions be considered.</p><p> </p><p>Of eligible* claims to Universal Credit Full Service due a payment in December 2018:</p><p>• 0.8% (10,000 claims) had a deduction above 40 per cent of their standard allowance.</p><p> </p><p>Notes</p><p>1. *Eligible claimants are claimants that have satisfied all the requirements of claiming Universal Credit; they have provided the necessary evidence, signed their claimant commitment and are eligible and have received their first payment.</p><p>2. Deductions include Universal Credit advance repayments, third party deductions and all other deductions, but exclude sanctions and fraud penalties which are reductions of benefit rather than deductions.</p><p>3. Figures rounded to nearest 1,000.</p><p>4. Claim numbers may not match official statistics caseloads due to small methodological differences.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 08/05/2019 17:13:47 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Lord Sharma
tabling member	4365 label Biography information for Neil Gray

1123636

registered interest
date	29/04/2019
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: Housing
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of new claimants for universal credit received two weeks’ run-on housing benefit while waiting for their first payment (a) in the last six months and (b) in the last month for which information is available.
tabling member constituency	Airdrie and Shotts
tabling member printed	Neil Gray
uin	248698
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/05/2019 answer text <p>The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost. However, since it was introduced in April 2018, all Housing Benefit claimants, whose Housing Benefit award was ended because of a new claim to Universal Credit, have been awarded the two-week Transition to Universal Credit Housing Payment.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 07/05/2019 11:36:53 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4365 label Biography information for Neil Gray

1123637

registered interest
date	29/04/2019
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: Housing
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate her Department has made of the proportion of claimants of universal credit who have a deduction for housing rent arrears in the first month of their claim in the last month for which data is available.
tabling member constituency	Airdrie and Shotts
tabling member printed	Neil Gray
uin	248699
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/05/2019 answer text <p>The Government recognises the importance of safeguarding the welfare of claimants who have incurred debt. Universal Credit already has procedures and regulations in place to protect claimants from excessive deductions. Last resort deductions can be applied to protect vulnerable claimants from eviction and/or having their gas, electricity and water cut off, by providing a last resort repayment method for arrears of these essential services. If a claimant is in financial difficulty as a result of the level of deductions being made, they can contact the Department to request that a reduction in their deductions be considered.</p><p> </p><p>The latest available data is for eligible claims to UC Full Service that are due a payment in December 2018. Of those claims with a payment in December 2018 relating to the first month of their claim, 2% have a deduction to repay rent arrears. This equates to 3,000 claims.</p><p> </p><p>Notes</p><ul><li>Rent arrears deductions are defined as arrears of rent and/or service charges relating to a rented property</li><li>Figures for rent arrears deduction include only those claims with a non-zero rent arrears deduction.</li><li>Figures rounded to nearest 1,000.</li></ul> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 07/05/2019 11:49:27 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4365 label Biography information for Neil Gray

1121750

registered interest
date	18/04/2019
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 the proportion is of universal credit claimants who receive an advance payment; what the average value of the advance payment is; and what percentage of claimants have received 100 per cent of the value of their first universal credit payment in the most recent month for which data is available.
tabling member constituency	Airdrie and Shotts
tabling member printed	Neil Gray
uin	245810
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/04/2019 answer text <p>Around 60 per cent of new claims take up an advance. Subject to some fluctuation, this rate of advance take-up has been broadly consistent over the last 12 months. This shows that claimants are being made aware of advances and are using it where they need this help.</p><p>The average advance amount for new claims is around £400.</p><p>Our latest published data shows that consistently around 85% of new claimants are being paid in full and on time. This can be found at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/universal-credit-statistics" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/universal-credit-statistics</a>. In many cases where full payment is not made on time, it is due to unresolved issues such as: claimants not accepting their Claimant Commitment or passing identity checks, or having outstanding verification issues, such as housing costs and self-employed earnings. In order to support claimants to claim, we have taken steps to improve verification processes. For example, we have listened to feedback and built processes into the system to make it easier and quicker for people to verify their housing costs, for example through the landlord portal.</p><p /> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 30/04/2019 10:52:25 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Lord Sharma
tabling member	4365 label Biography information for Neil Gray

1121348

registered interest
date	11/04/2019
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: EEA Nationals and EU Nationals
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many EU and EEA nationals (a) have made a claim for universal credit and (b) have had that claim rejected in each of the last 12 months.
tabling member constituency	Airdrie and Shotts
tabling member printed	Neil Gray
uin	244127
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/04/2019 answer text <p>The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 23/04/2019 10:45:35 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Lord Sharma
tabling member	4365 label Biography information for Neil Gray

1110016

registered interest
date	05/04/2019
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, how many advance benefit payments have been made all universal credit claimants for the months (a) March 2017 (b) March 2018 and (c) March 2019.
tabling member constituency	Airdrie and Shotts
tabling member printed	Neil Gray
uin	241444
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/04/2019 answer text <p>Around 60% of new claims to Universal Credit receive an advance payment in the first month of their claim. Subject to some fluctuation, this rate of advance take-up has been broadly consistent. This shows that claimants are being made aware of advances and are using it where they need this help.</p><p>The table below shows the number of advance payments made to Universal Credit claimants.</p><p>Data for March 2019 is not currently available</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Month</p></td><td><p>Number of Advance payments</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Mar-17</p></td><td><p>28,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Mar-18</p></td><td><p>69,000</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Notes</p><p>1. All figures are rounded to the nearest 1000</p><p>2. The number of advances includes advances for both Universal Credit live service and full service. However different methodologies and data sources are used for each</p><p>3. Where a claim receives multiple advances within the same month, all are counted individually.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 11/04/2019 15:08:25 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Lord Sharma
tabling member	4365 label Biography information for Neil Gray