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1135824

registered interest
date	01/07/2019
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	Doctors: Training
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the level of availability of (a) places on UK Foundation Programme F1 and F2 courses and (b) work within the NHS for course graduates.
tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
tabling member printed	Frank Field
uin	271363
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/07/2019 answer text <p>The UK Foundation Programme can be under- or over-subscribed as it is subject to variation for a number of reasons. In 2018 there was a fill rate of 98.6%<sup>1</sup>, however in 2019 there were initially more eligible applicants than available places. Additional places have now been provided, meaning all eligible graduates have been allocated a Foundation Programme post to start from August 2019.</p><p>For specialty training programmes, the current overall fill rate is slightly higher than in 2018, with 83.8% of training posts currently accepted for programmes beginning in 2019, compared to 81.9% at the same stage last year<sup>2</sup>. Some specialties will continue to recruit through further rounds, and therefore the number of trainees is likely to rise.</p><p> </p><p>Notes:</p><p><sup>1</sup>http://www.foundationprogramme.nhs.uk/sites/default/files/2018-09/2018%20Recruitment%20Summary%20Report.pdf</p><p><sup>2</sup>https://www.hee.nhs.uk/our-work/medical-recruitment/specialty-recruitment-round-1-acceptance-fill-rate</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Wimbledon answering member printed Stephen Hammond question first answered 09/07/2019 16:04:12 answering member 1585 label Biography information for Stephen Hammond
tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead

1135846

registered interest
date	01/07/2019
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	Haemochromatosis: Health Services
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve the (a) rates of diagnosis and (b) management of genetic haemochromatosis.
tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
tabling member printed	Frank Field
uin	271374
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/07/2019 answer text <p>The Government is committed to making the United Kingdom a leader in embedding genomics in healthcare and offer a consistent, world class approach to the genetic identification of rare diseases, including genetic hemochromatosis. The Genomics Medicine Service was announced in October 2018, supported by the National Genomic Test Directory which specifies which genomic tests are commissioned by the National Health Service in England, the technology by which they are available, and the patients who will be eligible to access a test. Genetic haemochromatosis is included in the National Genomic Test Directory.</p><p>Services for patients with genetic haemochromatosis are commissioned locally through clinical commissioning groups with sustainability and transformation partnerships (STPs) enabling service coordination across wider footprints. The NHS Long Term Plan set out the ambition for all STPs to evolve into Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) by April 2021. ICSs are an ‘evolved’ form of an STP, making faster progress in integrating care across their area, bringing together organisations to provide more seamless care for patients.</p> answering member constituency South Ribble answering member printed Seema Kennedy question first answered 09/07/2019 16:14:46 answering member 4455 label Biography information for Seema Kennedy
tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead

1135855

registered interest
date	01/07/2019
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	NHS: Pensions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help mitigate the effect of pension taxation on the NHS.
tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
tabling member printed	Frank Field
uin	271375
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/07/2019 answer text <p>I laid provided a Written Ministerial Statement (<a href="https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2019-06-04/HCWS1587/" target="_blank">HCWS1587</a>) on 4 June 2019 setting out the interim People Plan for the National Health Service. As part of this, it was announced that the Department would publish a consultation exploring proposals to introduce greater pension flexibility for clinicians in the NHS Pension Scheme. Increased flexibility is designed to address disincentives that may encourage senior clinicians to limit or reduce their workloads whilst participating in the NHS Pension Scheme.</p><p>The consultation will propose a 50:50 option which is intended to provide increased flexibility to clinicians regarding the growth of their NHS Pension Scheme benefits. This option will offer a 50% pension accrual and halved contributions. It was requested by the British Medical Association earlier this year, and they have welcomed this as a step in the right direction.</p><p>Retaining and maximising the contribution of our highly-skilled clinical workforce is crucial to the delivery of the ambitions for patient care set out in the Long Term Plan for the NHS. Accordingly, the Government is prepared to provide pension flexibility that appropriately balances the benefit of new flexibilities with their affordability to the public purse.</p><p>The consultation period will be an opportunity to listen to a range of views before reaching a final proposition that works for both staff and taxpayers. The Department encourages staff and employers to engage with our consultation when it opens this month.</p> answering member constituency Wimbledon answering member printed Stephen Hammond question first answered 09/07/2019 16:05:14 answering member 1585 label Biography information for Stephen Hammond
tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead

1135857

registered interest
date	01/07/2019
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	Syria: Bombings
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps the Government is taking to help protect children from the consequences of the bombing in Idlib, Syria.
tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
tabling member printed	Frank Field
uin	271376
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/07/2019 answer text <p>The Government is immensely concerned about the plight of all civilians, particularly children, affected by the current conflict in Idlib and surrounding areas.</p><p> </p><p>Last year DFID provided over £80m humanitarian assistance to Northwest Syria. Our UN and NGO partners are working to meet growing needs among displaced people in the region, including the estimated 100,000 children displaced since 1 May, through the distribution of food, shelter and other essential items. We are also providing education and safe spaces for children. Whilst this work has been impacted by the recent conflict in the region and the senseless attacks on civilian infrastructure such as schools and hospitals, to date our partners are continuing to be able to work effectively in the region to help those most in need. In addition to humanitarian assistance, we continue to use our position on the UN Security Council to call out the regime and Russia for their attacks on schools and hospitals, breaching international law and needlessly impacting civilians.</p> answering member constituency South West Wiltshire answering member printed Dr Andrew Murrison question first answered 08/07/2019 15:19:02 answering member 1466 label Biography information for Dr Andrew Murrison
tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead

1135484

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	Social Security Benefits
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 27 June 2019 to Question 268401, what information she holds on the reasons why those 156,000 claimants with deductions from universal credit for non-universal credit debts are not repaying their debts.
tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
tabling member printed	Frank Field
uin	270705
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/07/2019 answer text <p>The table below provides information on why the specified claimants were not repaying their debts.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Zero balance**</p></td><td><p>92,776</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Business as usual/head of work (Includes future instalment confirmation)</p></td><td><p>48,196</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Awaiting Financial Reconciliation</p></td><td><p>12,452</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>In progress – Awaiting further information (e.g. customer correspondence/contact)</p></td><td><p>4,214</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Managed by external contractor (Debt collection agency)</p></td><td><p>618</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Awaiting appeal outcome</p></td><td><p>534</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Waiting for customer to call back</p></td><td><p>306</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Other</p></td><td><p>477</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p><em>*The data provided in this response has been sourced from internal management information and was not intended for public release. It should therefore not be compared to any other, similar data subsequently released by the Department.</em></p><p> </p><p><em>** The zero balance category is made up of debts that have been fully repaid, but are yet to be removed from the Debt Manager system. It is important to note that no further recovery action will be taken in these cases</em></p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 15/07/2019 15:06:25 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead

1135490

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	Social Security Benefits
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 27 June 2019 to Question 268402, if she will place in the Library a copy of the dataset from which the median balance per debtor was calculated.
tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
tabling member printed	Frank Field
uin	270706
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/09/2019 answer text <p>A copy of the relevant dataset* will be placed in the Library.</p><p> </p><p>In order to comply with the General Data Protection Regulations 2018, the dataset contains values only.</p><p> </p><p>The data set shows all balances held on our systems for the relevant period. It includes ‘minus’ figures, which reflect changes made as a result of successful appeals.</p><p> </p><p>The data does not include any Universal Credit overpayments. It includes debts accrued in a number of ways including Working Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit overpayments built up under HMRC as well as fraud and error overpayments.</p><p> </p><p>Working Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit were introduced in 2003, with some people then accruing debts over many years.</p><p> </p><p>We do not want people to face undue financial hardship as a result of repaying overpayments. If people do struggle, adjustments can be made and will be based on an individual’s circumstance.</p><p> </p><p>The overall maximum amount that can be deducted from a claimant’s Universal Credit each month to recover a benefit overpayment is an amount equal to 40% of their Universal Credit standard allowance.</p><p> </p><p>The vast majority of benefit payments are made correctly; this stock of debts equates to around 0.6% of current annual welfare expenditure. The legacy welfare system is complex in its structure and administration and in the way that qualifying conditions interact with each other. UC provides a single system of means-tested support for working-age households who are in or out of work and we expect this to reduce overpayments.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><em>*The data provided has been sourced from internal management information and was not intended for public release. It should therefore not be compared to any other, similar data subsequently released by the Department.</em></p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 03/09/2019 16:11:32 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead

1135193

registered interest
date	27/06/2019
answering body	Cabinet Office
answering dept id	53
answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
hansard heading	Unemployment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will ask the Office for National Statistics to publish tabular information on the number of people that have been unemployed (a) for up to 6 months, (b) between 6 and 12 months, and (c) longer than 12 months in each parliamentary constituency.
tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
tabling member printed	Frank Field
uin	270287
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/07/2019 answer text <p>The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 02/07/2019 12:44:10 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster attachment 1 file name PQ270287 (1).pdf title UKSA Response
tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead

1135342

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	Universal Credit: Overpayments
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 5 June 2019 to Question 257458 on Universal Credit: Overpayments, how many successful applications there were for a reduction in an overpayment repayment rate in each year from 2013 to 2018.
tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
tabling member printed	Frank Field
uin	270288
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/07/2019 answer text <p>The information requested is not available.</p><p> </p><p>Our systems do not hold data on the recovery rates that were applied to debts that have either been fully repaid, or have been written off. It is therefore not possible to give a complete figure for the total number of successful, or unsuccessful applications for a reduction in an overpayment recovery rate.</p><p> </p><p>The Department ensures that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect claimants who have deductions from their benefit to repay overpayments. If a claimant is struggling they can contact the Department’s Debt Management Team to discuss lowering their repayment rate. Any adjustment to the rate of repayment will be based on the individual circumstances of the claimant.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 02/07/2019 14:31:57 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead

1135343

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	Universal Credit: Overpayments
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 5 June 2019 to Question 257458 on Universal Credit: Overpayments, how many overpayments were waived in (a) full and (b) part as a result of applications made by (i) claimants and (ii) their representatives in 2015-16.
tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
tabling member printed	Frank Field
uin	270289
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/07/2019 answer text <p>In 2015/16 there were less than 5 applications for the full waiving of a Universal Credit overpayment and less than 5 partial waiver applications for UC overpayments.</p><p> </p><p>The Department has an obligation to ensure that public funds are administered responsibly and to abide by the principles set out in Her Majesty’s Treasury’s guidance on Managing Public Money (which can be found on gov.uk). Waivers are only granted in limited circumstances including where the recovery of an overpayment is causing substantial financial and/or medical hardship and clear supporting evidence of this is provided.</p><p> </p><p>We are unable to provide a breakdown of how many applications were made by claimants or their representatives as this information is not stored.</p><p> </p><p><em> *The figures provided in this response have been sourced from internal management information and were not intended for public release. They should therefore not be compared to any other figures subsequently released by the Department. We are not able to report exact figures that are lower than 5, therefore this has been listed as “less than 5”.</em></p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 02/07/2019 14:43:02 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead

1135376

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	Housing Benefit: Social Rented Housing
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she will make an assessment of the potential merits of exempting care leavers under the age of 25 from the under-occupancy penalty in the social rented sector.
tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
tabling member printed	Frank Field
uin	270290
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/07/2019 answer text <p>Care leavers up to the age of 22 are exempt from the Local Housing Allowance shared accommodation rate in the Private Rented Sector. There are no plans to extend this exemption or to introduce an exemption for care leavers to the removal of the spare room subsidy policy in the Social Rented Sector.</p><p>For those individuals who may require more support and whose circumstances may make it difficult for them to share accommodation, Discretionary Housing Payments are available.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince grouped question UIN 270291 question first answered 02/07/2019 11:19:53 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead