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1143160

	registered interest
	date	02/09/2019
	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, if she will make an assessment of the compatibility of her Department’s policy of universal credit being digital by default with her Department’s Debt Management office being contactable only by (a) fax and (b) post rather than by secure email.
	tabling member constituency	Alyn and Deeside
	tabling member printed	Mark Tami
	uin	284838
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2019 answer text <p>Currently, most claimants who want to contact Debt Management call via one of the free phone numbers. However, we recognise the need for an online service to allow claimants to more easily manage any debts that they may have. Therefore, we are developing the Digital Debt Service as a replacement for our current Debt Manager system.</p><p>This new system will allow claimants to view details of any debts they have (including the current balance) and make repayments online.</p> answering member constituency Eastleigh answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 09/09/2019 12:22:03 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	1383 label Biography information for Mark Tami

1142828

	registered interest
	date	02/09/2019
	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, how many people have had their (a) driving licence and (b) passport removed as a result of Child Maintenance Service enforcement measures.
	tabling member constituency	Arfon
	tabling member printed	Hywel Williams
	uin	284276
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2019 answer text <p>This information is not reported. However we do hold clerical data and can advise 15 driving licenses have been removed or suspended and 3 passports have been suspended.</p><p> </p><p>The information regarding committal orders, or sanctions as they are called in the Child Maintenance Service, are reported in our published statistics and can be on found table 11 of the tables document on the attached link:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/child-maintenance-service-august-2013-to-march-2019-experimental" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/child-maintenance-service-august-2013-to-march-2019-experimental</a></p><p> </p><p>We reported enforcement activities in our CSA statistics until September 2017 when we reduced the number of tables published because most CSA cases had been closed or had begun the Case Closure process. The last publication including the enforcement activities can be found on table 22 of the attached link:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/child-support-agency-quarterly-summary-of-statistics-june-2017" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/child-support-agency-quarterly-summary-of-statistics-june-2017</a></p> answering member constituency Eastleigh answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 09/09/2019 12:45:51 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	1397 label Biography information for Hywel Williams

1143303

	registered interest
	date	02/09/2019
	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	Breastfeeding
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment the Government has made of the potential merits of (a) bringing forward legislative proposals to protect breastfeeding mothers at work and (b) reducing the promotion of breast-milk substitutes in order to improve infant feeding in the UK.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol East
	tabling member printed	Kerry McCarthy
	uin	284678
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2019 answer text <p>In response to bringing forward legislative proposals to protect breastfeeding mothers at work, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is not proposing to introduce legislative changes to protect breastfeeding mothers in the workplace. Breastfeeding mothers are already protected under the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 (the Workplace Regulations)</p><p> </p><p>The Workplace Regulations require employers to provide suitable rest facilities for breastfeeding mothers. Employers are also recommended to provide a private, healthy and safe environment for nursing mothers to express and store milk. Comprehensive online guidance on how employers can meet their legal requirements can be found at <a href="https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hse.gov.uk%2Fmothers%2F&amp;data=02%7C01%7Cparlybranch.pqs%40beis.gov.uk%7Cd6523640efd34bf2d8b408d730890091%7Ccbac700502c143ebb497e6492d1b2dd8%7C0%7C0%7C637031237282951465&amp;sdata=cXmk3wvgYbAn72K18nJzCp2gVC%2BeKxtuVzyxlCXCEYM%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">http://www.hse.gov.uk/mothers/</a></p><p> </p><p>Research commissioned and published in 2016 by the Equality and Human Rights Commission and Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy found that almost all employers said they understood their legal responsibility to ensure a safe working environment for mothers returning from maternity leave. Often where difficulties arose in terms of health and safety, it was due to poor communication and a lack of ongoing discussion between managers and new and expectant mothers. HSE has published guidance which emphasises the importance of this to help address any issues or concerns. It can be found at <a href="https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hse.gov.uk%2Fpubns%2Findg373.pdf&amp;data=02%7C01%7Cparlybranch.pqs%40beis.gov.uk%7Cd6523640efd34bf2d8b408d730890091%7Ccbac700502c143ebb497e6492d1b2dd8%7C0%7C0%7C637031237282951465&amp;sdata=D063NUU8RU2o6UPt9j8P6j2%2ByaRGSuXeqLa%2F6faxvwE%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg373.pdf</a></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>On reducing the promotion of breast-milk substitutes, there is strict legislation currently in place in the form of the EU Directive (2006/141/EC) which regulates the composition, labelling and marketing of infant formulae and follow-on formulae. The Directive reflects scientific advice on the essential composition of infant formulae and follow-on formulae and discussions at an international level in the Codex Alimentarius forum. This Directive is implemented in England by the Infant Formula and Follow on Formula (England) Regulations 2007 and similar legislation applies in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The Directive also gives effect to the principles and aims of the 1981 World Health Organisation (WHO) Code on the Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes by regulating labelling and restricting advertising and presentation of infant so as not to discourage breastfeeding.</p><p> </p><p>The new Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/127 will apply from 22nd February 2020; as a member state, the UK Government was fully involved and committed to the introduction of the new regime within the EU. In the event of EU Exit prior to 22 February 2020, the intention is therefore to make UK-wide legislation to mirror the delegated legislation as closely as possible, and to progress with implementation of the provisions.</p> answering member constituency Eastleigh answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 09/09/2019 12:55:53 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	1491 label Biography information for Kerry McCarthy

1143766

	registered interest
	date	02/09/2019
	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: Lone Parents
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the effect of the benefit cap on single parent households with dependent children in Scotland.
	tabling member constituency	Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill
	tabling member printed	Hugh Gaffney
	uin	285022
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2019 answer text <p>The table below shows the number of households in Scotland that have had their Housing Benefit or Universal Credit capped between the introduction of cap and May 2019 (‘cumulative caseload’), and latest capped caseload in May 2019 (‘point in time caseload’), for all capped households and lone parents.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td rowspan="2"><p><strong>Benefit cap caseload in Scotland</strong></p></td><td colspan="2"><p><strong>Housing Benefit</strong></p></td><td colspan="2"><p><strong>Universal Credit</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Total</p></td><td><p>Lone parents</p></td><td><p>Total</p></td><td><p>Lone parents</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Cumulative capped caseload (up to May 2016)</strong></p></td><td><p>12,500</p></td><td><p>6,200</p></td><td><p>1,100</p></td><td><p>600</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>% of which are lone parents</p></td><td><p>-</p></td><td><p>50%</p></td><td><p>-</p></td><td><p>53%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Point-in-time capped caseload (May 2019)</strong></p></td><td><p>2,700</p></td><td><p>1,800</p></td><td><p>600</p></td><td><p>400</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>% of which are lone parents</p></td><td><p>-</p></td><td><p>67%</p></td><td><p>-</p></td><td><p>64%</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p><strong>Source:</strong> DWP benefit cap official statistics up to May 2019, August 2019 publication</p><p> </p><p><strong>Notes: </strong></p><p>1) All figures are rounded to the nearest 100 households.</p><p>2) Lone parents are defined are single person households with dependent children.</p><p>3) For Housing Benefit claimants, the cumulative capped caseload is the number of households that have had their Housing Benefit capped between the introduction of the benefit cap on 15 April 2013 to May 2019.</p><p>4) For Universal Credit claimants, the cumulative capped caseload is the number of households that had their Universal Credit capped between October 2016 and May 2019. Universal Credit benefit cap data is only available from October 2016 onwards.</p><p> </p><p>The average weekly cap amount under Housing Benefit for lone parents in Scotland in May 2019 was £60, compared to an average of £55 for all households in Great Britain. We do not currently publish the average cap amount for Universal Credit capped households, by family type, but are planning to publish this information for the first time on the DWP Stat-Xplore portal during the w/c 9th September.</p> answering member constituency Eastleigh answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 09/09/2019 14:51:41 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	4614 label Biography information for Hugh Gaffney

1144822

	registered interest
	date	04/09/2019
	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, for what reasons regulation 4(1) of the Child Support (Child Support Maintenance) Calculations Regulations 2012 provides that a relevant tax year for the calculation of child maintenance by a paying parent is any one of the six years immediately preceding the date of request and not the most recent year for which tax data is available.
	tabling member constituency	Dunfermline and West Fife
	tabling member printed	Douglas Chapman
	uin	286787
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2019 answer text <p>It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.</p> answering member constituency Eastleigh answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 09/09/2019 16:10:27 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	4402 label Biography information for Douglas Chapman

1144833

	registered interest
	date	04/09/2019
	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, how many paying parents are in maintenance arrears through the Child Maintenance Service; and how much unpaid maintenance remains outstanding in Dunfermline and West Fife constituency.
	tabling member constituency	Dunfermline and West Fife
	tabling member printed	Douglas Chapman
	uin	286795
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2019 answer text <p>It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.</p> answering member constituency Eastleigh answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 09/09/2019 16:12:32 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	4402 label Biography information for Douglas Chapman

1144834

	registered interest
	date	04/09/2019
	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, how many and what proportion of Child Maintenance Service income challenges by paying parents were as a result of private pension payments not being deducted from income calculations.
	tabling member constituency	Dunfermline and West Fife
	tabling member printed	Douglas Chapman
	uin	286796
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2019 answer text <p>It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.</p> answering member constituency Eastleigh answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 09/09/2019 16:08:23 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	4402 label Biography information for Douglas Chapman

1144835

	registered interest
	date	04/09/2019
	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, how many Child Maintenance Service complaints were made by paying parents in relation to income data not being used to calculate payments; and what proportion of those complaints were upheld in the last three years.
	tabling member constituency	Dunfermline and West Fife
	tabling member printed	Douglas Chapman
	uin	286797
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2019 answer text <p>It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.</p> answering member constituency Eastleigh answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 09/09/2019 16:11:19 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	4402 label Biography information for Douglas Chapman

1144836

	registered interest
	date	04/09/2019
	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: Appeals
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of the time taken for benefit claimants to receive decision letters containing a four week deadline for appeal by post; and what assessment she has made of the effect of postal delays on the time available for claimants to make an appeal.
	tabling member constituency	Dunfermline and West Fife
	tabling member printed	Douglas Chapman
	uin	286798
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2019 answer text <p>It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.</p> answering member constituency Eastleigh answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 09/09/2019 16:10:43 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	4402 label Biography information for Douglas Chapman

1142697

	registered interest
	date	02/09/2019
	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 guidance her Department issues to (a) non-resident parents and (b) parents with care on changes to their child maintenance calculations when their case transfers from the Child Support Agency to the Child Maintenance Service.
	tabling member constituency	Motherwell and Wishaw
	tabling member printed	Marion Fellows
	uin	284195
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2019 answer text <p>Ahead of closure Child Support Agency send customers a series of letters advising about their case closing and what they can do should they want child maintenance payments to continue. This advice includes making an advance application to the Child Maintenance Service, t o ensure there are no breaks in child maintenance.</p><p> </p><p>When the Child Support Agency case is closed, we write to non-resident parent during the stage where we are confirming the arrears position, to remind them of the amount we have worked out they owe. We advise them to contact us if they have any other relevant information which would impact this. A letter is then sent to receiving parent advising we have confirmed their balance of child maintenance. Where child maintenance is owed, we ask if the balance is correct and if they want their arrears written off or managed by Child Maintenance Service. Parents are provided with contact details to discuss their case, at all points.</p><p> </p><p>In cases where the arrears are moved to Child Maintenance Service, a letter is sent to both parties confirming their Child Support Agency case is fully closed. We also advise the unpaid child maintenance is now being managed by Child Maintenance Service. This provides the parent with the new telephone number they will need if they wish to contact Child Maintenance Service.</p><p> </p><p>Where there is a new Child Maintenance Service case, which was previously a Child Support Agency case, the calculation can change. This is because it is a fresh start under the new service, with new rules and data.</p><p> </p><p>At the outset of a Child Maintenance Service case, we issue an indicative calculation letter to the parents. This explains the new calculation, including the information used in the calculation. This provides opportunity for the non-resident parent to provide any further information that would impact the calculation. Following this we issue an initial calculation letter which confirms the calculation and the details used.</p><p> </p><p>Parents are advised they have the opportunity, throughout the application process and the life of the case as well as at annual review stage, to challenge the information used and request change.</p> answering member constituency Eastleigh answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 09/09/2019 13:21:58 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	4440 label Biography information for Marion Fellows