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1111043

	registered interest
	date	10/04/2019
	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
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Impact Assessment for the extension of the Shared Accommodation Rate to 25-34 year-olds, how many claimants were affected; and what assessment she has made of the effect of that extension on the average weekly income since January 2012.
	tabling member constituency	Westminster North
	tabling member printed	Ms Karen Buck
	uin	243318
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/04/2019 answer text <p>The number of households aged 25-34 who are entitled to the Shared Accommodation Rate is available on Stat-Xplore from January 2013 onwards.</p><p> </p><p>An independent evaluation of the 2011/12 Local Housing Allowance reforms including the changes to the Shared Accommodation Rate was published in 2014 - <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-housing-allowance-monitoring-the-impact-of-changes" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-housing-allowance-monitoring-the-impact-of-changes</a></p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 23/04/2019 12:13:52 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	199 label Biography information for Ms Karen Buck

1121962

	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	Access to Work Programme
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if it remains the Government’s ambition to provide access to work support to over 60,000 people per year by 2020 as set out in the Work, Health and Disability Green Paper published in November 2017.
	tabling member constituency	East Ham
	tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
	uin	245556
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/04/2019 answer text <p>The ‘60,000 people per year’ ambition was proposed in the ‘Work, health and disability green paper: improving lives’ consultation document, which was published in October 2016, but it was not repeated in the Government’s response ‘Improving Lives: The Future of Work, Health and Disability’, published 30 November 2017.</p><p> </p><p>The figure of ‘60,000 people per year’ was developed using data from the old Access to Work statistics series. These were withdrawn and replaced by the new experimental Access to Work Statistics, first published on 10 October 2017 and available here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/access-to-work-statistics" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/access-to-work-statistics</a></p><p> </p><p>We explained the reasons for the changes to our methodology for calculating Access to Work statistics in the Statistical Notice that we published on 12 September 2017: <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/643401/statistical-notice-access-to-work-statistics.pdf" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/643401/statistical-notice-access-to-work-statistics.pdf</a></p><p> </p><p>We are committed to improving Access to Work’s reach, as well as the support it offers. In 2017/18 expenditure rose to £110.8 million, a 4% increase in real terms on 2016/17, and support was provided to nearly 34,000 disabled people, an increase of 13% on 16/17. Record numbers of people with learning disabilities (up 22%) and mental health conditions (up 34%) were supported by the scheme. We have also expanded the eligibility criteria for the scheme to include a broader range of customers, such as people who have a drug and alcohol addiction and are in a treatment programme.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 25/04/2019 12:44:32 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

1122166

	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	Age: Discrimination
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent steps his Department has taken to reduce ageism in the workplace.
	tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
	tabling member printed	Paul Farrelly
	uin	245681
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/04/2019 answer text <p>The Equality Act 2010, provides strong protection against direct and indirect age discrimination in employment and makes it unlawful for an employer to discriminate against an employee or a job applicant because of their age, unless the employer can justify it as a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim.</p><p> </p><p>Government has put in place a number of measures to support people of all ages to enter and remain in a workplace.</p><p> </p><p>We have taken steps to support younger workers by introducing the Youth Obligation Support Programme, an intensive package of labour market support for 18-21 year-olds looking to get (back) into work. We are committed to providing targeted support for young people, so that everyone, no matter what their start in life, is given the very best chance of getting into work. In April 2019, Mentoring circles were rolled out nationally, which involve national employers offering specialised support to unemployed, young jobseekers to help build their confidence and raise their aspirations.</p><p>To support older workers to remain in or return to the labour market, the Government has removed the Default Retirement Age meaning most people can choose when to retire, and extended the right to request flexible working to all employees with 26 weeks’ continuous service with their employer.</p><p>In February 2017, the UK Government published “Fuller Working Lives: a partnership approach” to set out the role employers, individuals and Government can play in supporting fuller working lives. <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/587654/fuller-working-lives-a-partnership-approach.pdf" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/587654/fuller-working-lives-a-partnership-approach.pdf</a></p><p>The Government has also appointed the Business In The Community (BITC) Age at Work leadership team as Business Champion for Older Workers. The BITC team of employers spearhead the Government’s work to support employers to retain, retrain and recruit older workers. They actively promote the benefits of older workers to employers across England.</p><p>The number of older workers in employment is at a record high. There are now 10.4 million people aged 50 and over in the workforce.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 30/04/2019 11:19:34 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
	tabling member	1436 label Biography information for Paul Farrelly

1125881

	registered interest
	date	10/05/2019
	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	Autism
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she make it her policy to provide autism awareness training for staff in (a) her Department and (b) Jobcentres.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol West
	tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
	uin	252854
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/05/2019 answer text <p>DWP has a Diversity and Equality Policy Statement. Every person working for the Department has a personal responsibility for implementing and promoting these commitments in their day-to-day dealings with customers, with each other and with employers and partners. Inappropriate behaviour is not acceptable.</p><p> </p><p>DWP have developed Autism Awareness training for all DWP operational staff, using information from the National Autistic Society. This training explains what Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are and how they may impact on a claimants’ daily life, including how this impacts individuals differently. This helps DWP staff be aware of how they can offer appropriate support. The training also focuses on what support DWP can provide to help customers with ASD secure employment, highlighting the tailored support available and focusing on what positive strengths customers with ASD can offer a prospective employer.</p><p> </p><p>Within the Fundamental Learning Journey for all DWP Operational roles, we have learning for Supporting Vulnerable Adults (hosted by Civil Service Learning), Safeguarding children and for Adults and Equality and Diversity.</p><p> </p><p>There is DWP technical learning specifically for staff who need to look at medical evidence for particular medical conditions as part of their job role. This covers the likely care needs for more common medical conditions and signposts to more detailed guidance.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 20/05/2019 16:41:15 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

1123361

	registered interest
	date	26/04/2019
	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	Business: Asbestos and Carcinogens
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking with businesses to prevent employee's exposure to (a) asbestos and (b) carcinogens in the workplace.
	tabling member constituency	Preston
	tabling member printed	Sir Mark Hendrick
	uin	247982
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/05/2019 answer text <p>All businesses must prevent, or if this is not reasonably practicable minimise, exposure of employees to carcinogens, including asbestos, in the workplace. Businesses must comply with the requirements of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 and the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002, both of which are regulated by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). HSE also produces free guidance to assist businesses to comply with their legal duties: <a href="http://www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos/index.htm" target="_blank">http://www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos/index.htm</a> &amp; <a href="http://www.hse.gov.uk/coshh/" target="_blank">http://www.hse.gov.uk/coshh/</a>.</p><p> </p><p>HSE also works in partnership with businesses and others to raise awareness of workplace ill health. For example, occupational lung disease, including that caused by exposure to carcinogens, is one of three health priorities that form HSE’s Health and Work strategy to prevent workplace ill health. This work includes the national campaign ‘Go Home Healthy’ to promote HSE’s commitment to tackling ill health.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 03/05/2019 13:43:59 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	473 label Biography information for Sir Mark Hendrick

1111024

	registered interest
	date	10/04/2019
	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	Carbon Monoxide: Alarms
	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 encourage festivals with glamping accommodation to ensure that carbon monoxide alarms are fitted to those facilities.
	tabling member constituency	Huddersfield
	tabling member printed	Mr Barry Sheerman
	uin	243347
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/04/2019 answer text <p><strong> </strong></p><p>The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) leads on national occupational health and safety policy for the entertainments and leisure sector, whilst Local Authorities are responsible for enforcing the law at individual events, such as festivals, in their geographical area.</p><p> </p><p>Festival organisers have responsibilities under Section 3 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (HSWA) to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the safety and health of members of the public affected by their business. These responsibilities extend to ensuring that equipment provided for use by those attending festivals is maintained and operated in a safe condition.</p><p> </p><p>Fatalities arising from exposure to carbon monoxide (CO) have occurred due to BBQs being taken into tents for cooking or as a source of heat. Where accommodation is provided, festival organisers are expected to take reasonably practicable measures to prevent these items being used in enclosed areas and raise awareness of the potential dangers.</p><p> </p><p>There is no legal requirement to provide CO alarms in temporary festival accommodation. However, where there is a risk of CO being produced, HSE strongly recommends the use of suitable alarms as a useful precaution.</p><p> </p><p>HSE has published event safety guidance to help event organisers comply with their legal duties (<a href="http://www.hse.gov.uk/event-safety/index.htm" target="_blank">http://www.hse.gov.uk/event-safety/index.htm</a>) and continues to work closely with industry stakeholders to remind them of the risks from CO and the precautions to be taken. The Events Industry Forum also produces a guide, known as the Purple Guide, for the live event industry.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 23/04/2019 16:12:17 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	411 label Biography information for Mr Barry Sheerman

1126506

	registered interest
	date	14/05/2019
	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	Carer's Allowance: Newport East
	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 in the Newport East constituency have been required to repay Carer’s Allowance as a result of an overpayment in the last 12 months; and how many of those overpayments were as a result of fraudulent claims.
	tabling member constituency	Newport East
	tabling member printed	Jessica Morden
	uin	254166
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/05/2019 answer text <p>The specific breakdown you have requested is not available. This is because the Department has no business need for a breakdown of this type and therefore our systems do not have this functionality.</p><p> </p><p>The Department is working hard to prevent overpayments from occurring in the first place as they reduce available public funds and can put additional pressure on claimants who are already financially constrained. To that end, we have introduced the Verify Earnings and Pensions system which provides us with up to date earnings information and allows claims to be updated far more quickly.</p><p> </p><p>The Government recognises and appreciates the vital contribution made by informal carers, who provide invaluable support for relatives, partners, friends and neighbours who are ill, frail or disabled.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 20/05/2019 10:52:26 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	1548 label Biography information for Jessica Morden

1123530

	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	Carer's Allowance: Overpayments
	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 number of unprocessed change in circumstance notifications which led to the over-payment of carer's allowance.
	tabling member constituency	Coventry South
	tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
	uin	248577
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/05/2019 answer text <p>There is no estimate. When we receive a notification of change, consideration is given as to whether the change will affect the benefit. Where it does, action is taken to prevent an overpayment, or to stop an overpayment. Once the customer has notified us of a change in their circumstances, any delay in actioning that notification would be official error and would not be recoverable from the customer.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 02/05/2019 15:26:47 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

1123532

	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	Carer's Allowance: Overpayments
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what safeguards are in place to ensure reasonable rates of repayment from recipients of carers' allowance who have been overpaid through no fault of their own.
	tabling member constituency	Coventry South
	tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
	uin	248578
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/05/2019 answer text <p>Claimants are required to tell us about any changes in their circumstances. Once a claimant has advised us of a change, any subsequent overpayment is called official error.</p><p> </p><p>The Department does not seek the recovery of Carer’s Allowance official error overpayments as this is not permitted under the Social Security Administration Act 1992 Section 71 (1).</p><p> </p><p>Where a claimant has failed to report a change, or has provided inaccurate information, overpayments are recoverable. When recovering overpayments, the Department ensures that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect the welfare of claimants, including renegotiating repayment rates where this is needed.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 02/05/2019 14:58:20 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

1122634

	registered interest
	date	24/04/2019
	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	Ceramics: Staffordshire
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans she has to support potters in North Staffordshire facing redundancy.
	tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
	tabling member printed	Paul Farrelly
	uin	246952
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/04/2019 answer text <p>DWP organised and facilitated a support event on 16<sup>th</sup> April 2019 for those people affected by the redundancies at Dudson. We have built excellent links with the ceramic confederation, local authorities, Citizens Advice, ACAS, local providers and employers. As a result, the Department is in a position to provide tailored support to those who need it. This ensures they have the correct financial, pension, employment and up to date benefit advice as well as direct contact with employers who have expressed a keen interest in recruiting Dudson ex-employees. Following the event, all stakeholders are working together collectively to help the community in Stoke-on-Trent. People were assured that all the stakeholders in attendance were there to support them.</p><p> </p><p>All Dudson ex-employees were invited through DWP and the administrator to the City Wide Jobs fair held at Stoke-on-Trent college on the 18<sup>th</sup> April 2019. Around 54 employers and partners were in attendance with an estimated 1,800 jobs available. 20 Job interviews were conducted on the day, with 15 job contracts being offered the following day.</p><p> </p><p>BBC Radio Stoke reported live from the event encouraging people to come and be part of the day. They also interviewed a few ex-employees of Dudson who reported that it was a great opportunity to talk to employers in sectors they had not previously considered.</p><p> </p><p>We have explained that help to claim support is available through Citizens Advice to ensure customers are making the appropriate claim.</p><p> </p><p>In addition, we organised daily group sessions for the 3 days immediately following the announcement of redundancies from Dudson to manage the increased footfall and queries. 50 people attended these sessions where they were given advice regarding benefits, budgeting and CV’s.</p><p> </p><p>There are 54 people still employed by Dudson so over the next few weeks and months as other parts of the business close we may see additional claims within North Staffs. These people will also be offered the same support.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 29/04/2019 17:10:43 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
	tabling member	1436 label Biography information for Paul Farrelly