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1142308

	registered interest
	date	25/07/2019
	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, with reference to her oral evidence of 24 July 2019 to the Work and Pensions Committee on increased support with upfront childcare costs on Wednesday 24 July, whether work coaches will be given greater flexibility to use the Flexible Support Fund.
	tabling member constituency	High Peak
	tabling member printed	Ruth George
	uin	282562
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/09/2019 answer text <p>Work Coaches can use the Flexible Support Fund (FSF) to pay 100% of the upfront childcare costs up to the payment limits set that the claimant incurs between starting work and receiving their first wage. This is paid directly to the childcare providers and is not repayable. Examples of what it can be used to cover include:</p><p> </p><ul><li>Deposit – To pay a provider a one off advance payment of childcare costs.</li><li>Retainer – To pay a provider a one off advance payment to secure the nursery provision prior to the parent starting work or training.</li><li>Fees – To pay a provider upfront childcare fees in advance of the service being delivered; and</li><li>Taster/Settling in periods – To pay a provider a one off advance payment to enable the parent to prepare their child before taking up the full childcare offer.</li></ul><p> </p><p>Once a claimant has received their first wage, we have given Work Coaches the flexibility to use Budgeting Advances to help pay for further upfront childcare costs where required and where a claimant is eligible. This includes - during school holidays, change of childcare provider, or additional childcare in order to increase work hours. Budgeting Advances do have to be repaid, however, up to 85% of these childcare costs can be reimbursed through the UC childcare offer (up to caps) once a paid receipt is submitted.</p> answering member constituency Eastleigh answering member printed Mims Davies grouped question UIN 282561 question first answered 05/09/2019 11:53:46 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	4662 label Biography information for Ruth George

1142288

	registered interest
	date	25/07/2019
	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, with reference to her oral contribution to the Work and Pensions Committee, of 24 July 2019, what criteria will be used for claimants to receive upfront childcare costs.
	tabling member constituency	High Peak
	tabling member printed	Ruth George
	uin	282549
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/09/2019 answer text <p>The Government is committed to supporting parents with moving into work and, as part of this, we have increased the level of ongoing financial support for childcare costs from 70 per cent in legacy benefits to up to 85 per cent in Universal Credit, which is called the ‘childcare element’. The Universal Credit childcare policy aligns with the wider government childcare offer, which includes free childcare hours and tax free childcare. This offer means that reasonable childcare costs should not form a barrier to work.</p><p> </p><p>Beyond the Universal Credit childcare element, there is other financial support to help with childcare costs: the Flexible Support Fund and Budgeting Advances. Claimants are able to discuss eligibility for these with their jobcentre work coach.</p><p> </p><p>Where initial upfront childcare costs or deposits may prevent a claimant from starting work, work coaches have the discretion to use the Flexible Support Fund to support the transition into work until a claimant receives their first wage. Individual claimant circumstances are considered each time assistance may be appropriate.</p><p> </p><p>A budgeting advance can help with one-off urgent financial events for Universal Credit claimants, such as upfront childcare, and is repayable over a period of up to 12 monthly instalments. Only one Budgeting Advance will be paid at a time and further advances will be unavailable until the balance of the previous Budgeting Advance is cleared.</p><p> </p><p>The Department is working hard to ensure that the Universal Credit childcare offer continues to operate effectively for claimants. Since February 2018, Universal Credit claimants have been able to upload digital copies of their childcare cost receipts or invoices through their online Universal Credit account. When parents have good reason for late reporting of their childcare costs, the Department is piloting a more flexible approach to enable parents to be reimbursed at a later point.</p> answering member constituency Eastleigh answering member printed Mims Davies grouped question UIN 282553 282555 282559 282560 question first answered 03/09/2019 12:46:50 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	4662 label Biography information for Ruth George

1142292

	registered interest
	date	25/07/2019
	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, with reference to her oral contribution to the Work and Pensions Committee, 24 July 2019, how frequently claimants will be able to receive support for upfront childcare costs.
	tabling member constituency	High Peak
	tabling member printed	Ruth George
	uin	282553
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/09/2019 answer text <p>The Government is committed to supporting parents with moving into work and, as part of this, we have increased the level of ongoing financial support for childcare costs from 70 per cent in legacy benefits to up to 85 per cent in Universal Credit, which is called the ‘childcare element’. The Universal Credit childcare policy aligns with the wider government childcare offer, which includes free childcare hours and tax free childcare. This offer means that reasonable childcare costs should not form a barrier to work.</p><p> </p><p>Beyond the Universal Credit childcare element, there is other financial support to help with childcare costs: the Flexible Support Fund and Budgeting Advances. Claimants are able to discuss eligibility for these with their jobcentre work coach.</p><p> </p><p>Where initial upfront childcare costs or deposits may prevent a claimant from starting work, work coaches have the discretion to use the Flexible Support Fund to support the transition into work until a claimant receives their first wage. Individual claimant circumstances are considered each time assistance may be appropriate.</p><p> </p><p>A budgeting advance can help with one-off urgent financial events for Universal Credit claimants, such as upfront childcare, and is repayable over a period of up to 12 monthly instalments. Only one Budgeting Advance will be paid at a time and further advances will be unavailable until the balance of the previous Budgeting Advance is cleared.</p><p> </p><p>The Department is working hard to ensure that the Universal Credit childcare offer continues to operate effectively for claimants. Since February 2018, Universal Credit claimants have been able to upload digital copies of their childcare cost receipts or invoices through their online Universal Credit account. When parents have good reason for late reporting of their childcare costs, the Department is piloting a more flexible approach to enable parents to be reimbursed at a later point.</p> answering member constituency Eastleigh answering member printed Mims Davies grouped question UIN 282549 282555 282559 282560 question first answered 03/09/2019 12:46:50 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	4662 label Biography information for Ruth George

1142296

	registered interest
	date	25/07/2019
	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, with reference to her evidence at the Work and Pensions select committee of 24 July 2019 on increased support with upfront childcare costs on Wednesday 24 July, whether claimants will be able to get this loan if they already hold a budgeting advance of universal credit.
	tabling member constituency	High Peak
	tabling member printed	Ruth George
	uin	282555
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/09/2019 answer text <p>The Government is committed to supporting parents with moving into work and, as part of this, we have increased the level of ongoing financial support for childcare costs from 70 per cent in legacy benefits to up to 85 per cent in Universal Credit, which is called the ‘childcare element’. The Universal Credit childcare policy aligns with the wider government childcare offer, which includes free childcare hours and tax free childcare. This offer means that reasonable childcare costs should not form a barrier to work.</p><p> </p><p>Beyond the Universal Credit childcare element, there is other financial support to help with childcare costs: the Flexible Support Fund and Budgeting Advances. Claimants are able to discuss eligibility for these with their jobcentre work coach.</p><p> </p><p>Where initial upfront childcare costs or deposits may prevent a claimant from starting work, work coaches have the discretion to use the Flexible Support Fund to support the transition into work until a claimant receives their first wage. Individual claimant circumstances are considered each time assistance may be appropriate.</p><p> </p><p>A budgeting advance can help with one-off urgent financial events for Universal Credit claimants, such as upfront childcare, and is repayable over a period of up to 12 monthly instalments. Only one Budgeting Advance will be paid at a time and further advances will be unavailable until the balance of the previous Budgeting Advance is cleared.</p><p> </p><p>The Department is working hard to ensure that the Universal Credit childcare offer continues to operate effectively for claimants. Since February 2018, Universal Credit claimants have been able to upload digital copies of their childcare cost receipts or invoices through their online Universal Credit account. When parents have good reason for late reporting of their childcare costs, the Department is piloting a more flexible approach to enable parents to be reimbursed at a later point.</p> answering member constituency Eastleigh answering member printed Mims Davies grouped question UIN 282549 282553 282559 282560 question first answered 03/09/2019 12:46:50 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	4662 label Biography information for Ruth George

1142302

	registered interest
	date	25/07/2019
	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, with reference to her oral contribution to the Work and Pensions Committee, of 24 July 2019, whether claimants will be required to repay the loan for upfront childcare costs by the end of their assessment period.
	tabling member constituency	High Peak
	tabling member printed	Ruth George
	uin	282559
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/09/2019 answer text <p>The Government is committed to supporting parents with moving into work and, as part of this, we have increased the level of ongoing financial support for childcare costs from 70 per cent in legacy benefits to up to 85 per cent in Universal Credit, which is called the ‘childcare element’. The Universal Credit childcare policy aligns with the wider government childcare offer, which includes free childcare hours and tax free childcare. This offer means that reasonable childcare costs should not form a barrier to work.</p><p> </p><p>Beyond the Universal Credit childcare element, there is other financial support to help with childcare costs: the Flexible Support Fund and Budgeting Advances. Claimants are able to discuss eligibility for these with their jobcentre work coach.</p><p> </p><p>Where initial upfront childcare costs or deposits may prevent a claimant from starting work, work coaches have the discretion to use the Flexible Support Fund to support the transition into work until a claimant receives their first wage. Individual claimant circumstances are considered each time assistance may be appropriate.</p><p> </p><p>A budgeting advance can help with one-off urgent financial events for Universal Credit claimants, such as upfront childcare, and is repayable over a period of up to 12 monthly instalments. Only one Budgeting Advance will be paid at a time and further advances will be unavailable until the balance of the previous Budgeting Advance is cleared.</p><p> </p><p>The Department is working hard to ensure that the Universal Credit childcare offer continues to operate effectively for claimants. Since February 2018, Universal Credit claimants have been able to upload digital copies of their childcare cost receipts or invoices through their online Universal Credit account. When parents have good reason for late reporting of their childcare costs, the Department is piloting a more flexible approach to enable parents to be reimbursed at a later point.</p> answering member constituency Eastleigh answering member printed Mims Davies grouped question UIN 282549 282553 282555 282560 question first answered 03/09/2019 12:46:50 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	4662 label Biography information for Ruth George

1142305

	registered interest
	date	25/07/2019
	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, with reference to her oral contribution to the Work and Pensions Committee, of 24 July 2019, whether claimants will be entitled to claim the childcare element of universal credit in the same month that they have received support for upfront childcare costs.
	tabling member constituency	High Peak
	tabling member printed	Ruth George
	uin	282560
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/09/2019 answer text <p>The Government is committed to supporting parents with moving into work and, as part of this, we have increased the level of ongoing financial support for childcare costs from 70 per cent in legacy benefits to up to 85 per cent in Universal Credit, which is called the ‘childcare element’. The Universal Credit childcare policy aligns with the wider government childcare offer, which includes free childcare hours and tax free childcare. This offer means that reasonable childcare costs should not form a barrier to work.</p><p> </p><p>Beyond the Universal Credit childcare element, there is other financial support to help with childcare costs: the Flexible Support Fund and Budgeting Advances. Claimants are able to discuss eligibility for these with their jobcentre work coach.</p><p> </p><p>Where initial upfront childcare costs or deposits may prevent a claimant from starting work, work coaches have the discretion to use the Flexible Support Fund to support the transition into work until a claimant receives their first wage. Individual claimant circumstances are considered each time assistance may be appropriate.</p><p> </p><p>A budgeting advance can help with one-off urgent financial events for Universal Credit claimants, such as upfront childcare, and is repayable over a period of up to 12 monthly instalments. Only one Budgeting Advance will be paid at a time and further advances will be unavailable until the balance of the previous Budgeting Advance is cleared.</p><p> </p><p>The Department is working hard to ensure that the Universal Credit childcare offer continues to operate effectively for claimants. Since February 2018, Universal Credit claimants have been able to upload digital copies of their childcare cost receipts or invoices through their online Universal Credit account. When parents have good reason for late reporting of their childcare costs, the Department is piloting a more flexible approach to enable parents to be reimbursed at a later point.</p> answering member constituency Eastleigh answering member printed Mims Davies grouped question UIN 282549 282553 282555 282559 question first answered 03/09/2019 12:46:50 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	4662 label Biography information for Ruth George

1141993

	registered interest
	date	25/07/2019
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Mental Health Services: Postgraduate Education
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the balance between (a) theoretical and (b) practice-based content in postgraduate courses in play therapy.
	tabling member constituency	High Peak
	tabling member printed	Ruth George
	uin	282403
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/09/2019 answer text <p>Universities are autonomous institutions and responsible for the content of their courses, including quality and standards. The Department for Education does not assess individual courses or make judgements about the content of courses.</p><p> </p><p>However, the Office for Students (OfS) is responsible for protecting the interests of all students and the quality of all regulated provision, working with the designated quality body, the Quality Assurance Agency. The OfS expects higher education providers to ensure they enable students to progress to employment, including by working with employers on the content of courses. This is particularly relevant where there are professional bodies with an interest in the abilities and standard of graduates and post-graduates. The OfS also manages the Teaching Excellence and Student Outcomes Framework.</p><p> </p><p>The government has a role in ensuring a framework exists to understand and provide for skills needs at a national and local level.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Orpington answering member printed Joseph Johnson grouped question UIN 282404 question first answered 03/09/2019 06:57:56 answering member 4039 label Biography information for Lord Johnson of Marylebone
	tabling member	4662 label Biography information for Ruth George

1141994

	registered interest
	date	25/07/2019
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Mental Health Services: Postgraduate Education
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the availability of postgraduate training in practice-based play therapy in each region of England.
	tabling member constituency	High Peak
	tabling member printed	Ruth George
	uin	282404
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/09/2019 answer text <p>Universities are autonomous institutions and responsible for the content of their courses, including quality and standards. The Department for Education does not assess individual courses or make judgements about the content of courses.</p><p> </p><p>However, the Office for Students (OfS) is responsible for protecting the interests of all students and the quality of all regulated provision, working with the designated quality body, the Quality Assurance Agency. The OfS expects higher education providers to ensure they enable students to progress to employment, including by working with employers on the content of courses. This is particularly relevant where there are professional bodies with an interest in the abilities and standard of graduates and post-graduates. The OfS also manages the Teaching Excellence and Student Outcomes Framework.</p><p> </p><p>The government has a role in ensuring a framework exists to understand and provide for skills needs at a national and local level.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Orpington answering member printed Joseph Johnson grouped question UIN 282403 question first answered 03/09/2019 06:57:56 answering member 4039 label Biography information for Lord Johnson of Marylebone
	tabling member	4662 label Biography information for Ruth George

1140848

	registered interest
	date	22/07/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
	answering dept id	7
	answering dept short name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
	answering dept sort name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
	hansard heading	Freehold
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the press release entitled, Leasehold axed for all new houses in move to place fairness at heart of housing market, published by his Department on 27 June 2019, what estimate he has made of the number of house buyers that were subject to the sale of their freehold before they had bought their homes.
	tabling member constituency	High Peak
	tabling member printed	Ruth George
	uin	280377
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/07/2019 answer text <p>The Department has no data on the number of house buyers who were interested in or offered the opportunity to buy the freehold of their property at the point of purchase.</p><p>The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is investigating the extent of any mis-selling of leasehold properties, using its consumer protection powers and will consider whether to bring forward enforcement proceedings.</p><p>The Government is working with the Law Commission to make it easier, faster and cheaper for leaseholders to purchase their freehold. As part of this project, the Law Commission are considering how best to reduce the premium for purchasing a freehold, given the legitimate property rights held by freeholders.</p> answering member constituency South Derbyshire answering member printed Mrs Heather Wheeler grouped question UIN 280378 question first answered 25/07/2019 07:15:54 answering member 4053 label Biography information for Mrs Heather Wheeler
	tabling member	4662 label Biography information for Ruth George

1140849

	registered interest
	date	22/07/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
	answering dept id	7
	answering dept short name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
	answering dept sort name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
	hansard heading	Freehold
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how buyers that expressed an intention to purchase their freeholds to the developer pre-contract will receive their freeholds for no cost through redress with the developer.
	tabling member constituency	High Peak
	tabling member printed	Ruth George
	uin	280378
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/07/2019 answer text <p>The Department has no data on the number of house buyers who were interested in or offered the opportunity to buy the freehold of their property at the point of purchase.</p><p>The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is investigating the extent of any mis-selling of leasehold properties, using its consumer protection powers and will consider whether to bring forward enforcement proceedings.</p><p>The Government is working with the Law Commission to make it easier, faster and cheaper for leaseholders to purchase their freehold. As part of this project, the Law Commission are considering how best to reduce the premium for purchasing a freehold, given the legitimate property rights held by freeholders.</p> answering member constituency South Derbyshire answering member printed Mrs Heather Wheeler grouped question UIN 280377 question first answered 25/07/2019 07:15:54 answering member 4053 label Biography information for Mrs Heather Wheeler
	tabling member	4662 label Biography information for Ruth George