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1110571

	registered interest
	date	09/04/2019
	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	Department for Work and Pensions: Disclosure of Information
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many non-disclosure agreements her Department has entered into with departmental staff in each of the last five years.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	242812
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/04/2019 answer text <p>In February 2015, Cabinet Office published new guidance on non-disclosure agreements. This guidance requires a minister to approve the use of a non-disclosure agreement, and for government departments to hold a record of using such agreements.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>DWP has not entered into any non-disclosure agreements in the four years since February 2015 and our policy is not to use these agreements.</p><p> </p><p>Prior to February 2015, DWP did not centrally hold a record of the use of non-disclosure agreements and the information could only be provided at disproportionate cost.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 16/04/2019 14:43:21 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1177044

	registered interest
	date	07/02/2020
	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 additional financial support his Department provides to vulnerable people that claim universal credit.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	13977
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/02/2020 answer text <p>Millions of people who move onto Universal Credit from legacy benefits are better off, including around a million disabled households who will gain on average around £100 per month.</p><p>The Department takes seriously the need to support vulnerable claimants, and wants the application process for Universal Credit to be as quick and easy as possible, ensuring that claimants receive money at the earliest opportunity.</p><p>Citizens Advice and Citizens Advice Scotland have supported over 180,000 individuals through the ‘Help to Claim’ provision since April 2019, offering tailored and practical support to help people make a Universal Credit claim up to receiving their first full correct payment on time. ‘Help to Claim’ is available online, on the phone and face-to-face in multiple locations including Jobcentres and Citizen’s Advice Bureaux.</p><p>We have listened to feedback on how we can improve Universal Credit to support our claimants and acted quickly, making improvements such as extending advances, removing waiting days, and introducing housing benefit run on. These changes are giving support to those who need it most, whilst at the same time helping people get into work faster.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 17/02/2020 15:39:41 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1277746

	registered interest
	date	18/01/2021
	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: Hendon
	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 Hendon received a Universal Credit payment (a) at the most recent assessment and (b) in each of the twelve months prior to that date.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	138935
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/01/2021 answer text <p>The latest available monthly statistics on the number of households on Universal Credit by payment indicator and Westminster Parliamentary Constituency is published and can be found at:</p><p><a href="https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/" target="_blank">https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/</a>.</p><p>Guidance on how to extract the information required can be found at:</p><p><a href="https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html" target="_blank">https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html</a></p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 21/01/2021 16:20:30 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1657781

	registered interest
	date	04/09/2023
	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	Sickness Benefits
	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 were on long-term sickness benefits in (a) England, (b) London and (c) Hendon constituency in each of the last five years.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	197407
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/09/2023 answer text <p>The available information is in the attached spreadsheet.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove question first answered 12/09/2023 16:54:22 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove attachment 1 file name 197407 attachment .xlsx title Attachment
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1684447

	registered interest
	date	23/01/2024
	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: Carbon Emissions
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what targets his Department has set to help achieve the Government's commitments on net zero.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	11071
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/01/2024 answer text <ul><li>The Government set out how we would meet our commitments in the Net Zero Strategy in 2021 which included a detailed breakdown of actions required across all sectors in the economy. This was updated in 2023 through the publication of 'Powering Up Britain'.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>The UK has halved its emissions, ahead of every other major economy, and we have grown our economy by over 70% since 1990. The UK over-achieved against the first and second carbon budgets, and the latest projections show that we are on track to meet the third.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>We have one of the most ambitious decarbonisation targets in the world, and we have set more stretching targets for 2030 than most countries. We plan to cut emissions by 68% by 2030, which is more than the EU, Japan or the United States.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>DWP supports Defra’s Greening Government Commitments. These targets are set every five years and support the UK Carbon Budgets. The current agreed targets are a 45% reduction in DWP’s total greenhouse gas emissions, and a 17% reduction in direct emissions by 2024/25, which the Department is on track to deliver.</li></ul><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Blackpool North and Cleveleys answering member printed Paul Maynard question first answered 31/01/2024 14:36:08 answering member 3926 label Biography information for Paul Maynard
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1364320

	registered interest
	date	28/10/2021
	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	Older Workers: Training
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what initiatives she is promoting to assist older people on Jobseekers Allowance who are considering changing career or retraining.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	65412
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/11/2021 answer text <p>The Chancellor announced in the 2021 Spending Review that an enhanced offer for workers aged 50 and over will be introduced, to ensure that older workers receive the support they need to remain in or return to work.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The enhanced offer will build on the Department’s existing Plan for Jobs which provides funding to ensure that more jobseekers of all ages get tailored support, including to reskill or pivot sectors. That includes programmes such as the Job Finding Support service, Job Entry Targeted Support (JETS), Sector-based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs) and the Restart scheme, to help them find work. The JETS scheme in particular helps claimants to update their digital skills, job searching tools and to identify transferrable skills which has led to over 48,780 jobseekers in England and Wales and over 1,960 in Scotland start work.</p><p>The SWAPs provides opportunities in sectors with high volumes of current local vacancies, such as hospitality, allowing people to learn the skills and behaviours that employers need. DWP is increasing the number of SWAPs opportunities to 80,000 in 2021/22.</p><p> </p><p>A network of 50 Plus Champions provides dedicated support to Work Coaches across all 37 Jobcentre Plus districts to enable and encourage them to direct suitable Plan for Jobs and local support to claimants aged 50 and over. The Government’s Business Champion for Older Workers also spearheads the Government’s work to support employers to hire and re-train older workers, promoting the benefits of older workers to employers across England.</p><p> </p><p>To help people plan for employment in later life, we launched a Mid-life MOT in 2019, encouraging those in their 40s, 50s and 60s to consider aspects of their wealth, work and wellbeing. This helps them to make informed decisions about future income provision and longer-term employment prospects, supporting individuals to stay in work for longer and to achieve the later life that they want.</p><p> </p><p>The UK government are also investing in the National Skills Fund in England to aid The Lifetime Skills Guarantee. Since April 2021, adults of any age over 24 who are looking to achieve their first full Level 3 qualification have been able to access fully funded courses which will give them new skills and greater prospects in the labour market. Skills Bootcamps, which are free, flexible courses of up to 16 weeks, are giving adults the opportunity to build up sector-specific skills and fast-track to an interview with a local employer. As announced at the Budget, a total investment of over £550m by 2024-25 will make sure adults, at any age, can upskill to reach their potential, transforming lives and delivering on the National Skills Fund commitment.</p><p> </p><p>The free online Skills Toolkit also provides online learning focused on digital, numeracy and employability skills.</p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 09/11/2021 17:24:12 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1364337

	registered interest
	date	28/10/2021
	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	Unemployment: Hendon
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what support Jobcentre Plus is providing to young people not in education, employment and training in the Hendon constituency.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	65417
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/11/2021 answer text <p>The Government’s Plan for Jobs is delivering a comprehensive package of support for young people, which the Department for Work and Pensions is providing in collaboration with the Department for Education, schools and other partners. This means that whatever their needs, young people can find the right support, education or training that will ultimately lead to sustained employment.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Jobcentre Plus provides an array of support for young people living in the constituency of Hendon and across the Borough of Barnet, underpinned by a close working relationship with key stakeholders.</p><p> </p><p>Kickstart provides employment and training opportunities across a range of sectors with Kickstart jobs offered by key employers in the area such as Brent Cross-Hemmersons, Barnet Council, The Cherry Tree Foundation and The London Village Network. Every week we welcome dozens of employers into the local Jobcentres to recruit young people face-to-face. Our Work Coaches help to prepare young people for interview, and where a job start is secured, offer financial support to overcome any barriers around travel and essential clothing and equipment. The local Youth Hub is based in Grahame Park, Colindale. Work Coaches, in collaboration with Barnet Council, provide bespoke support to customers to move closer to work or opportunities, from CV writing to training opportunities.</p><p> </p><p>We are working closely with the local leaving care team and a range of expert partners to provide the holistic support needed by this priority group of young people. These organisations include Bridging the Gap, Future Pathways, Live Unlimited, Routes into Constructions, Twinning Enterprise, Trail Blazers, Barnet Council, Advocacy Service and Drive Forward Foundation. These vital partnerships have been at the forefront in our drive to reduce youth unemployment, ensuring every young person is being supported into work.</p><p> </p><p>Sector-based Work Academy Programmes also provide the essential skills young people need to enter employment, for example a recent programme provided the skills required for the fitness industry and prioritised those young people with complex barriers linked to leaving care, gang affiliation and a history of offending.</p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 05/11/2021 12:47:56 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1384345

	registered interest
	date	02/12/2021
	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	Employment Schemes: Young People
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what initiatives her Department has undertaken to assist jobseekers under the age of 25 to find employment.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	86079
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/12/2021 answer text <p>We have announced our Plan for Jobs expansion which will see another £500 million invested in supporting people into jobs, with young people at the heart of this through Kickstart and our DWP Youth Offer.</p><p> </p><p>The Kickstart scheme is dedicated to helping 16-24-year olds at risk of long-term unemployment develop their skills and experience through 6-month jobs. Around 112,000 Kickstart jobs have been started by young people and the scheme will continue until March 2022, offering jobs and experience to many thousands more young people.</p><p> </p><p>We are extending the DWP Youth Offer to 2025 and have expanded eligibility to include 16 and 17-year olds, in addition to 18 to 24-year olds, who are claiming Universal Credit and searching for work. The Youth Offer currently provides intensive work search support through the Youth Employment Programme, specialised Youth Employment Coaches for young people with additional barriers to work, and over 150 Youth Hubs across England, Scotland and Wales.</p><p> </p><p>DWP is working in collaboration with the Department for Education, National Careers Service, devolved administrations, and other partners to deliver a comprehensive package of support for young people.</p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 08/12/2021 17:54:45 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1384347

	registered interest
	date	02/12/2021
	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	Employment Schemes: Older People
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether individual support programmes are available to employment seekers over the age of 50.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	86081
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/12/2021 answer text <p>As part of the £500m Plan for Jobs expansion, we are funding a new enhanced support package for workers aged 50 and over to help them to stay in or return to work. This offer has two strands. Older workers will receive better information and guidance on later life planning, helping them make informed choices and supporting them to plan their career and remain in work. For those who have lost their jobs, this funding will ensure that older job seekers on Universal Credit receive more intensive, tailored support as they look to take the next step in their career.</p><p> </p><p>Additionally, the Department’s Plan for Jobs provides funding to ensure that jobseekers of all ages get tailored support, including to reskill or pivot sectors. This includes programmes such as the Job Finding Support service, Job Entry Targeted Support (JETS) and the Restart scheme, to help them find work. In particular, the JETS scheme, which has just been extended to September 2022, helps jobseekers update their digital skills, job searching tools and to identify transferrable skills.</p><p> </p><p>To provide support to our Work Coaches, we have a network of 50PLUS Champions across all 37 Jobcentre Plus districts who reinforce Jobcentre Plus commitment to supporting claimants aged 50 and over to find and stay in work.</p><p> </p><p>Their role is to raise the profile of claimants 50 and over across Jobcentre Plus and share good practice including promoting the benefits of employing people aged 50 and over to employers. 50PLUS Champions work closely with Work Coaches to help them identify the most appropriate support from within the Plan for Jobs and the wider offer.</p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 09/12/2021 17:52:46 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1461311

	registered interest
	date	10/05/2022
	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	Employment: Young People
	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 supporting young people into high-skilled jobs in Hendon constituency.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	201
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/05/2022 answer text <p>Through Jobcentre Plus, DWP is helping young people to find the right support, education or training that will ultimately lead to sustained employment opportunities and career progression.</p><p> </p><p>The Plan for Jobs provides a comprehensive package of support for young people, including the DWP Youth Offer. We have extended the DWP Youth Offer to 2025 and expanded eligibility to include 16 and 17-year-olds, in addition to 18 to 24-year olds, who are claiming Universal Credit and searching for work.</p><p> </p><p>Both Hendon Jobcentres support young people through the DWP Youth Offer, which includes intensive Work Coach support, Youth Employability Coaches for those with additional barriers, and access to the Youth Hub in the Grahame Park area.</p><p> </p><p>Core skills are fundamental in securing, retaining, and progressing in work. This Government has invested in apprenticeships, traineeships, vocational and basic skills training, alongside careers advice and Sector-based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs).</p><p> </p><p>SWAP opportunities link skills/employability training with guaranteed interviews and real vacancies – providing a routeway into work for young people. Whilst many opportunities are entry level, they often offer good career pathways and in work progression. Springboard has recently offered SWAP opportunities in the hospitality sector in each of the four London Districts and are available to young claimants in Hendon. The jobcentre team are also working with No1 Fitness Academy, who are running a 6-week employability programme for young people in Hendon.</p><p> </p><p>Employers from a range of sectors recruit on site daily and we deliver a Job Club to support with applications and interview techniques. Across North London, we hold regular recruitment events with multiple employers offering jobs with a range of entry levels.</p><p> </p><p>The local jobcentre team work collaboratively with Barnet Council and various partners to support Hendon’s young people, developing skills provision and routeways into higher skilled jobs in sectors including construction, computer programming and fitness instruction.</p><p> </p><p>We work closely with the GLA, London Councils and our College Principles. We are working collaboratively to develop Skills Bootcamps in line with priority sectors and we also support the mayor’s priorities around Good Work for Londoners.</p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 18/05/2022 11:07:01 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord