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1055223

	registered interest
	date	05/02/2019
	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: Neurology
	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 people who have a neurological condition applying for assessment for (a) personal independence payment and (b) employment and support allowance who are assessed by an appropriate health care professional for that neurological condition in each year for which information is available.
	tabling member constituency	Blackpool South
	tabling member printed	Gordon Marsden
	uin	216965
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/02/2019 answer text <p>The information requested is not available.</p><p> </p><p>Medical condition data is collected from the point of claim on Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) from claimants’ fit notes, and at Work Capability Assessments (WCA). DWP statistics on the number of applications for ESA are grouped into medical conditions based on the International Classification of Diseases 10th Revision (ICD10) published by the World Health Organisation and do not include a specific group of neurological conditions. Information on the number of initial ESA WCA applications by available groups of medical conditions are available at: <a href="https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/jsf/login.xhtml" target="_blank">https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk</a>. The Departments’ choice of system for recording groups of medical conditions does not affect the correct administration the benefits individual recipients are entitled to.</p><p> </p><p>In the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) application process, claimants’ main disabling condition is only recorded for collation by the Department at assessment. It is not recorded at the point of application. The Department does not therefore hold data on the number of applicants to PIP with particular conditions. Only those who have a disability assessment determination decision will have a main disabling condition recorded for them. Information on the number of initial decisions made by disabling condition for claimants who had an assessment is published in the PIP clearances table and available at: <a href="https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/jsf/login.xhtml" target="_blank">https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk</a>. PIP main disabling conditions are recorded using a different system to ESA.</p><p> </p><p>Guidance for users of Stat Xplore is available at:</p><p><a href="https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html" target="_blank">https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html</a></p><p> </p><p>All assessments of claimants to ESA and PIP are carried out by appropriate Health Professionals. They are functional assessments which focus not on a claimant’s condition but on the functional effects of that condition. All Health Professionals have passed strict recruitment and experience criteria and are registered with a relevant regulatory body.</p><p> </p><p>Healthcare Professionals carrying out assessments for PIP and WCAs for ESA must have 2 years of clinical experience (or less than 2 years post full registration experience by individual agreement with the Department) and are trained to undertake functional assessments. In addition, they complete training on neurological conditions and have access to a range of relevant resources.</p><p> </p><p>Health Professionals can engage with claimants’ specialists where necessary to gather supporting medical evidence.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton question first answered 12/02/2019 13:39:13 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton previous answer version 100778 answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
	tabling member	465 label Biography information for Gordon Marsden

1056737

	registered interest
	date	07/02/2019
	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	Personal Independence Payment: Blackpool
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the waiting time from registration for personal independence payment to appeal is in Blackpool.
	tabling member constituency	Blackpool South
	tabling member printed	Gordon Marsden
	uin	218199
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/02/2019 answer text <p>Information on the clearance time from registration of a Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claim to appeal in Blackpool could only be provided at disproportionate cost.</p><p> </p><p>Information is available on the median clearance time from a PIP claim being cleared (when a DWP decision maker has determined whether the claimant should or should not be awarded PIP) to an appeal being cleared for people living in Blackpool Local Authority in April to September 2018 and was 53 weeks.</p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton question first answered 12/02/2019 17:24:18 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
	tabling member	465 label Biography information for Gordon Marsden

1056738

	registered interest
	date	07/02/2019
	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	Personal Independence Payment: Blackpool
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many personal independence payment assessments where a claimant had a diagnosis of a mental health disorder have resulted in no award in Blackpool; and how many of those assessments were overturned at a mandatory reconsideration or appeal.
	tabling member constituency	Blackpool South
	tabling member printed	Gordon Marsden
	uin	218200
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/02/2019 answer text <p>Since Personal Independence Payment (PIP) has been introduced, 1,670 people living in Blackpool Local Authority, whose main condition was a psychiatric disorder, have been disallowed after their case was referred to the Assessment Provider. The data the Department holds is up to September 2018. Of the 1,670 cases, 90 decisions resulted in awards being changed at the Mandatory Reconsideration (MR) stage, and 130 at appeal.</p><p> </p><p>Since PIP was introduced 3.7m decisions have been made in Great Britain for all health conditions up to September 2018, of these 10% have been appealed and 5% have been overturned.</p><p> </p><p>The data has been rounded to the nearest 10.</p><p> </p><p>PIP data includes normal rules and special rules for the terminally ill claimants, and covers new claims and DLA reassessment claims.</p><p> </p><p>Data is based on primary disabling condition as recorded on the PIP computer systems. Claimants may often have multiple disabling conditions upon which the decision is based but only the primary condition is shown in these statistics.</p><p> </p><p>The appeals may include decisions which are changed at MR, and where the claimant continues to appeal for a higher PIP award, are then changed again at tribunal appeal.</p><p> </p><p>Claimants who have received benefit decisions more recently may not yet have had time to complete the claimant journey and progress to appeal.</p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton question first answered 12/02/2019 17:27:28 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
	tabling member	465 label Biography information for Gordon Marsden

1055224

	registered interest
	date	05/02/2019
	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: Neurology
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions (a) she, (b) Ministers and (c) officials of her Department have had with charities and third sector bodies on the overall competence and expertise of health care professionals who assess people with neurological conditions for (i) personal independence payment and (ii) employment and support allowance.
	tabling member constituency	Blackpool South
	tabling member printed	Gordon Marsden
	uin	216966
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/02/2019 answer text <p>Ministers and officials regularly meet charities and third sector bodies, including those who have an understanding of those with neurological conditions, to discuss a range of issues in relation to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), including assessments.</p><p> </p><p>PIP and WCA Health Professionals must have 2 years of clinical experience (or less than 2 years post full registration experience by individual agreement with the Department). They are trained to undertake functional assessments and in addition complete training on neurological conditions and have access to a range of resources.</p><p> </p><p>Assessment Providers engage with medical experts, charities and relevant stakeholders to strengthen, review and update their training programmes.</p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton question first answered 14/02/2019 16:48:34 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton previous answer version 100777 answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
	tabling member	465 label Biography information for Gordon Marsden

1056739

	registered interest
	date	07/02/2019
	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	Personal Independence Payment: Medical Examinations
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment has been carried out into (a) the experience that health care professionals carrying out assessments for personal independence payment have of the medical conditions of claimants and (b) other aspects of the suitability of those professionals.
	tabling member constituency	Blackpool South
	tabling member printed	Gordon Marsden
	uin	218201
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/02/2019 answer text <p>Health Professionals that carry out PIP Assessments on behalf of DWP must have the following qualifications and experience:</p><p> </p><ul><li>are an occupational therapist, nurse (level 1), physiotherapist or paramedic. Doctors support assessments as part of the overall clinical assurance process but do not currently undertake any PIP assessments.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>are fully registered with the relevant licensing body (doctors must have a licence to practise).</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>The licensing body has not placed restrictions on the healthcare professional’s registration.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>at least 2 years post full registration experience or less than 2 years post full registration experience by individual agreement with the Department.</li></ul><p> </p><p>It is DWP’s policy that Health Professionals who meet this criteria will have appropriate experience to complete a functional assessment.</p><p> </p><p>Assessment Providers are required to ensure Health Professionals have knowledge of the clinical aspects and likely functional effects of a wide range of health conditions and impairments. All Health Professionals employed to conduct PIP assessments are required to complete Continuous Professional Development to keep their knowledge up to date.</p><p> </p><p>In addition, Assessment Provides have Mental Function Champions available to provide relevant advice and support to Health Professionals about mental health conditions and cognitive impairments.</p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton question first answered 15/02/2019 11:39:03 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton previous answer version 101512 answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
	tabling member	465 label Biography information for Gordon Marsden

1060703

	registered interest
	date	13/02/2019
	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	Personal Independence Payment: Mental Illness
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 12 February 2019 to Question 218200, how many personal independence payment assessments where a claimant had a diagnosis of a mental health disorder have resulted in no award in (a) the North-West and (b) England; and how many of those assessments were overturned at a mandatory reconsideration or appeal.
	tabling member constituency	Blackpool South
	tabling member printed	Gordon Marsden
	uin	220796
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/02/2019 answer text <p>The information requested is provided in the table below.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claimants with a primary disabling condition of psychiatric disorders – April 2013 to September 2018</strong></p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>-</p></td><td><p>England</p></td><td><p>North West</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Disallowed post-referral to the Assessment Provider due to failing the assessment</p></td><td><p>309,110</p></td><td><p>49,310</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Of these:</p></td><td><p>-</p></td><td><p>-</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Change of award at Mandatory Reconsideration</p></td><td><p>17,470</p></td><td><p>2,650</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Decision overturned at appeal</p></td><td><p>29,710</p></td><td><p>4,120</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Since PIP was introduced 3.7m decisions have been made in Great Britain for all health conditions up to September 2018, of these 10% have been appealed and 5% have been overturned.</p><p>There are strands of work in progress to drive continuous improvement in the decision making process. This has included the deployment of approximately 150 Presenting Officers, who are presenting DWP’s case in a number of PIP and Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) appeals.</p><p>Presenting Officers have a role in gaining valuable insight into Tribunals’ view of the Department’s processes - both at the original decision stage and at mandatory reconsideration - and why decisions may be overturned.</p><p>Their feedback is being directed to the relevant parts of the business in order to drive long term improvements to the claimant journey.</p><p>DWP is also running a series of tests exploring the different ways evidence could be gathered, and the quality of decision making.</p><p>The data has been rounded to the nearest 10.</p><p>PIP data includes normal rules and special rules for the terminally ill claimants, and covers new claims and DLA reassessment claims.</p><p> </p><p>Data is based on primary disabling condition as recorded on the PIP computer systems. Claimants may often have multiple disabling conditions upon which the decision is based but only the primary condition is shown in these statistics.</p><p>The geography relates to the origin of the claim (i.e. derived from claimant’s postcode).</p><p>The appeals may include decisions which are changed at MR, and where the claimant continues to appeal for a higher PIP award, are then changed again at tribunal appeal.</p><p>Claimants who have received benefit decisions more recently may not yet have had time to complete the claimant journey and progress to appeal.</p><p /><p> </p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton question first answered 18/02/2019 15:43:29 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
	tabling member	465 label Biography information for Gordon Marsden

1060567

	registered interest
	date	13/02/2019
	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	Personal Independence Payment: Blackpool
	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 waiting times for personal independence payment appeals on the wellbeing of claimants in Blackpool.
	tabling member constituency	Blackpool South
	tabling member printed	Gordon Marsden
	uin	220795
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/02/2019 answer text <p>Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) and DWP are very sensitive to the needs of people who may be affected by waiting times for tribunal hearings. Tribunal staff and judicial office-holders are trained accordingly, with HMCTS’ reasonable adjustments policy and practice applied where appropriate. Guidance on the policy is published on GOV.UK. If an expedited hearing is sought, or where the tribunal identifies a case which might benefit from an expedited hearing, a judge or caseworker will make a decision on the issue, taking all the circumstances of the case into account.</p><p> </p><p>HMCTS is appointing additional judges and panel members and generally taking forward initiatives with the potential to increase the capacity and performance of the tribunal, including listing more Personal Independence Payment appeals into each session. In the North West specifically, closer case management of cases ready to list has allowed many cases to be dealt with in advance of a hearing.</p><p> </p><p>Furthermore, DWP is reviewing its decision making and Mandatory Reconsideration processes with a view to reducing the number of appeals that need to be made. It is also working closely with HMCTS as it develops a new digital system which will enable speedier processing of appeals.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton question first answered 18/02/2019 15:59:27 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
	tabling member	465 label Biography information for Gordon Marsden

1064059

	registered interest
	date	19/02/2019
	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: Apprentices
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of staff employed by her Department are apprentices.
	tabling member constituency	Blackpool South
	tabling member printed	Gordon Marsden
	uin	223257
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/02/2019 answer text <p>DWP have 3.0% of their staff employed as apprentices based on the last quarterly figures as at 30 November 2018.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 25/02/2019 11:39:52 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	465 label Biography information for Gordon Marsden

1144494

	registered interest
	date	03/09/2019
	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	Pensions: Chronic Illnesses
	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 enable people affected with terminal illness to be able to transfer pension rights to a wife, husband or civil partner as part of their inheritance.
	tabling member constituency	Blackpool South
	tabling member printed	Gordon Marsden
	uin	286106
	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 Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 09/09/2019 16:05:55 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	465 label Biography information for Gordon Marsden

1150219

	registered interest
	date	17/10/2019
	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	State Retirement Pensions: Females
	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 women on low incomes born in the 1950s who have had their state pension age changed in (a) Blackpool, (b) Lancashire and (c) the North West.
	tabling member constituency	Blackpool South
	tabling member printed	Gordon Marsden
	uin	895
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/10/2019 answer text <p>Women born between 6 April 1950 and 5 April 1953 were affected by State Pension age equalisation under the Pensions Act 1995. The Pensions Act 2011 accelerated the equalisation of State Pension age, and included transitional arrangements limiting State Pension age delays, affecting women born between 6 April 1953 and 5 December 1953. It also brought forward the increase in State Pension age from 65 to 66 which affected women born between 6 December 1953 and 5 April 1960.</p><p> </p><p>The Department for Work and Pensions only holds estimates at a Great Britain level.</p><p> </p><p>The Office for National Statistics publishes data bi-annually on population numbers and projections. This is not segmented into income categories. They do offer data segmented into local area groups and region. The next release of population data will be available on the 21/10/2019 at: <a href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/releases/nationalpopulationprojections2018based" target="_blank">https://www.ons.gov.uk/releases/nationalpopulationprojections2018based</a></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 21/10/2019 13:37:37 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	465 label Biography information for Gordon Marsden