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772318

	registered interest
	date	17/10/2017
	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	Jobcentres: Galashiels
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the status is of his Department's proposal to move the Galashiels Jobcentre.
	tabling member constituency	Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk
	tabling member printed	John Lamont
	uin	108142
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/10/2017 answer text <p>We announced on 5 July that this jobcentre’s staff and services were to relocate to a new DWP office: this plan has now changed. We are still progressing the options to locate a new office, so our staff and services will be staying in the current location for a period of at least 12 months whilst we conclude this activity.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 25/10/2017 10:22:57 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	4608 label Biography information for John Lamont

1255969

	registered interest
	date	26/11/2020
	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	Kickstart Scheme
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what progress has been made on rolling out the Kickstart Scheme; and what discussions he has with the devolved Administrations on that scheme.
	tabling member constituency	Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk
	tabling member printed	John Lamont
	uin	121332
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/12/2020 answer text <p>As of 20/11/2020, the DWP’s Kickstart scheme has received 4’783 total applications, 1’752 of these being from prospective gateway organisations (this includes bids made across a number of application forms from some organisations each containing different Kickstart placements). So far, applications from Gateways and employers covering 23’934 vacancies have been approved.</p><p> </p><p>Officials meet colleagues in the devolved administrations regularly to discuss Kickstart and to ensure that the benefits of the scheme can be maximised and can complement existing and planned local provision for young people.</p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 03/12/2020 16:30:42 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	4608 label Biography information for John Lamont

1285243

	registered interest
	date	09/02/2021
	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	Kickstart Scheme: Scottish Borders
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many new job placements have been created in the Scottish Borders as part of the Kickstart Scheme.
	tabling member constituency	Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk
	tabling member printed	John Lamont
	uin	151796
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/02/2021 answer text <p>I refer my Right Honourable friend to PQ <a href="https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions?SearchTerm=145013&amp;DateFrom=19%2F12%2F2019&amp;DateTo=31%2F03%2F2021&amp;AnsweredFrom=&amp;AnsweredTo=&amp;House=Commons&amp;Answered=Any&amp;Expanded=True" target="_blank">145013</a></p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 16/02/2021 11:01:12 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	4608 label Biography information for John Lamont

1290131

	registered interest
	date	25/02/2021
	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	Jobcentres: Galashiels
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what support she is providing to Galashiels Job Centre to further assist the unemployed.
	tabling member constituency	Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk
	tabling member printed	John Lamont
	uin	158999
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/03/2021 answer text <p>Through our Plan for Jobs, the department is providing broad ranging support for all jobseekers. Currently, support includes the Kickstart scheme, Job Finding Support, Sector Based Work Academy Programmes and Job Entry Targeted Support in Scotland.</p><p>In addition, the government is investing an additional £150 million into the Flexible Support Fund, which will increase the capacity of the Rapid Response Service, supporting people through redundancy and providing additional local support to claimants by removing barriers to work such as travel expenses for attending interviews and child care.</p><p>Our Jobcentre Work Coaches provide support on finding a job, help with retraining or skills advice, CV, job applications and access to the new vacancies we record every day, as well as signposting to our Jobhelp website. We are increasing the number of Work Coaches in Jobcentre Plus by 13,500 by March 2021. With 17 new Work Coaches joining the team at Galashiels Jobcentre in January.</p><p>The Galashiels Jobcentre team are working closely with Scottish Borders College to identify and deliver suitable provision for local residents, and have also partnered with employers in the area to deliver Mentoring Circles and Sector-based Work Academy Programmes.</p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 05/03/2021 14:44:10 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	4608 label Biography information for John Lamont

1312161

	registered interest
	date	26/04/2021
	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
	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 will benefit from the £20 uplift in universal credit; and what the value of that uplift is in monetary terms in (a) the Scottish Borders and (b) Scotland.
	tabling member constituency	Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk
	tabling member printed	John Lamont
	uin	187298
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/04/2021 answer text <p>The Department for Work and Pensions estimates the six month extension to the Universal Credit £20 uplift will cost around £2.2bn in GB, which can be found here: <a href="https://obr.uk/efo/economic-and-fiscal-outlook-march-2021/" target="_blank">https://obr.uk/efo/economic-and-fiscal-outlook-march-2021/</a>. The available information on the number of people with Universal Credit in payment, by geography, is published and can be found at: <a href="https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/" target="_blank">https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/</a>. Guidance on how to extract the information required can be found at: <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 28/04/2021 15:43:00 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4608 label Biography information for John Lamont

1038325

	registered interest
	date	09/01/2019
	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: Disadvantaged
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the level of social exclusion is in rural areas; and what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of her Department’s policies on social exclusion in rural areas.
	tabling member constituency	Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk
	tabling member printed	John Lamont
	uin	206832
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/01/2019 answer text <p><strong> </strong>Through the evidence gathered in the 2017-18 Community Life Survey in England, indicators linked to social exclusion do not show a significant difference between urban and rural areas. Adults living in rural areas are less likely to say that they feel they often/always feel lonely than people living in urban areas (3% compared with 6%). In addition, adults living in rural areas are more likely to say they feel they belong to their immediate neighbourhood (68%) than those living in urban areas (61%).</p><p> </p><p>The cross-government team on tackling loneliness are working with colleagues in the Devolved Administrations to ensure our work is complementary and to share insights and learn from one another.</p><p> </p><p>In its response to a House of Lords’ report on the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act in May 2018, the government reiterated its commitment to rural proofing all policies from the earliest stages so that they take account of the needs and circumstances of rural areas. Defra supports this through the provision of guidance and statistical information.</p><p>DWP undertakes analytical research through a range of trials and proof of concept, which considers claimants in rural and urban settings. To ensure DWP services are relevant to the needs of the individual and locality, JCP staff monitor local developments, with a focus on overcoming barriers to gain employment. Where there is a perceived gap, the Flexible Support Fund can be used to provide additional financial support.</p><p> </p><p>In delivering a personalised service, claimant needs are taken into account when arranging any attendance. Work coaches personalise the support they provide for each claimant based on individual need and circumstance, including the offer of home visits or postal signing where appropriate.</p><p> </p><p><em> </em></p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson grouped question UIN 206845 question first answered 16/01/2019 15:26:29 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	4608 label Biography information for John Lamont

1038346

	registered interest
	date	09/01/2019
	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: Disadvantaged
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment her Department has made of (a) how widespread social exclusion is in rural areas and (b) the effect of her Department’s policies on social exclusion in rural areas.
	tabling member constituency	Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk
	tabling member printed	John Lamont
	uin	206845
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/01/2019 answer text <p><strong> </strong>Through the evidence gathered in the 2017-18 Community Life Survey in England, indicators linked to social exclusion do not show a significant difference between urban and rural areas. Adults living in rural areas are less likely to say that they feel they often/always feel lonely than people living in urban areas (3% compared with 6%). In addition, adults living in rural areas are more likely to say they feel they belong to their immediate neighbourhood (68%) than those living in urban areas (61%).</p><p> </p><p>The cross-government team on tackling loneliness are working with colleagues in the Devolved Administrations to ensure our work is complementary and to share insights and learn from one another.</p><p> </p><p>In its response to a House of Lords’ report on the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act in May 2018, the government reiterated its commitment to rural proofing all policies from the earliest stages so that they take account of the needs and circumstances of rural areas. Defra supports this through the provision of guidance and statistical information.</p><p>DWP undertakes analytical research through a range of trials and proof of concept, which considers claimants in rural and urban settings. To ensure DWP services are relevant to the needs of the individual and locality, JCP staff monitor local developments, with a focus on overcoming barriers to gain employment. Where there is a perceived gap, the Flexible Support Fund can be used to provide additional financial support.</p><p> </p><p>In delivering a personalised service, claimant needs are taken into account when arranging any attendance. Work coaches personalise the support they provide for each claimant based on individual need and circumstance, including the offer of home visits or postal signing where appropriate.</p><p> </p><p><em> </em></p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson grouped question UIN 206832 question first answered 16/01/2019 15:26:29 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	4608 label Biography information for John Lamont

1061159

	registered interest
	date	14/02/2019
	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	Winter Fuel Payment: Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk
	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 Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk received winter fuel payments in each of the last five winter periods; and what the annual cost of winter fuel payments in Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk was in each of the last five years.
	tabling member constituency	Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk
	tabling member printed	John Lamont
	uin	221817
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/02/2019 answer text <p>Figures for the number of Winter Fuel Payment recipients in the Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk constituency are given in the table below.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>2013/14</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2014/15</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2015/16</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2016/17</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2017/18</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>25,020</p></td><td><p>24,760</p></td><td><p>24,460</p></td><td><p>24,150</p></td><td><p>23,770</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Figures for the annual cost of Winter Fuel Payment from the past five winters is not available at constituency level.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 21/02/2019 12:46:56 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4608 label Biography information for John Lamont

1061160

	registered interest
	date	14/02/2019
	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	Cold Weather Payments: Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk
	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 Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk received cold weather payments in each of the last five winter periods; and what the annual cost of cold weather payments in Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk was in each of the last five years.
	tabling member constituency	Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk
	tabling member printed	John Lamont
	uin	221818
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/02/2019 answer text <p>The Cold Weather Payment scheme is administered at weather station level rather than any other standard GB geography such as constituency level. The coverage area for each weather station is determined by the Met Office which assesses the most appropriate weather station for each postcode area. Cold weather payments are triggered when the average temperature recorded at the weather station has been recorded as, or is forecast to be, 0<sup>o</sup>C or below over seven consecutive days, during the Cold Weather season (November to March).</p><p> </p><p>The constituency of Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk covers all or part of the following postcode areas: DG14, EH37, EH38, EH43 and TD1-15.</p><p> </p><p>The above postcode areas are covered by four weather stations: Charterhall, Edinburgh Gogarbank, Eskdalemuir and Salsburgh. Qualifying individuals living in this area will have received a payment in respect of a seven-day period of Cold Weather, as shown in <strong>Table 1</strong>.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td colspan="6"><p><strong>Table 1 Estimated number of Cold Weather Payment recipients, by year and weather station</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Weather station</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2013/14</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2014/15</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2015/16</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2016/17</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2017/18</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Charterhall</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>6,000</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>6,000<sup>1</sup></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Edinburgh Gogarbank</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>72,000<sup>1</sup></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Eskdalemuir</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>5,000<sup>1</sup></p></td><td><p>5,000</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>5,000<sup>3</sup></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Salsburgh</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>19,000<sup>1</sup></p></td><td><p>35,000</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>34,000<sup>2</sup></p></td></tr><tr><td colspan="6"><p><sup>1</sup> There were two triggers at this weather station; recipients will have received two payments in that year. <sup>2</sup> There were four triggers at this weather station; recipients will have received four payments in that year. <sup>3</sup> There were five triggers at this weather station; recipients will have received five payments in that year.</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Estimated expenditure for Cold Weather Payment recipients covered by Charterhall, Edinburgh Gogarbank, Eskdalemuir and Salsburgh weather stations can be seen in <strong>Table 2,</strong> along with the annual total for the four weather stations.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td colspan="6"><p><strong>Table 2 Estimated Expenditure of Cold Weather Payments, by year</strong> <strong> and weather station</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Weather station</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2013/14</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2014/15</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2015/16</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2016/17</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2017/18</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Charterhall</p></td><td><p>£0.0m</p></td><td><p>£0.0m</p></td><td><p>£0.1m</p></td><td><p>£0.0m</p></td><td><p>£0.3m</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Edinburgh Gogarbank</p></td><td><p>£0.0m</p></td><td><p>£0.0m</p></td><td><p>£0.0m</p></td><td><p>£0.0m</p></td><td><p>£3.6m</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Eskdalemuir</p></td><td><p>£0.0m</p></td><td><p>£0.2m</p></td><td><p>£0.1m</p></td><td><p>£0.0m</p></td><td><p>£0.6m</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Salsburgh</p></td><td><p>£0.0m</p></td><td><p>£0.9m</p></td><td><p>£0.9m</p></td><td><p>£0.0m</p></td><td><p>£3.4m</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Total</p></td><td><p>£0.0m</p></td><td><p>£1.1m</p></td><td><p>£1.1m</p></td><td><p>£0.0m</p></td><td><p>£7.9m</p></td></tr><tr><td colspan="6"><p> </p></td></tr></tbody></table><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Charterhall, Edinburgh Gogarbank, Eskdalemuir and Salsburgh weather stations cover the following postcode areas, in <strong>Table 3</strong>, which include constituencies other than Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk. We estimate that 313,000 payments to 117,000 recipients, totalling £7.9 million expenditure, were made in this area as a whole in respect of the triggers in 2017/18. We are not able to break this figure down to a lower level.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td colspan="2"><p><strong>Table 3 Postcode sectors mapped to Weather Stations</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Weather station</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Postcode Sectors Covered</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Charterhall</p></td><td><p>NE71, TD1-6, TD8, TD10-15.</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Edinburgh Gogarbank</p></td><td><p>EH1-42, EH47-49, EH51-55, FK1-7, FK9-10, KY3, KY11-12.</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Eskdalemuir</p></td><td><p>DG3-4, DG10-11, DG13-14, ML12, TD7, TD9.</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Salsburgh</p></td><td><p>EH43-46, G65, G67-68, ML1-3, ML6-11.</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Notes</p><p> </p><ol><li>The number of recipients and payments given here is an estimate as information on the exact number is not readily available. These figures are produced by determining the volume of eligible recipients in each weather station area at the start of the winter season and using these figures throughout the winter to estimate payments and expenditure based on the actual triggers recorded.</li></ol><p> </p><ol start="2"><li>The number of payments made is not necessarily the total number of individuals benefitting from a Cold Weather Payment. Any individuals making a joint claim for one of the qualifying benefits, such as a couple living together, will receive one payment between them rather than one payment each. Furthermore, if a weather station triggers more than once throughout a cold weather season then the recipients will receive more than one payment.</li></ol><p> </p><ol start="3"><li>Estimates of Cold Weather Payments are published weekly during the Cold Weather season. The latest published estimates can be found at the link below:</li></ol><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/social-fund-cold-weather-payments" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/social-fund-cold-weather-payments</a></p><p> </p><ol start="4"><li>The Social Fund Cold Weather Payments (CWP) scheme provides help to individuals on benefits who are the most vulnerable to the cold. Eligibility to receive CWP is detailed on the Cold Weather Payment Eligibility page which can be found at the link below:</li></ol><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/cold-weather-payment/eligibility" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/cold-weather-payment/eligibility</a></p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 21/02/2019 09:57:03 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	4608 label Biography information for John Lamont

1061168

	registered interest
	date	14/02/2019
	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: Cancer
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the merits of changing disability living allowance and personal independence payments to enable young cancer patients to get payments backdated from the day of diagnosis.
	tabling member constituency	Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk
	tabling member printed	John Lamont
	uin	221823
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/02/2019 answer text <p>Other than for those who are terminally ill, Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and Personal Independence Payment (PIP) are assessed on the basis of the needs arising from a long-term health condition or disability rather than a diagnosis. Primary legislation sets out that a claimant cannot be entitled to DLA or PIP for any period prior to the date of claim.</p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton question first answered 21/02/2019 13:45:09 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
	tabling member	4608 label Biography information for John Lamont