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1130501

	registered interest
	date	06/06/2019
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Immigration: EU Nationals
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 20 May 2019 to Question 254185 on Immigration: EU Nationals, if he will place in the Library, a copy of the algorithm applied by his Department during automated residency checks.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	261208
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/06/2019 answer text <p>Guidance on the automated checks process has been published on gov.uk and a copy of this will be placed in the Library. <br /><a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/eu-settlement-scheme-uk-tax-and-benefits-records-automated-check." target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/eu-settlement-scheme-uk-tax-and-benefits-records-automated-check.</a></p><p>The rules for assessing continuous residence are already set out in the Immigration Rules. The automated checks simply apply these principles to the data provided by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs and The Department for Work and Pensions. The automated checks replace the need, where data exists, for an applicant to submit any other forms of evidence.</p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes question first answered 11/06/2019 11:11:01 question first ministerially corrected 11/06/2019 11:31:13 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes attachment 1 file name How_the_automated_check_calculates_the_period_of_residence.docx title The Automated Checks - EU Settlement Scheme previous answer version 121701 answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1276338

	registered interest
	date	13/01/2021
	answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
	answering dept id	17
	answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
	answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
	hansard heading	Global Health Insurance Card
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the differences in coverage of (a) countries and (b) services are between the European Health Insurance Card scheme and the UK Global Health Insurance Card; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	137184
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/01/2021 answer text <p>The reciprocal healthcare coverage under the United Kingdom-European Union Trade and Cooperation Agreement for those on a temporary stay in an EU member state is the same, in terms of healthcare services which can be accessed by individuals, compared to the previous coverage under EU Regulations 883 and 987. However, under the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement, crew or passengers of a vessel or aircraft may now be covered for necessary healthcare on their arrival in an EU member state if the need arose whilst on a voyage, which is not the case under the EU Regulations.</p><p><ins class="ministerial">The UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement provides reciprocal healthcare coverage for travel to EU member states only. European Free Trade Area states are not covered. The UK Global Health Insurance Card has been launched to recognise this new agreement and will gradually replace old European Health Insurance Cards (EHIC) once they expire. </ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">Under the terms of the Withdrawal Agreement, UK nationals who were residing and/or working in the EU, and EU citizens residing and/or working in the UK, before 1 January 2021 are eligible to apply for a new UK EHIC which can be used for travel to EU member states, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. For those who are not covered by the Withdrawal Agreement, the UK has agreed a bilateral reciprocal arrangement with Norway which means UK nationals are covered for necessary healthcare there.</ins></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar question first answered 18/01/2021 17:30:43 question first ministerially corrected 24/03/2021 11:09:28 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar previous answer version 74914 answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1503297

	registered interest
	date	02/09/2022
	answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept id	201
	answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	hansard heading	Research, Development and Innovation Organisational Landscape Review
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when he plans to publish the independent review of the research, development and innovation landscape.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	44969
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/09/2022 answer text <p><del class="ministerial">The Department has no plans to make an assessment of the impact of the medical cannabis industry on the economy or employment levels. The Department annually publishes data on the impact on the economy and employment of the wider Life Sciences sector in the <a href="https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fcollections%2Fbioscience-and-health-technology-database-annual-reports&amp;data=05%7C01%7CRobert.Reid%40officeforlifesciences.gov.uk%7C52a0f4af72164a3b141608da90ba3996%7Ccbac700502c143ebb497e6492d1b2dd8%7C0%7C0%7C637981426767702174%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=xG98g%2B1%2BBzW72DAM8Cpp8i%2FEn2ic5G1qf2ZbOzZsXXU%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">Bioscience and health technology sector statistics</a>, and this includes analysis of the bio-pharmaceuticals sector of which the medical cannabis industry is an important part.</del></p><p> </p><p><ins class="ministerial">In leading his independent Review of the Research, Development and Innovation Organisational Landscape, Sir Paul Nurse has gathered input from members of the Review’s Scoping Group and Sounding Board, alongside hundreds of organisations in the UK’s RDI landscape. Work is underway to consider and finalise the Review’s recommendations, which will consider input from those group members, ahead of the Review’s publication in the coming months.</ins></p> answering member constituency Wealden answering member printed Ms Nusrat Ghani question first answered 28/09/2022 09:25:52 question first ministerially corrected 03/10/2022 12:34:32 answering member 4460 label Biography information for Ms Nusrat Ghani previous answer version 20886 answering member constituency Wealden answering member printed Ms Nusrat Ghani answering member 4460 label Biography information for Ms Nusrat Ghani
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1503298

	registered interest
	date	02/09/2022
	answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept id	201
	answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	hansard heading	Research, Development and Innovation Organisational Landscape Review
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether the (a) Scoping Group and (b) Sounding Board to the review of the research, development and innovation landscape will approve the recommendations of the Review.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	44970
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/09/2022 answer text <p><del class="ministerial">The Department has no plans to make an assessment of the impact of the medical cannabis industry on the economy or employment levels. The Department annually publishes data on the impact on the economy and employment of the wider Life Sciences sector in the <a href="https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fcollections%2Fbioscience-and-health-technology-database-annual-reports&amp;data=05%7C01%7CRobert.Reid%40officeforlifesciences.gov.uk%7C52a0f4af72164a3b141608da90ba3996%7Ccbac700502c143ebb497e6492d1b2dd8%7C0%7C0%7C637981426767702174%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=xG98g%2B1%2BBzW72DAM8Cpp8i%2FEn2ic5G1qf2ZbOzZsXXU%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">Bioscience and health technology sector statistics</a>, and this includes analysis of the bio-pharmaceuticals sector of which the medical cannabis industry is an important part.</del></p><p><ins class="ministerial">In leading his independent Review of the Research, Development and Innovation Organisational Landscape, Sir Paul Nurse has gathered input from members of the Review’s Scoping Group and Sounding Board, alongside hundreds of organisations in the UK’s RDI landscape. Work is underway to consider and finalise the Review’s recommendations, which will consider input from those group members, ahead of the Review’s publication in the coming months.</ins></p> answering member constituency Wealden answering member printed Ms Nusrat Ghani question first answered 28/09/2022 09:25:52 question first ministerially corrected 03/10/2022 12:34:22 answering member 4460 label Biography information for Ms Nusrat Ghani previous answer version 20889 answering member constituency Wealden answering member printed Ms Nusrat Ghani answering member 4460 label Biography information for Ms Nusrat Ghani
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1180341

	registered interest
	date	25/02/2020
	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, pursuant to the Answer of 12 February to Question 15027, whether her Department collects data on the correlation between the number of people borrowing from loan sharks and the roll-out of universal credit in an area.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	20473
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/03/2020 answer text <p><strong> </strong></p><p>The Department does not collect data about the use of loan sharks.</p><p> </p><p>The Government is creating a Breathing Space scheme to help people experiencing problem debt. Breathing Space will be implemented in early 2021 and provide access to advice and allow people the time and space to fully engage with professional support, helping them identify a sustainable solution to their debts. The scheme will cover a broad range of debts, including not only financial services debts but also arrears owed to utility companies and to central and local government.</p><p /> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 02/03/2020 17:19:32 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1388196

	registered interest
	date	15/12/2021
	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	Work Capability Assessment
	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 are awaiting a work capability assessment as of 15 December 2021; and what the average waiting time is for a claimant in the latest period for which that data is available.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	93754
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/01/2022 answer text <p><strong></strong></p><p>The number of outstanding Work Capability Assessment (WCA) referrals as of 15 December 2021 is 335,500. This includes claimants who have been asked to return a Capability for Work questionnaire and have yet to do so. Not all these cases will require the claimant to attend an assessment and where there is sufficient evidence, claims will be assessed on a paper basis. DWP closely monitors the levels of outstanding referrals.</p><p> </p><p>DWP publishes Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) WCA processing times for initial claims on gov.uk, which can be found <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/esa-outcomes-of-work-capability-assessments-including-mandatory-reconsiderations-and-appeals-december-2021" target="_blank">here</a>. We are currently unable to provide Universal Credit (UC) WCA statistics as these could only be provided at disproportionate cost.</p><p> </p><p>DWP is committed to assessing people as quickly as possible in order that they receive the benefit(s) and support they are entitled to in a timely manner. It is important to remember that claimants will receive the Assessment Rate of ESA/Standard Rate of UC whilst they are awaiting their WCA. Any additional amounts the claimant may qualify for after their assessment, will be backdated where appropriate.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><strong>Please note</strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Figure has been rounded to the nearest 100.</p><p>The above data is derived from contractual management information produced by the assessment providers.</p><p>The above data is derived from unpublished management information which is collected for internal departmental use only and has not been quality assured to Official Statistics Publication standards.</p> answering member constituency Norwich North answering member printed Chloe Smith question first answered 07/01/2022 14:21:33 answering member 1609 label Biography information for Chloe Smith
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1186202

	registered interest
	date	18/03/2020
	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	Personal Independence Payment: 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 recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of personal independence payment evaluation criteria for evaluating (a) chronic fatigue syndrome, (b) fibromyalgia and (c) other chronic illnesses.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	31499
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/03/2020 answer text <p>All health professionals carrying out assessments are clinically qualified and registered practitioners in their own field. DWP requires health professionals to have a broad training in disability analysis as well as awareness training in specific conditions, which includes chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia and other chronic illness.</p><p> </p><p>The PIP consultation is not a medical assessment requiring the health professional to diagnose a condition or its severity and recommend treatment options. Instead it requires the assessor to look at the impact of conditions and impairments on an individual’s daily life. This helps ensure that assessment reports are fit for purpose, clinically justified and sound, and provide sufficient information for the department to make a reasonable decision on entitlement to benefit.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 23/03/2020 14:49:30 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1195660

	registered interest
	date	13/05/2020
	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: Coronavirus
	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 the decision not to extend the covid-19 emergency £20 funding for universal credit claimants to those on legacy benefits.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	46632
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/06/2020 answer text <p>As part of the Government’s strategy to support people affected by COVID 19, DWP has made a number of changes to make sure people can self-isolate, and to ensure people who need financial help have access to the benefit system. We have announced measures that benefit those experiencing the most financial disruption and which can be quickly and effectively operationalised, these include:</p><p> </p><ul><li>Increasing the Local Housing Allowance rates so that they cover 30% of local market rents – which is on average an additional £600 per year in people’s pockets.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>Amendments to Housing Benefit so that increases in Working Tax Credits can be disregarded rather than reducing the Housing Benefit award.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li><strong> </strong>Treating all ESA claimants who satisfy the conditions of entitlement and are suffering from COVID-19, or who are required to self-isolate in line with government guidance, as having limited capability for work, without the requirement to provide a fit note or to undergo a Work Capability Assessment.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>Removing waiting days for ESA for those claimants affected by Covid-19, so it will be payable from day one of the claim, subject to the claimant satisfying the normal conditions of entitlement.</li></ul> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 05/06/2020 11:24:12 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince previous answer version 22282 answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1143587

	registered interest
	date	02/09/2019
	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	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 assessment she has made of the ability of universal credit claimants to access passported benefits.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	285018
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/09/2019 answer text <p>Claimants may currently be entitled to a number of other benefits because they are in receipt of Universal Credit. These are known as passported benefits, which include free school meals and free prescriptions. The eligibility criteria for each passported benefit remain the responsibility of the Departments and Devolved Administrations that own them.</p><p> </p><p>Government Departments and Devolved Administrations continue to work closely together to look at how to reduce the complexity of the current passported benefits system and put in place arrangements for Universal Credit, as it expands, that will continue to target available support at those who need it most.</p><p> </p><p>The Department currently signposts Universal Credit households to other financial support via their online account/payment statement, as well as on the GOV.UK website at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/universal-credit/other-financial-support" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/universal-credit/other-financial-support</a></p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 06/09/2019 10:21:46 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1176045

	registered interest
	date	04/02/2020
	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	Social Security Benefits: 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 she has made of the potential merits of amending her Department's requirements on the use of audio recording equipment to make it easier for claimants to record benefits assessment interviews.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	12293
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/02/2020 answer text <p>DWP remains committed to improving the assessment process, especially around trust and transparency. We are currently developing an approach to provide consistency for claimants across audio recording of Work Capability Assessments and PIP assessments.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 10/02/2020 17:18:19 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield