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1052463

	registered interest
	date	01/02/2019
	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	Post Office Card Account: Rural Areas
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on elderly people in rural areas of the planned discontinuation of the Post Office card system.
	tabling member constituency	Stirling
	tabling member printed	Stephen Kerr
	uin	215600
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/02/2019 answer text <p>The Government’s contract for the Post Office card account comes to an end on 30 November 2021. For those claimants and pensioners who are unable to open a mainstream account ahead of this date, the DWP will implement an alternative payment service that allows users to obtain cash payments in their local area (including suburban and rural locations) before the end of the contract. When commissioning this alternative payment service, it will be our priority to ensure that elderly vulnerable people are protected and catered for.</p><p> </p><p>Our communications with Post Office card account users will highlight that 99% of a banks’ personal customers, are able to withdraw cash, deposit cash and cheques, and make balance enquiries at a Post Office counter via its network of 11,600 branches. Therefore, those receiving benefit and pension payments into a bank account can continue to collect their money from the Post Office so there should be minimal effect on elderly people in rural areas. We have already introduced a phased conversion process ahead of 2021 and we will be writing to all Post Office card account users to ensure they are provided with an alternative payment service.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 11/02/2019 13:01:55 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4604 label Biography information for Stephen Kerr

731427

	registered interest
	date	21/06/2017
	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	Universal Credit: Scotland
	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 roll-out of Universal Credit in Scotland to date; and what lessons have been learned from that process.
	tabling member constituency	Stirling
	tabling member printed	Stephen Kerr
	uin	405
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/06/2017 answer text <p>From the early stages of the development and rollout of Universal Credit we have collaborated closely with Scottish Government, Local Authorities and stakeholders. Our roll out so far includes a mixture of rural and urban sites to help us better understand the complex requirements that a reform of this scale entails. We have noted concerns and unique circumstances in Scotland and have taken action to ensure that they are accommodated. We are also working closely with Scottish Government to plan for implementation of the UC flexibilities devolved to Scotland in the Scotland Act 2016.</p><p> </p><p>Universal Credit is available in every jobcentre in Scotland to all new claims from single jobseekers. We are expanding the UC full service and nine jobcentres are taking claims for all claimant types.</p><p> </p><p>Some of the lessons we have learned include the need for better communications with landlords and a smoother process for gathering information to make the first claim. We have made improvements to our processes as a result of this.</p><p> </p><p>The full details of when all Local Authorities and Jobcentres will roll out to Universal Credit is published here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/571711/universal-credit-transition-rollout-schedule-phase-4-to-6-2017-to-2018.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/571711/universal-credit-transition-rollout-schedule-phase-4-to-6-2017-to-2018.pdf</a></p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 28/06/2017 16:43:37 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	4604 label Biography information for Stephen Kerr

757839

	registered interest
	date	05/09/2017
	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	Children: Maintenance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department plans to bring forward proposals to include redundancy payments and savings in the mandatory disclosure to the Child Maintenance Service in the event of loss of employment by the paying parent.
	tabling member constituency	Stirling
	tabling member printed	Stephen Kerr
	uin	8807
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/09/2017 answer text <p>We have no plans to require parents to routinely disclose information about redundancy payments or savings as they are not taken into account as income within the calculation, nor can arrears be deducted from a redundancy payment prior to it being deposited into a bank account. Child maintenance arrears can be enforced against both savings and redundancy payments which have been paid out to the non-resident parent.</p> answering member constituency Gosport answering member printed Caroline Dinenage question first answered 11/09/2017 12:04:52 answering member 4008 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Dinenage
	tabling member	4604 label Biography information for Stephen Kerr

760178

	registered interest
	date	13/09/2017
	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	Department for Work and Pensions: Devolution
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the dates were of the most recent meetings between Ministers of his Department and their counterparts in the devolved administrations; and what the dates are of the next planned meetings.
	tabling member constituency	Stirling
	tabling member printed	Stephen Kerr
	uin	10407
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/10/2017 answer text <p>The table below lists the most recent meetings between Ministers from his Department and their counterparts in the devolved administrations and the next planned meetings.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Minister</p></td><td><p>Devolved Administration</p></td><td><p>Date of most recent meeting</p></td><td><p>Next planned meeting</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Secretary of State for Work and Pensions</p></td><td><p>Scottish Government</p></td><td><p>14 September 2017</p></td><td><p>N/A</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Minister for Employment</p></td><td><p>Welsh Government</p></td><td><p>13 July 2017</p></td><td><p>Provisional 27 November 2017</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Minister for Disabled People, Work and Health</p></td><td><p>Scottish Government</p></td><td><p>25 October 2016</p></td><td><p>N/A</p></td></tr></tbody></table> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 09/10/2017 16:33:03 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	4604 label Biography information for Stephen Kerr

768213

	registered interest
	date	10/10/2017
	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	Universal Credit: Stirling
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average length of time in days is that a universal credit applicant waits for their initial payment in Stirling constituency; what proportion of such applicants are assessed within six weeks in that constituency; and what the maximum and minimum times is in days from the date of first application to payment in that constituency.
	tabling member constituency	Stirling
	tabling member printed	Stephen Kerr
	uin	107025
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/10/2017 answer text <p>We do not hold this information.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 17/10/2017 16:09:45 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	4604 label Biography information for Stephen Kerr

795376

	registered interest
	date	27/11/2017
	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	Universal Credit: Personal Savings
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	whether savings held in the name of children are taken into account in applications for universal credit.
	tabling member constituency	Stirling
	tabling member printed	Stephen Kerr
	uin	115797
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/12/2017 answer text <p>Savings and other capital held in the name of children are not taken into account in the assessment of Universal Credit entitlement. As with other means tested benefits, however, there are rules to prevent claimants depriving themselves of capital in order to claim Universal Credit or increase their entitlement to Universal Credit. If claimants deprive themselves of capital by gifting the capital to their children or placing it in a child’s account, notional capital of the amount deprived may still be taken into account when assessing entitlement to Universal Credit.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 05/12/2017 15:25:13 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	4604 label Biography information for Stephen Kerr

795443

	registered interest
	date	27/11/2017
	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	Department for Work and Pensions: Correspondence
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that all letters and communications it sends to disabled and vulnerable people are accessible and available in easy-read and alternative accessible formats.
	tabling member constituency	Stirling
	tabling member printed	Stephen Kerr
	uin	115864
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/12/2017 answer text <p>Where our customers need assistance to access our services and information, we make reasonable adjustments to meet their individual needs. This means the Department communicates with customers in a variety of different formats such as Braille, audio, large print, through third party interpreters or by arranging for a member of staff to visit the customer in their home.</p><p> </p><p>The Department is continuously working to improve its written customer communications products, including letters, forms and leaflets, so they are clear and accessible to as many of our customers as possible. We follow accessible design principles, including the use of plain language.</p><p> </p><p>Easy Read is available by request for certain kinds of information. As some of our letters are necessarily complex and difficult to translate into an Easy Read format, we support customers in other ways and will discuss the most appropriate method of communication with the customer, to meet their individual needs. We will be making more customer communications products available in Easy Read in 2018.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton question first answered 05/12/2017 14:43:38 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
	tabling member	4604 label Biography information for Stephen Kerr

804319

	registered interest
	date	11/12/2017
	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	First Aid: Adrenaline
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the merits of including training in the use of Epinephrene auto-injectors in guidance for first aid training course providers.
	tabling member constituency	Stirling
	tabling member printed	Stephen Kerr
	uin	118549
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/12/2017 answer text <p>The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is responsible for regulating first aid provision in the workplace, as set out in the Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981, but is no longer responsible for the regulation of general workplace first aid training.</p><p> </p><p>The training syllabus for first aid at work requires workplace first aiders to be trained in administering first aid to a casualty in anaphylactic shock; training providers may choose to include the use of adrenaline (epinephrine) auto-injectors as part of this. It is the employer’s responsibility to conduct a first aid needs assessment. If this highlighted a need for training around the use of auto-injectors it would be for them to identify a suitable training provider.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton question first answered 19/12/2017 12:05:59 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
	tabling member	4604 label Biography information for Stephen Kerr

824525

	registered interest
	date	17/01/2018
	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	Children: Maintenance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reasons arrears payable for child maintenance that require the Child Maintenance Service to arrange payments via the employer only attract a one off fee rather than an additional percentage charge of the arrear.
	tabling member constituency	Stirling
	tabling member printed	Stephen Kerr
	uin	123326
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/01/2018 answer text <p>When the Child Maintenance Service arranges for maintenance payments to be taken directly from the parent’s earnings via the employer, this is done through a Deductions from Earnings Order. The Paying Parent is charged a one off £50 enforcement fee for the Deduction from Earnings Order, as well as on-going collection charges of 20% of the maintenance liability (including any arrears) for using the Collect and Pay service. Charges are designed to encourage compliance.</p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 22/01/2018 15:29:56 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
	tabling member	4604 label Biography information for Stephen Kerr

834364

	registered interest
	date	31/01/2018
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Universal Credit
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to her Department's test and learn approach to universal credit, what her Department has learned about universal credit during the January pause of its roll-out; and what changes her Department plans to make as a result that learning.
	tabling member constituency	Stirling
	tabling member printed	Stephen Kerr
	uin	125984
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/02/2018 answer text <p>The Universal Credit Agile methodology means we continuously learn during rollout, listening to feedback from our staff, claimants and stakeholders, and building improvements into the system.</p><p>We release fortnightly updates of the Universal Credit IT build, with the latest release due on 14 February 2018. In addition to various technical fixes, this release will include the changes necessary to remove waiting days for all new claims made on or after 14 February, as announced in the 2017 Budget. It will also include improvements to the processes for referring claimants for Work Capability Assessments and for claimants to record their work search activity.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 07/02/2018 11:32:18 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
	tabling member	4604 label Biography information for Stephen Kerr