The process to become an academy is school led, with schools\u2019 Local Governing Bodies taking the initiative to apply to their Regional School Commissioners\u2019 office on whether to join an existing academy trust, or form one with partner schools. The only exception to this, where the department takes a leading role, is where a school is judged as \u2018inadequate\u2019 by Ofsted, as the law requires the Secretary of State to make an order enabling the school to become an academy.<\/p>
<\/p>
The department aims to ensure that all schools considering becoming academies are able to join strong academy trusts, and this has historically been supported through trust capacity funding. Ultimately, our ambition is for every school that wants to, to benefit from the autonomy and freedom to innovate that academy status offers, and for schools to collaborate through strong academy trusts.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4113", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Nadhim Zahawi"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Stratford-on-Avon"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Nadhim Zahawi"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-07-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-07-17T14:43:33.64Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Academies: Multi-academy Trusts"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent steps he has taken to help ensure that schools take the leading role in deciding whether to (a) form and (b) join a multi-academy trust.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4635", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Eddie Hughes"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Walsall North"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Eddie Hughes"} ], "uin" : "276587"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1138608", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1138608/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
\u200bWe regularly make representations on Mr Johal<\/strong>'s behalf, including raising his right to a fair trial. Our High Commissioner in India raised this with the Indian High Commissioner to the UK most recently on 10 June.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1466", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dr Andrew Murrison"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South West Wiltshire"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Dr Andrew Murrison"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-07-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-07-17T14:41:27.283Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Jagtar Singh Johal"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Indian counterpart on the time taken to conduct the trial of Jagtar Singh Johal in that country.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4635", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Eddie Hughes"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Walsall North"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Eddie Hughes"}
], "uin" : "276588"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1138610", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1138610/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " All commissioners in England have a responsibility to assure themselves of the quality of the services that they commission. The Quality Assurance Framework and Commissioning for Quality Toolkit provide support and guidance for commissioners to undertake this appropriately, in line with their responsibilities. Annex A of the Long Term Plan for the National Health Service sets out the funding which has been allocated to support the commitments in the Long-Term Plan and the previous requirements from the Five Year Forward View, in addition to the published five-year clinical commissioning group allocations.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4008", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dame Caroline Dinenage"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Gosport"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Caroline Dinenage"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-07-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-07-17T15:16:45.843Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Health Services: Autism and Learning Disability"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the NHS Long Term Plan Implementation Framework: system support offer, whether the quality assurance framework to strengthen existing oversight arrangements for autistic people and people with learning disabilities will be mandatory; and what funding local authorities and CCGs will receive to ensure they can follow that framework.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1588", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Keeley"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Worsley and Eccles South"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Barbara Keeley"}
], "uin" : "276532"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1138615", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Transport"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1138615/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " From 2015 up to the end of first quarter of 2019, HS2 Ltd received 1,224 Freedom of Information (FOI) and Environmental Information Regulations (EIR) requests. Where an exemption (FOI) or an exception (EIR) applied, all of the requested information was withheld on 239 occasions. The proportion of resolvable requests withheld in full for each period is as follows: (a) 2015, 12% (b) 2016, 19% (c) 2017, 25% (d) 2018, 19% and (e) first quarter of 2019, 24%.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4460", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Ms Nusrat Ghani"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Wealden"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Ms Nusrat Ghani"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-07-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-07-17T13:18:11.523Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "27"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "High Speed Two: Freedom of Information"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of freedom of information requests received by HS2 Limited were resolvable requests withheld in full for (a) 2015, (b) 2016, (c) 2017, (d) 2018 and (e) the first quarter of 2019.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/410", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jon Trickett"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hemsworth"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Jon Trickett"}
], "uin" : "276515"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1138628", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1138628/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The UK continues to encourage and support Sri Lanka to deliver the commitments it made to the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) through Resolutions 30/1, 34/1 and 40/1. We firmly believe that this is the best framework for establishing truth and achieving justice and lasting reconciliation. The Government has made these points regularly to Sri Lankan Ministers, including during a Ministerial visit to Colombo in October and in a number of meetings since. The British High Commissioner in Colombo also holds regular discussions on the implementation of the UNHRC resolutions with the Government of Sri Lanka.<\/p> In March the UK welcomed the Annual Report of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, which assessed progress made by the Sri Lankan Government in the implementation of UNHRC resolutions 30/1 and 34/1. The Report found that the Government of Sri Lanka had taken some steps to address human rights concerns and to introduce more democratic and accountable government, including the return of some military-held civilian land, the establishment of an Office of Missing Persons and the ratification of the Convention on Enforced Disappearances.<\/p> However, more needs to be done. The UK has urged further progress on these issues, and encouraged the Government of Sri Lanka to deliver meaningful devolution through constitutional reform, and to establish and then utilise credible mechanisms for transitional justice. We continue to urge the Government to prioritise the steps required to deliver fully on the commitments it made in resolutions 30/1, 34/1 and 40/1, and to develop a comprehensive and time bound implementation strategy.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1466", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dr Andrew Murrison"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South West Wiltshire"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Dr Andrew Murrison"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-07-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-07-17T14:39:37.207Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Sri Lanka: Human Rights"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Sri Lankan counterpart on the implementation of UN Human Rights Council resolutions regarding the aftermath of the Sri Lankan civil war.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1500", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Theresa Villiers"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Chipping Barnet"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Theresa Villiers"}
], "uin" : "276526"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1138639", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1138639/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " No one should have to face long waits for an autism assessment. We expect services to adhere to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) quality standard which recommends that the length between referral and a first appointment to start an assessment should be no more than three months.<\/p> We are determined to drive up performance nationally. We will use data on autism diagnosis waiting times, available for the first time later this year, to hold local areas to account and act where waiting times exceed the NICE standard.<\/p> Whilst a diagnosis of autism should happen as soon as possible, it is important to recognise that a diagnosis is often complex and can involve different professionals and agencies. We are following the prevailing clinical guidance set out by NICE.<\/p> NHS England and NHS Improvement encourage local areas to follow existing NICE guidelines and quality standards when commissioning and delivering diagnosis services for both children and adults.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4008", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dame Caroline Dinenage"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Gosport"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Caroline Dinenage"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-07-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "276606"}
, {"_value" : "276607"}
], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-07-17T15:23:52.42Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Autism: Diagnosis"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to reduce waiting times for autism assessments for adults.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4666", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dr Paul Williams"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Stockton South"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Dr Paul Williams"}
], "uin" : "276605"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1138640", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1138640/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " No one should have to face long waits for an autism assessment. We expect services to adhere to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) quality standard which recommends that the length between referral and a first appointment to start an assessment should be no more than three months.<\/p> We are determined to drive up performance nationally. We will use data on autism diagnosis waiting times, available for the first time later this year, to hold local areas to account and act where waiting times exceed the NICE standard.<\/p> Whilst a diagnosis of autism should happen as soon as possible, it is important to recognise that a diagnosis is often complex and can involve different professionals and agencies. We are following the prevailing clinical guidance set out by NICE.<\/p> NHS England and NHS Improvement encourage local areas to follow existing NICE guidelines and quality standards when commissioning and delivering diagnosis services for both children and adults.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4008", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dame Caroline Dinenage"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Gosport"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Caroline Dinenage"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-07-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "276605"}
, {"_value" : "276607"}
], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-07-17T15:23:52.467Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Autism: Diagnosis"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps with NHS England to implement a waiting time standard for autism diagnosis in the CCG Improvement and Assessment Framework in order to tackle regional differences.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4666", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dr Paul Williams"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Stockton South"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Dr Paul Williams"}
], "uin" : "276606"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1138641", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1138641/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " No one should have to face long waits for an autism assessment. We expect services to adhere to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) quality standard which recommends that the length between referral and a first appointment to start an assessment should be no more than three months.<\/p> We are determined to drive up performance nationally. We will use data on autism diagnosis waiting times, available for the first time later this year, to hold local areas to account and act where waiting times exceed the NICE standard.<\/p> Whilst a diagnosis of autism should happen as soon as possible, it is important to recognise that a diagnosis is often complex and can involve different professionals and agencies. We are following the prevailing clinical guidance set out by NICE.<\/p> NHS England and NHS Improvement encourage local areas to follow existing NICE guidelines and quality standards when commissioning and delivering diagnosis services for both children and adults.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4008", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dame Caroline Dinenage"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Gosport"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Caroline Dinenage"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-07-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "276605"}
, {"_value" : "276606"}
], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-07-17T15:23:52.513Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Autism: Diagnosis"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make it his policy to work with NHS England to establish autism diagnosis waiting times standards for each (a) sustainability and transformation partnership and (b) integrated care system.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4666", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dr Paul Williams"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Stockton South"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Dr Paul Williams"}
], "uin" : "276607"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1138678", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1138678/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Government shares the public\u2019s high regard for animal welfare, and the welfare of our farmed livestock in all systems is protected by comprehensive and robust legislation. After we leave the EU we will look to strengthen our world class welfare standards as new research and evidence emerges. In England, we intend to develop publicly funded schemes for farmers to deliver animal welfare enhancements beyond our high regulatory baseline that are valued by the public, but not sufficiently rewarded by the market. We also want to provide greater transparency and certainty for consumers, so that they have a clear understanding of the animal welfare standards applying to products. We note that the European Chicken Commitment initiative is also promoting enhancements beyond the regulatory baseline and we look forward to seeing how this voluntary initiative progresses.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4033", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for David Rutley"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Macclesfield"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "David Rutley"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-07-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-07-17T14:40:12.617Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Poultry: Animal Welfare"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans he has to encourage (a) supermarkets, (b) restaurant chains and (c) hotel groups to sign up to the European chicken commitment.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1436", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Paul Farrelly"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Newcastle-under-Lyme"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Paul Farrelly"}
], "uin" : "276519"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1138693", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1138693/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Department takes its obligation to prevent, detect and investigate fraud very seriously and will investigate all claims where fraud may have been committed. We have recently set up a dedicated team to investigate a specific type of emergent fraud, and we are also committed to the use of penalties such as prosecutions and tough financial penalties to discourage fraudulent behaviour.<\/p> <\/p> The Department has also recently been working to further improve knowledge and awareness of Universal Credit (UC) fraud amongst Jobcentre and Service Centre staff. Guidance has also been issued to ensure that all staff are aware how to quickly refer cases of suspected fraud to the Department\u2019s Counter-fraud team.<\/p> <\/p> Most welfare losses, across Government, arise from claimants failing to report changes of circumstances. UC provides a single, digital interface through which claimants can more easily report these changes. UC also allows us to adjust benefit entitlement in line with changing circumstances in real time. Internal and external data matches are increasingly helping to inform benefit payments and alerting staff to check for any undeclared changes in people\u2019s circumstances. Once UC is fully rolled out, we expect cross-welfare losses to fraud, error and overpayments to be reduced by around £1 billion per year<\/p> <\/p> As of June 2019, potential fraudulent advance claims equate to less than 1 per cent of all Universal Credit claims.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4014", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Sharma"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Reading West"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Alok Sharma"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-07-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-07-17T12:58:00.397Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Universal Credit: Fraud"}
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