<\/strong><\/p> The recent IFS report is positive about the Government\u2019s new approach to tackling the root causes of poverty: they said that \u201cfocusing on a broad range of inputs into life chances and causes of poverty is sensible.\u201d They also add that \u201cfamily worklessness certainly is a sensible thing to track if one wants to reduce the prevalence of low living standards.\u201d<\/p> <\/p> This Government knows that work remains the best route out of poverty. Research shows that around three-quarters of poor children in families that move into full employment exit poverty. We are committed to supporting parents to move into work, increase their earnings, and keep more of what they earn. Universal Credit, our investment in childcare and the introduction of the National Living Wage will all play an important part.<\/p> <\/p> The Government also recognises that improving skills and progression is the key to making work pay. That is why under this Government we intend to create three million more apprenticeships over the next five years, and to help people move on to better jobs by improving qualifications and providing additional support through Jobcentre Plus.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4533", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Altmann"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Altmann"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-07-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-07-30T13:27:22.41Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2015-07-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Poverty: Children"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government what assessment they have made of the report by the Institute of Fiscal Studies Living Standards, Poverty and Inequality in the UK: 2015;<\/i> and how they plan to respond to the findings that nearly 63 per cent of British children living in poverty are in working families.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/225", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Tyler"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Tyler"}
], "uin" : "HL1667"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/391297", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "HM Treasury"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/391297/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " All new HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) telephony advisers receive two days of call handling soft skills training, prior to handling customer calls. Further call handling training is provided depending on the needs of the advisor.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> The first escalation for complaints from an adviser is to a Team Leader. 80 per cent of complaints are successfully handled at this point.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> HMRC\u2019s Personal Tax Operations has a specific team who deal with customer complaints received via telephone.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> HMRC has a target of answering 80 per cent of all calls received.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> Information regarding the training and performance on telephony issues for other Government Departments is not held centrally and should be obtained from the Departments concerned.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4536", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord O'Neill of Gatley"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord O'Neill of Gatley"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-07-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "HL1654"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-07-30T13:33:52.54Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "CaTreasury"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2015-07-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Government Departments: Telephone Services"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord O\u2019Neill of Gatley on 9 July (HL898), what training in communication skills is provided for the officials in (1) HM Revenue and Customs, (2) the Home Office, (3) the Ministry of Justice, (4) the Department for Work and Pensions, and (5) the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, who are responsible for helping members of the public who telephone with complaints or requests for information.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3254", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Quirk"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Quirk"}
], "uin" : "HL1653"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/391298", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "HM Treasury"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/391298/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " All new HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) telephony advisers receive two days of call handling soft skills training, prior to handling customer calls. Further call handling training is provided depending on the needs of the advisor.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> The first escalation for complaints from an adviser is to a Team Leader. 80 per cent of complaints are successfully handled at this point.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> HMRC\u2019s Personal Tax Operations has a specific team who deal with customer complaints received via telephone.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> HMRC has a target of answering 80 per cent of all calls received.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> Information regarding the training and performance on telephony issues for other Government Departments is not held centrally and should be obtained from the Departments concerned.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4536", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord O'Neill of Gatley"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord O'Neill of Gatley"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-07-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "HL1653"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-07-30T13:33:52.647Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "CaTreasury"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2015-07-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Government Departments: Telephone Services"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord O\u2019Neill of Gatley on 9 July (HL898), whether there are target times by which calls from members of the public are expected to receive attention when telephoning (1) HM Revenue and Customs, (2) the Home Office, (3) the Ministry of Justice, (4) the Department for Work and Pensions, and (5) the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3254", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Quirk"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Quirk"}
], "uin" : "HL1654"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/391288", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/391288/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Around 700 people who are of concern to the Police and Security Services are thought to have travelled to the region since the start of the conflict. We estimate that around half of those have returned.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1091", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Bates"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Bates"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-07-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-07-30T13:41:57.133Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2015-07-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Middle East: British Nationals Abroad"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government how many British nationals are estimated to have travelled abroad to Syria and Iraq to join extremist groups since October 2014; how many have since returned to the United Kingdom; and what is the total number of such people who remain in Syria.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/259", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for The Marquess of Lothian"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "The Marquess of Lothian"}
], "uin" : "HL1648"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/392041", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/392041/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Asylum seekers, including dependants of asylum seekers, who are destitute are provided with accommodation and a cash allowance to cover their \u201cessential living needs\u201d - the legal test. The level of the allowance is kept under regular review.<\/p> The most recent review of asylum support payments earlier this year looked at data spending on essential items by the lowest decile (10%) income group in the UK taken from the latest report from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) on Family Spending published on 2 December 2014. Other data from the study, specifically in relation to spending by households with children, was also reviewed. In addition, research was undertaken into the actual costs of particular essential items, including the cost of food stuffs, clothing, toiletries, household cleaning stuffs and non-prescription medication, as well as travel and communications.<\/p> Whilst the ONS data is useful in identifying levels of spending on particular items, it does not provide the definition of \u201cessential living items\u201d. This is provided for in international and domestic legislation, most notably the EU Reception Conditions Directive 2003, Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Nationality Act 1999 and the Asylum support Regulations 2000. In addition, guidance in respect of which specific items could be considered as essential was provided by Justice Popplewell in his 2014 judgement in respect of the Refugee Action challenge to the Asylum Support Rates.<\/p> The Government has no plans to publish minutes of meetings held with external partners or to share more widely papers provided by them which were considered in the review. Despite the planned reduction in the rate, the payments are still sufficient to meet the essential needs of asylum seekers and their families. Those affected were notified of the changes by letter, sent out on Thursday 16 July, which provided more than 3 weeks notice of the intended reduction in their payments.<\/p> The adequacy of the payment rates will be kept under review through the annual review cycle and in line with the statutory test to ensure that the right level of support is provided to asylum seekers and their families.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1091", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Bates"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Bates"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-07-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "HL1797"}
, {"_value" : "HL1798"}
, {"_value" : "HL1799"}
, {"_value" : "HL1800"}
], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-07-30T13:56:37.367Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2015-07-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Asylum Support (Amendment No. 3) Regulations 2015"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government what was the basis of their assessment in the Explanatory Memorandum for the Asylum Support (Amendment No. 3) Regulations 2015 that the current payment methodology by which additional cash payments are made for each child under the age of 18 \"provides more than enough to cover the needs of individual children\".", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4234", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Lister of Burtersett"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Baroness Lister of Burtersett"}
], "uin" : "HL1796"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/392042", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/392042/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Asylum seekers, including dependants of asylum seekers, who are destitute are provided with accommodation and a cash allowance to cover their \u201cessential living needs\u201d - the legal test. The level of the allowance is kept under regular review.<\/p> The most recent review of asylum support payments earlier this year looked at data spending on essential items by the lowest decile (10%) income group in the UK taken from the latest report from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) on Family Spending published on 2 December 2014. Other data from the study, specifically in relation to spending by households with children, was also reviewed. In addition, research was undertaken into the actual costs of particular essential items, including the cost of food stuffs, clothing, toiletries, household cleaning stuffs and non-prescription medication, as well as travel and communications.<\/p> Whilst the ONS data is useful in identifying levels of spending on particular items, it does not provide the definition of \u201cessential living items\u201d. This is provided for in international and domestic legislation, most notably the EU Reception Conditions Directive 2003, Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Nationality Act 1999 and the Asylum support Regulations 2000. In addition, guidance in respect of which specific items could be considered as essential was provided by Justice Popplewell in his 2014 judgement in respect of the Refugee Action challenge to the Asylum Support Rates.<\/p> The Government has no plans to publish minutes of meetings held with external partners or to share more widely papers provided by them which were considered in the review. Despite the planned reduction in the rate, the payments are still sufficient to meet the essential needs of asylum seekers and their families. Those affected were notified of the changes by letter, sent out on Thursday 16 July, which provided more than 3 weeks notice of the intended reduction in their payments.<\/p> The adequacy of the payment rates will be kept under review through the annual review cycle and in line with the statutory test to ensure that the right level of support is provided to asylum seekers and their families.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1091", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Bates"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Bates"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-07-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "HL1796"}
, {"_value" : "HL1798"}
, {"_value" : "HL1799"}
, {"_value" : "HL1800"}
], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-07-30T13:56:37.503Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2015-07-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Asylum Support (Amendment No. 3) Regulations 2015"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government whether they plan to publish the results of discussions with members of the National Asylum Stakeholder Forum and of the coalition \"Still Human Still Here\", as referred to in the Explanatory Memorandum for the Asylum Support (Amendment No. 3) Regulations 2015.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4234", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Lister of Burtersett"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Baroness Lister of Burtersett"}
], "uin" : "HL1797"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/392043", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/392043/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Asylum seekers, including dependants of asylum seekers, who are destitute are provided with accommodation and a cash allowance to cover their \u201cessential living needs\u201d - the legal test. The level of the allowance is kept under regular review.<\/p> The most recent review of asylum support payments earlier this year looked at data spending on essential items by the lowest decile (10%) income group in the UK taken from the latest report from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) on Family Spending published on 2 December 2014. Other data from the study, specifically in relation to spending by households with children, was also reviewed. In addition, research was undertaken into the actual costs of particular essential items, including the cost of food stuffs, clothing, toiletries, household cleaning stuffs and non-prescription medication, as well as travel and communications.<\/p> Whilst the ONS data is useful in identifying levels of spending on particular items, it does not provide the definition of \u201cessential living items\u201d. This is provided for in international and domestic legislation, most notably the EU Reception Conditions Directive 2003, Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Nationality Act 1999 and the Asylum support Regulations 2000. In addition, guidance in respect of which specific items could be considered as essential was provided by Justice Popplewell in his 2014 judgement in respect of the Refugee Action challenge to the Asylum Support Rates.<\/p> The Government has no plans to publish minutes of meetings held with external partners or to share more widely papers provided by them which were considered in the review. Despite the planned reduction in the rate, the payments are still sufficient to meet the essential needs of asylum seekers and their families. Those affected were notified of the changes by letter, sent out on Thursday 16 July, which provided more than 3 weeks notice of the intended reduction in their payments.<\/p> The adequacy of the payment rates will be kept under review through the annual review cycle and in line with the statutory test to ensure that the right level of support is provided to asylum seekers and their families.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1091", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Bates"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Bates"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-07-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "HL1796"}
, {"_value" : "HL1797"}
, {"_value" : "HL1799"}
, {"_value" : "HL1800"}
], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-07-30T13:56:37.733Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2015-07-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Asylum Support (Amendment No. 3) Regulations 2015"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government why no transitional arrangements for families in receipt of asylum support have been put in place prior to the Asylum Support (Amendment No. 3) Regulations 2015 coming into force.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4234", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Lister of Burtersett"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Baroness Lister of Burtersett"}
], "uin" : "HL1798"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/392044", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/392044/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Asylum seekers, including dependants of asylum seekers, who are destitute are provided with accommodation and a cash allowance to cover their \u201cessential living needs\u201d - the legal test. The level of the allowance is kept under regular review.<\/p> The most recent review of asylum support payments earlier this year looked at data spending on essential items by the lowest decile (10%) income group in the UK taken from the latest report from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) on Family Spending published on 2 December 2014. Other data from the study, specifically in relation to spending by households with children, was also reviewed. In addition, research was undertaken into the actual costs of particular essential items, including the cost of food stuffs, clothing, toiletries, household cleaning stuffs and non-prescription medication, as well as travel and communications.<\/p> Whilst the ONS data is useful in identifying levels of spending on particular items, it does not provide the definition of \u201cessential living items\u201d. This is provided for in international and domestic legislation, most notably the EU Reception Conditions Directive 2003, Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Nationality Act 1999 and the Asylum support Regulations 2000. In addition, guidance in respect of which specific items could be considered as essential was provided by Justice Popplewell in his 2014 judgement in respect of the Refugee Action challenge to the Asylum Support Rates.<\/p> The Government has no plans to publish minutes of meetings held with external partners or to share more widely papers provided by them which were considered in the review. Despite the planned reduction in the rate, the payments are still sufficient to meet the essential needs of asylum seekers and their families. Those affected were notified of the changes by letter, sent out on Thursday 16 July, which provided more than 3 weeks notice of the intended reduction in their payments.<\/p> The adequacy of the payment rates will be kept under review through the annual review cycle and in line with the statutory test to ensure that the right level of support is provided to asylum seekers and their families.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1091", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Bates"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Bates"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-07-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "HL1796"}
, {"_value" : "HL1797"}
, {"_value" : "HL1798"}
, {"_value" : "HL1800"}
], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-07-30T13:56:37.827Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2015-07-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Asylum Support (Amendment No. 3) Regulations 2015"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government how they plan to communicate the change in the rate of asylum support due to take effect as a result of the Asylum Support (Amendment No. 3) Regulations 2015 to recipients of that support.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4234", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Lister of Burtersett"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Baroness Lister of Burtersett"}
], "uin" : "HL1799"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/392045", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/392045/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Asylum seekers, including dependants of asylum seekers, who are destitute are provided with accommodation and a cash allowance to cover their \u201cessential living needs\u201d - the legal test. The level of the allowance is kept under regular review.<\/p> The most recent review of asylum support payments earlier this year looked at data spending on essential items by the lowest decile (10%) income group in the UK taken from the latest report from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) on Family Spending published on 2 December 2014. Other data from the study, specifically in relation to spending by households with children, was also reviewed. In addition, research was undertaken into the actual costs of particular essential items, including the cost of food stuffs, clothing, toiletries, household cleaning stuffs and non-prescription medication, as well as travel and communications.<\/p> Whilst the ONS data is useful in identifying levels of spending on particular items, it does not provide the definition of \u201cessential living items\u201d. This is provided for in international and domestic legislation, most notably the EU Reception Conditions Directive 2003, Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Nationality Act 1999 and the Asylum support Regulations 2000. In addition, guidance in respect of which specific items could be considered as essential was provided by Justice Popplewell in his 2014 judgement in respect of the Refugee Action challenge to the Asylum Support Rates.<\/p> The Government has no plans to publish minutes of meetings held with external partners or to share more widely papers provided by them which were considered in the review. Despite the planned reduction in the rate, the payments are still sufficient to meet the essential needs of asylum seekers and their families. Those affected were notified of the changes by letter, sent out on Thursday 16 July, which provided more than 3 weeks notice of the intended reduction in their payments.<\/p> The adequacy of the payment rates will be kept under review through the annual review cycle and in line with the statutory test to ensure that the right level of support is provided to asylum seekers and their families.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1091", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Bates"}
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, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-07-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government what sources of information other than data from the Office for National Statistics were used in identifying essential needs under the Asylum Support (Amendment No. 3) Regulations 2015.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4234", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Lister of Burtersett"}
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, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/390642", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for International Development"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/390642/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " DFID has provided £11.5 million to the jointly funded (US, Norway and UK) Emergency Medicines Fund for drug distribution in the three conflict states of South Sudan. In addition, critical gaps in the other seven states are being covered through the £120m DFID-managed Health Pooled Fund supported by US and World Health Organisation.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3790", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Verma"}
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, "date" : {"_value" : "2015-07-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "South Sudan: Health Services"}
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, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government what plans they have to secure a medical pipeline in areas where the government of South Sudan is unable to provide basic drugs for health clinics.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/2109", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for The Earl of Sandwich"}
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