{ "format" : "linked-data-api", "version" : "0.2", "result" : {"_about" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?date=2019-04-02&answeringDeptId=29", "definition" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/meta/answeredquestions.text?date=2019-04-02&answeringDeptId=29", "extendedMetadataVersion" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?date=2019-04-02&answeringDeptId=29&_metadata=all", "first" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?date=2019-04-02&_page=0&answeringDeptId=29", "hasPart" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?date=2019-04-02&answeringDeptId=29", "isPartOf" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?date=2019-04-02&answeringDeptId=29", "items" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1109019", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1109019/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Department for Work and Pensions has not made an assessment of the levels of foodbank use in Scotland.<\/p>
The welfare system provides a strong safety net for those who need it, spending over £95 billion a year on welfare benefits for people of working age. This includes a well-established system of hardship payments, benefit advances and budgeting loans as an additional safeguard for those who need them.<\/p>
<\/p>
Jobcentre mangers have discretion to work with food banks in their local area; and we are exploring how to build on current good practice to make it as easy as possible for food banks to identify and refer back to the local Jobcentre any customers who may not be receiving the full formal support to which they are entitled<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4423", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Will Quince"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Colchester"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Will Quince"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-04-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-04-08T15:57:42.14Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-04-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Food Banks: Scotland"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment her Department has made of the level of foodbank use in Scotland.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4614", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Hugh Gaffney"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Hugh Gaffney"} ], "uin" : "240070"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1109134", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1109134/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
We are committed to assessing people with health conditions and disabilities fairly and accurately, helping people to access the right support.<\/p>
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)/Universal Credit (UC) are paid for different purposes with different assessment criteria. PIP is designed to help people with long-term health conditions or disabilities to live independently, whereas ESA/UC is to support people with health conditions or disabilities who are not able to work, and support them towards work where possible. Therefore, we have separate assessments in place, but only the Work Capability Assessment (WCA) in ESA/UC is used to assess capability for work.<\/p>
The Secretary of State recently announced our intention to test the feasibility of using a single assessment to determine eligibility for ESA/UC and PIP where claims have been made for both benefits. We want to establish if its introduction would improve the customer experience and to ensure it delivers high quality, accurate outcomes.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4105", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Justin Tomlinson"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "North Swindon"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Justin Tomlinson"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-04-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-04-08T15:53:11.28Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-04-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Work Capability Assessment"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reasons her Department does not undertake a single capability for work assessment for benefit claimants instead of multiple assessments when claimants are applying for more than one benefit.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4390", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Ian Blackford"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Ross, Skye and Lochaber"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Ian Blackford"} ], "uin" : "240012"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1109157", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1109157/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Department is updating the current ESA65B letter, with input from medical organisations, to clarify when a fit note should be provided for Employment and Support Allowance purposes.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4105", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Justin Tomlinson"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "North Swindon"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Justin Tomlinson"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-04-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-04-08T16:02:24.227Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-04-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Employment and Support Allowance: Appeals"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make it her policy to revise the ESA65B letter to GPs to make it clear that a patient may appeal a fit for work decision made through a work capability assessment and a fit note is needed for the patient to obtain employment and support allowance payments until the appeal is heard.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3930", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Caroline Lucas"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Brighton, Pavilion"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Caroline Lucas"} ], "uin" : "239928"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1109161", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1109161/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Department does not hold information on the number of ESA65B letters sent to GPs.<\/p>
The ESA65B letter is normally automatically issued to GPs by the Department\u2019s IT system in every case where an Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) claimant has been found \u2018fit for work\u2019 following a Work Capability Assessment (WCA).<\/p>
If a claimant states that they do not agree to information about the determination of their WCA being shared with their GP, the claim will be maintained clerically and the papers noted that the letter is not to be issued.<\/p>
The latest ESA statistics, which show the number of claimants found fit for work, can be found here:<\/p>