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391323
registered interest false more like this
date less than 2015-07-20more like thismore than 2015-07-20
answering body
Department for Work and Pensions more like this
answering dept id 29 more like this
answering dept short name Work and Pensions more like this
answering dept sort name Work and Pensions more like this
hansard heading Poverty: Children more like this
house id 2 remove filter
legislature
25277
pref label House of Lords more like this
question text To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the report by the Institute of Fiscal Studies <i>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. more like this
tabling member printed
Lord Tyler more like this
uin HL1667 more like this
answer
answer
is ministerial correction false more like this
date of answer less than 2015-07-30more like thismore than 2015-07-30
answer text <p /> <p><strong> </strong></p><p>The recent IFS report is positive about the Government’s new approach to tackling the root causes of poverty: they said that “focusing on a broad range of inputs into life chances and causes of poverty is sensible.” They also add that “family worklessness certainly is a sensible thing to track if one wants to reduce the prevalence of low living standards.”</p><p> </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> </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>
answering member printed Baroness Altmann more like this
question first answered
less than 2015-07-30T13:27:22.41Zmore like thismore than 2015-07-30T13:27:22.41Z
answering member
4533
label Biography information for Baroness Altmann more like this
tabling member
225
label Biography information for Lord Tyler more like this
385336
registered interest false more like this
date less than 2015-06-24more like thismore than 2015-06-24
answering body
Department for Work and Pensions more like this
answering dept id 29 more like this
answering dept short name Work and Pensions more like this
answering dept sort name Work and Pensions more like this
hansard heading Social Security Benefits: Migrants more like this
house id 2 remove filter
legislature
25277
pref label House of Lords more like this
question text To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Freud on 24 June (HL540), whether they plan to make such assessments in future; and if not, why not. more like this
tabling member printed
Lord Patten more like this
uin HL819 more like this
answer
answer
is ministerial correction false more like this
date of answer less than 2015-07-06more like thismore than 2015-07-06
answer text <p /> <p>Although data regarding claimant nationality is not currently recorded on benefit payment systems, Universal Credit will record such data, when EEA nationals are able to claim. The Department has no plans to make specific assessments regarding Polish nationals when such data becomes available. However, we will continue to monitor EEA nationals’ access to benefits more generally.</p><p> </p><p>The Prime Minister has made clear that further steps are needed to reform welfare to reduce the incentives which have led to mass immigration from the EU.</p> more like this
answering member printed Lord Freud more like this
question first answered
less than 2015-07-06T11:59:13.37Zmore like thismore than 2015-07-06T11:59:13.37Z
answering member
3893
label Biography information for Lord Freud more like this
tabling member
1137
label Biography information for Lord Patten more like this
173571
registered interest false more like this
date less than 2015-01-14more like thismore than 2015-01-14
answering body
Department for Work and Pensions more like this
answering dept id 29 more like this
answering dept short name Work and Pensions more like this
answering dept sort name Work and Pensions more like this
hansard heading Winter Fuel Payment more like this
house id 2 remove filter
legislature
25277
pref label House of Lords more like this
question text To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many recipients of the Winter Fuel Payment are higher rate taxpayers. more like this
tabling member printed
Lord Tyler more like this
uin HL4131 more like this
answer
answer
is ministerial correction false more like this
date of answer less than 2015-01-26more like thismore than 2015-01-26
answer text <p /> <p>Eligibility for Winter Fuel Payments is based on female State Pension age. The latest estimates we have show that there are currently around 600,000 higher and additional rate taxpayers in Great Britain in 2014/15 who are above the female State Pension age and therefore qualify for Winter Fuel Payments<sup>1</sup>.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We ask people who want to return their payment to do so by post so that it can be dealt with securely under existing Departmental financial processes and recorded against their Winter Fuel Payment account. We also ask for a covering letter indicating whether or not they wish us to continue to issue payments in future years.</p><p> </p><p>Returned payments should be sent to the address on the issuing letter or to the office that pays the claimant’s benefit.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The latest estimates we have show that treating Winter Fuel Payments as taxable income would bring in around £250 million a year of additional revenue<sup>2</sup>.</p><p> </p><p>Notes:</p><p>1. This estimate is based on the 2011/12 Survey of Personal Incomes using economic assumptions consistent with the OBR’s November 2014 economic and fiscal outlook.</p><p>The estimate uses ONS population projections at mid year 2012 adjusted for financial years.</p><p>The estimate is rounded to the nearest 100,000.</p><p> </p><p>2. This estimate is based on DWP modelling using HMRC taxpayer data from November 2012 and Winter Fuel Payment caseload data from Winter 2013.</p><p>This takes into account revenue from Basic, Higher and Additional rate taxpayers.</p><p>Winter Fuel Payment rates are assumed to be £200 per year for recipients under 80 and £300 a year for recipients aged 80 and over.</p>
answering member printed Lord Freud more like this
grouped question UIN
HL4132 more like this
HL4133 more like this
question first answered
less than 2015-01-26T12:13:04.467Zmore like thismore than 2015-01-26T12:13:04.467Z
answering member
3893
label Biography information for Lord Freud more like this
tabling member
225
label Biography information for Lord Tyler more like this
175901
registered interest false more like this
date less than 2015-01-27more like thismore than 2015-01-27
answering body
Department for Work and Pensions more like this
answering dept id 29 more like this
answering dept short name Work and Pensions more like this
answering dept sort name Work and Pensions more like this
hansard heading Unpaid Work more like this
house id 2 remove filter
legislature
25277
pref label House of Lords more like this
question text To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to promote equal access to intern opportunities for all; and how many disabled people have received help from the Access to Work Fund in order to participate fully in internship programmes. more like this
tabling member printed
Lord Allen of Kensington more like this
uin HL4481 more like this
answer
answer
is ministerial correction false more like this
date of answer less than 2015-02-10more like thismore than 2015-02-10
answer text <p /> <p>Her Majesty’s Government promote equal access to intern opportunities through a series of communications strands such as:</p><p> </p><p>· The rising awareness of Disability Confident Britain and it’s media profile will help increase awareness of the Access to Work (AtW) support available;</p><p>· Continually improving and developing Advisory knowledge and skills in supporting Disabled People into work and remaining in work, and;</p><p>· Marketing the Jobcentre Plus offer directly to employers and other organisations and institutions.</p><p> </p><p>Moreover, Access to Work gives practical support and help to meet additional costs to overcome barriers. AtW can usually support people only in paid internships, however we have extended Access to Work to cover the Supported internships scheme for young people with special educational needs and for young people undertaking Traineeships. DWP does not have a robust means of reporting programme volumes for internships.</p> more like this
answering member printed Lord Freud more like this
question first answered
less than 2015-02-10T17:36:41.257Zmore like thismore than 2015-02-10T17:36:41.257Z
answering member
3893
label Biography information for Lord Freud more like this
tabling member
4304
label Biography information for Lord Allen of Kensington more like this
167612
registered interest false more like this
date less than 2014-12-03more like thismore than 2014-12-03
answering body
Department for Work and Pensions more like this
answering dept id 29 more like this
answering dept short name Work and Pensions more like this
answering dept sort name Work and Pensions more like this
hansard heading Poverty: Children more like this
house id 2 remove filter
legislature
25277
pref label House of Lords more like this
question text To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the comments by Lord Freud in the Grand Committee debate on the Child Poverty Act 2010 (Persistent Poverty Targets) Regulations 2014, that the facts Lord McAvoy had quoted were "simply not true" (HL Deb, 25 November, col GC 263), how they were not true. more like this
tabling member printed
Lord McAvoy more like this
uin HL3387 more like this
answer
answer
is ministerial correction false more like this
date of answer less than 2014-12-08more like thismore than 2014-12-08
answer text <p /> <p>I wrote to the Noble Peer on this issue on 4<sup>th</sup> December 2014. I have placed a copy of this letter in the library of the House and have also attached it to this response.</p> more like this
answering member printed Lord Freud more like this
question first answered
less than 2014-12-08T15:43:27.97Zmore like thismore than 2014-12-08T15:43:27.97Z
answering member
3893
label Biography information for Lord Freud more like this
attachment
1
file name Letter to Lord McAvoy 4.12.14.PDF more like this
title Letter to Lord McAvoy 4th Dec 2014 more like this
tabling member
4158
label Biography information for Lord McAvoy more like this
417035
registered interest false more like this
date less than 2015-09-07more like thismore than 2015-09-07
answering body
Department for Work and Pensions more like this
answering dept id 29 more like this
answering dept short name Work and Pensions more like this
answering dept sort name Work and Pensions more like this
hansard heading Jobcentre Plus: Training more like this
house id 2 remove filter
legislature
25277
pref label House of Lords more like this
question text To ask Her Majesty’s Government what guidance they issue to Jobcentre Plus branches about treating claimants as innocent and deserving unless clearly shown not to be so; and whether they have any plans to amend any such guidance. more like this
tabling member printed
Lord Hylton more like this
uin HL1955 more like this
answer
answer
is ministerial correction false more like this
date of answer less than 2015-09-17more like thismore than 2015-09-17
answer text <p /> <p>Legislation sets clear entitlement provisions which are used to ensure that benefit is paid correctly to those who claim it. We emphasise in our learning and development packages and the DWP customer charter, that all claimants are treated fairly and with respect. These standards are outlined and published in the DWP Customer Charter on GOV.UK.</p> more like this
answering member printed Lord Freud more like this
question first answered
less than 2015-09-17T11:21:34.793Zmore like thismore than 2015-09-17T11:21:34.793Z
answering member
3893
label Biography information for Lord Freud more like this
tabling member
2018
label Biography information for Lord Hylton more like this
166089
registered interest false more like this
date less than 2014-11-25more like thismore than 2014-11-25
answering body
Department for Work and Pensions more like this
answering dept id 29 more like this
answering dept short name Work and Pensions more like this
answering dept sort name Work and Pensions more like this
hansard heading Workplace Pensions more like this
house id 2 remove filter
legislature
25277
pref label House of Lords more like this
question text To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to review the basis on which projections of potential returns are used by the investment management industry in communications with pension holders. more like this
tabling member printed
Lord Mendelsohn more like this
uin HL3147 more like this
answer
answer
is ministerial correction false more like this
date of answer less than 2014-12-08more like thismore than 2014-12-08
answer text <p /> <p>Since 6 April 2003, certain money purchase pension arrangements have been required to provide members with Statutory Money Purchase Illustrations (SMPIs). Legislation requires that statutory illustrations are produced in accordance with guidance prepared by a prescribed body approved by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and by the Department for Social Development in Northern Ireland.</p><p>The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) is the prescribed body and has been since 6 April 2007. The FRC fulfils its obligations through the publication of Actuarial Standard Technical Memorandum AS TM1: Statutory Money Purchase Illustrations (AS TM1). It reviews AS TM1 regularly and the last completed review was carried out in 2013 following the introduction of the Occupational and Personal Pension Schemes (Disclosure of Information) Regulations 2013 (SI 2013/2734) which came into force on 6 April 2014. The AS TM1 specifies that the investment return should take into account the current and anticipated future investment strategy of the member’s funds over the period to retirement and be consistent from year to year, with the rationale documented and made available to members on request.</p><p> </p><p>In addition, Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) rules require a projection at point of sale for contract based pensions. The investment return must reflect the investment potential of the (expected) underlying assets, subject to an overall cap of 5%pa. Flanking projections must be provided using returns which vary by +/- 3%. The FCA has a public commitment to review the basis every 4 years and the next review is due in 2015. The FCA do not require further projections during the lifetime of the contract as pension scheme members will receive statutory statements prepared under DWP legislation. However, where a provider chooses to provide additional projections, they must follow the same basis as point of sale projections.</p>
answering member printed Lord Freud more like this
question first answered
less than 2014-12-08T12:26:30.053Zmore like thismore than 2014-12-08T12:26:30.053Z
answering member
3893
label Biography information for Lord Freud more like this
tabling member
4286
label Biography information for Lord Mendelsohn more like this
381624
registered interest false more like this
date less than 2015-06-16more like thismore than 2015-06-16
answering body
Department for Work and Pensions more like this
answering dept id 29 more like this
answering dept short name Work and Pensions more like this
answering dept sort name Work and Pensions more like this
hansard heading Social Security Benefits: Migrants more like this
house id 2 remove filter
legislature
25277
pref label House of Lords more like this
question text To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of whether Polish citizens of working age settled in the United Kingdom are more or less likely to claim benefits than the national average. more like this
tabling member printed
Lord Patten more like this
uin HL540 more like this
answer
answer
is ministerial correction false more like this
date of answer less than 2015-06-24more like thismore than 2015-06-24
answer text <p /> <p>Specific assessments of the number of Polish benefit claimants as a proportion of the working age population are not available.</p> more like this
answering member printed Lord Freud more like this
question first answered
less than 2015-06-24T14:50:25.4Zmore like thismore than 2015-06-24T14:50:25.4Z
answering member
3893
label Biography information for Lord Freud more like this
tabling member
1137
label Biography information for Lord Patten more like this
179205
registered interest false more like this
date less than 2015-02-11more like thismore than 2015-02-11
answering body
Ministry of Justice more like this
answering dept id 54 more like this
answering dept short name Justice more like this
answering dept sort name Justice more like this
hansard heading Prisons: Media more like this
house id 2 remove filter
legislature
25277
pref label House of Lords more like this
question text To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the justification for the Ministry of Justice’s refusal to permit visits to any prisons by a reporter from <i>The Guardian</i>. more like this
tabling member printed
Lord Beecham more like this
uin HL4942 more like this
answer
answer
is ministerial correction false more like this
date of answer less than 2015-02-25more like thismore than 2015-02-25
answer text <p /> <p>The External Communications team at the Ministry of Justice receives a significant number of requests by local and national media for access to prisons. For operational reasons and resource implications it is not possible to facilitate all requests.</p><p> </p><p>Each request is considered on its own merit, with careful thought over the subject area, resource and security implications, victim impact, and value to the taxpayer. In a similar way to the police or the NHS, there are operational considerations to be made when filming or reporting in prisons. When facilitating media access we must ensure that the needs of victims are met, which may involve concealing identities, carrying out relevant checks and liaising directly with victims about the access request. We must also ensure that media access does not breach any security restrictions, for example filming keys or locks. Consideration is also given to protecting the identities of prisoners and staff.</p><p> </p><p>We are committed to providing open and transparent access to prison and regularly provide access to journalists for news items, features and documentary programmes. We aim to provide a range of access to different journalists covering both print and broadcast media, local, national and online media.</p><p> </p><p>Since the beginning of January 2015 we have provided access to a range of media outlets, a few examples are listed below:</p><p> </p><ul><li>The Guardian were given access to HMP New Hall - http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/jan/30/new-hall-womens-prison-inmates-equals</li><li>BBC and the Sun were giving access to HMP Coldingley</li><li>Regional BBC were giving access to HMP Northumberland (Sodexo run prison)</li><li>Telegraph and Heart Radio were giving access to HMP Drake Hall</li><li>Evening Standard and regional BBC were giving access to HMP Thameside (Serco run prison)</li><li>BBC Radio 4 were giving access to HMP Prescoed/HMP Cardiff</li><li>Sky Sports were giving access to HMP Feltham</li><li>National BBC, regional ITV and the Manchester Evening News were giving access to HMP Styal</li><li>Evening Standard and London Live were giving access to HMP Isis</li><li>East Anglia Daily Times and regional BBC radio were giving access to HMP Hollesley Bay</li><li>Sky News were given access to HMP Ranby</li><li>ITV were given access to HMP Norwich</li></ul>
answering member printed Lord Faulks more like this
grouped question UIN HL4943 more like this
question first answered
less than 2015-02-25T17:02:11.997Zmore like thismore than 2015-02-25T17:02:11.997Z
answering member
4183
label Biography information for Lord Faulks more like this
tabling member
4181
label Biography information for Lord Beecham more like this
166639
registered interest false more like this
date less than 2014-11-27more like thismore than 2014-11-27
answering body
Department for Work and Pensions more like this
answering dept id 29 more like this
answering dept short name Work and Pensions more like this
answering dept sort name Work and Pensions more like this
hansard heading Poverty: Children more like this
house id 2 remove filter
legislature
25277
pref label House of Lords more like this
question text To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have carried out any forecasts of the level of child poverty between now and 2020; and if so, whether they will be made public. more like this
tabling member printed
The Lord Bishop of St Albans more like this
uin HL3230 more like this
answer
answer
is ministerial correction false more like this
date of answer less than 2014-12-11more like thismore than 2014-12-11
answer text <p /> <p>The Government does not produce forecasts of the number of children living in income poverty as the number of children in poverty is dependent on factors which cannot be reliably predicted, such as the median income.</p><p> </p><p>The Government does measure annual child poverty statistics through the National Statistics Households Below Average Income (HBAI) series. Estimates of the number and proportion of children in relative and absolute low income in the UK have consistently been reported since 1998/99; these are available for each financial year up to 2012/13, the latest period for which estimates are available.</p><p> </p><p>There has been no assessment of the impact on child poverty of the combined tax and benefit changes announced since May 2010. Available survey data does not allow the Government to robustly assess the combined effects of tax and benefit policy on households with children.</p><p> </p><p>However, this Government has taken unprecedented steps to assess the effects of its policy decisions across the distribution of household income, by publishing analysis of the cumulative effects of the tax and welfare measures announced at each fiscal event since the June Budget 2010. The latest analysis can be found in Chapter 2 of the attached report.</p>
answering member printed Lord Freud more like this
grouped question UIN HL3231 more like this
question first answered
less than 2014-12-11T16:55:04.767Zmore like thismore than 2014-12-11T16:55:04.767Z
answering member
3893
label Biography information for Lord Freud more like this
tabling member
4308
label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of St Albans more like this