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391323

registered interest
date	20/07/2015
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	Poverty: Children
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
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.
tabling member printed	Lord Tyler
uin	HL1667
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/07/2015 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 question first answered 30/07/2015 13:27:22 answering member 4533 label Biography information for Baroness Altmann
tabling member	225 label Biography information for Lord Tyler

385336

registered interest
date	24/06/2015
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	Social Security Benefits: Migrants
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
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.
tabling member printed	Lord Patten
uin	HL819
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/07/2015 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> answering member printed Lord Freud question first answered 06/07/2015 11:59:13 answering member 3893 label Biography information for Lord Freud
tabling member	1137 label Biography information for Lord Patten

173571

registered interest
date	14/01/2015
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	Winter Fuel Payment
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many recipients of the Winter Fuel Payment are higher rate taxpayers.
tabling member printed	Lord Tyler
uin	HL4131
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/01/2015 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 grouped question UIN HL4132 HL4133 question first answered 26/01/2015 12:13:04 answering member 3893 label Biography information for Lord Freud
tabling member	225 label Biography information for Lord Tyler

175901

registered interest
date	27/01/2015
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	Unpaid Work
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
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.
tabling member printed	Lord Allen of Kensington
uin	HL4481
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/02/2015 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> answering member printed Lord Freud question first answered 10/02/2015 17:36:41 answering member 3893 label Biography information for Lord Freud
tabling member	4304 label Biography information for Lord Allen of Kensington

417035

registered interest
date	07/09/2015
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	Jobcentre Plus: Training
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
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.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL1955
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/09/2015 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> answering member printed Lord Freud question first answered 17/09/2015 11:21:34 answering member 3893 label Biography information for Lord Freud
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

381624

registered interest
date	16/06/2015
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	Social Security Benefits: Migrants
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
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.
tabling member printed	Lord Patten
uin	HL540
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/06/2015 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> answering member printed Lord Freud question first answered 24/06/2015 14:50:25 answering member 3893 label Biography information for Lord Freud
tabling member	1137 label Biography information for Lord Patten

179205

registered interest
date	11/02/2015
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prisons: Media
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
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>.
tabling member printed	Lord Beecham
uin	HL4942
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/02/2015 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 grouped question UIN HL4943 question first answered 25/02/2015 17:02:11 answering member 4183 label Biography information for Lord Faulks
tabling member	4181 label Biography information for Lord Beecham

178358

registered interest
date	06/02/2015
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Television Licences: Non-payment
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what guidance is given to the courts on sentencing for non-payment of fines in relation to failure to pay for television licences.
tabling member printed	Lord Bassam of Brighton
uin	HL4746
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/02/2015 answer text <p /> <p>The courts are provided with guidance on sentencing and other ways of dealing with offenders, such as fine enforcement, by sentencing guidelines. These are issued by the Sentencing Council, which is independent of Government. The enforcement of fines imposed for the offence of TV licence evasion, which is non-imprisonable, is dealt with by the magistrates’ courts. The Magistrates’ Court Sentencing Guidelines can be found at the link:</p><p> </p><p><a href="http://www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/MCSG_web_-_October_2014.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/MCSG_web_-_October_2014.pdf</a></p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Pages 156 to 159 of the guidelines provide guidance to the courts on the enforcement of fines. This applies to all fines enforced by the magistrates’ courts: there is no specific guidance on dealing with offenders who have failed to pay a fine imposed for the offence of TV licence evasion.</p><p> </p><p>The courts are required by law to follow any relevant sentencing guidelines unless it would be contrary to the interests of justice to do so.</p> answering member printed Lord Faulks question first answered 18/02/2015 14:38:19 answering member 4183 label Biography information for Lord Faulks
tabling member	3504 label Biography information for Lord Bassam of Brighton

390085

registered interest
date	15/07/2015
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	Workplace Pensions
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the average sum held in the pension funds of people who were enrolled in a pension scheme as part of the auto-enrolment process.
tabling member printed	Baroness Greengross
uin	HL1497
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/07/2015 answer text <p /> <p>The information is not available in the format requested.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Findings from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) Wealth and Asset survey show that overall, the average (median) amount of wealth held in pensions not yet in payment was £33,000 in 2010/12. There is no breakdown available to show wealth held in funds created due to Automatic Enrolment.</p><p> </p><p>DWP’s annual official statistics on workplace pension participation found that in 2014, the annual total amount saved in workplace pensions by employees eligible for Automatic Enrolment was £80.3 billion, an increase of £6.6 billion from 2012.</p> answering member printed Baroness Altmann question first answered 21/07/2015 14:04:34 answering member 4533 label Biography information for Baroness Altmann
tabling member	2518 label Biography information for Baroness Greengross

381627

registered interest
date	16/06/2015
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	Social Security Benefits: Migrants
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many victims of trafficking with positive conclusive grounds decisions under the National Referral Mechanism have had applications for (1) Jobseeker's Allowance, and (2) Housing Benefit, refused since 1 January 2014.
tabling member printed	Lord McColl of Dulwich
uin	HL543
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/06/2015 answer text <p /> <p>This information is not collected by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).</p> answering member printed Lord Freud question first answered 23/06/2015 14:54:43 answering member 3893 label Biography information for Lord Freud
tabling member	1892 label Biography information for Lord McColl of Dulwich