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1228667

registered interest
date	28/08/2020
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if her Department will carry out a review into deaths of benefits claimants.
tabling member constituency	Bristol West
tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
uin	82063
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/09/2020 answer text <p>The Department interacts with millions of people, and among them are some of the most vulnerable people in our society. There are many reasons why people pass away whilst claiming a DWP benefit and it would not be appropriate for the Department to investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths of every individual. This is a consideration and decision for a Coroner.</p><p> </p><p>As a department we want to do all we can to ensure people get the support they need. We are striving towards becoming a learning organisation, for example through the Serious Case Panel, which considers themes and systemic issues that come out of serious cases and makes recommendations for improvements.</p><p> </p><p>Where the Department is made aware of a death and there is a suggestion or allegation that the Department’s actions or omissions may have negatively contributed to the customer’s circumstances an Internal Process Review will be conducted. Internal Process Reviews are not designed to identify or apportion blame, but to look at whether processes were followed correctly and what learning we can derive from this.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 03/09/2020 13:57:27 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

1228709

registered interest
date	28/08/2020
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	Personal Independence Payment: Bristol
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 14 July to Question 69599, what steps she is taking to bring the performance at the Bristol personal independence payment assessment centre back to the published service standard of 90% of claimants being examined within 30 minutes of their appointment time; and if she will make an estimate of when that standard will be achieved.
tabling member constituency	Bristol West
tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
uin	82062
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/09/2020 answer text <p>All face-to-face assessments for sickness and disability benefits are currently suspended in line with public health advice. During the Covid-19 period we continue to assess people based on written evidence alone, where that is possible, and have introduced telephone assessments. Telephony-based assessments do not fall within the same waiting time criteria. Once face-to-face assessment are reinstated we will work closely with suppliers to improve the waiting times whilst maintaining a high level of customer satisfaction.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 03/09/2020 13:41:39 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

1228829

registered interest
date	28/08/2020
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	Disability: Public Sector
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps the Government has taken to make public services more accessible to people with hidden disabilities.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Selly Oak
tabling member printed	Steve McCabe
uin	81512
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/09/2020 answer text <p>The Government is ensuring that disabled people, including people with hidden disabilities have access to public services, such as access to Changing Places toilet facilities, the Blue Badge scheme for parking, and accessible communications. The Government, via the Cabinet Office Disability Unit, is supporting the British Standards Institute in its development of a public information symbol to support disabled people with non-visible disabilities.</p><p> </p><p>We will publish a National Strategy for Disabled People to ensure that all disabled people can play a full role in society. The Strategy will focus on the issues that disabled people say affect them the most in all aspects and phases of life, including employment, housing, education and transport.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 07/09/2020 13:19:16 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	298 label Biography information for Steve McCabe

1228875

registered interest
date	28/08/2020
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	Access to Work Programme: Cost Effectiveness
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the oral contribution of the Minister for Disabled People to the Work and Pensions Committee on 29 October 2014, Qq275-6, what estimate she has made of the contribution to the public purse for every £1 spent on the Access to Work programme.
tabling member constituency	Lewisham, Deptford
tabling member printed	Vicky Foxcroft
uin	82170
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/09/2020 answer text <p>Access to Work is a demand-led, discretionary grant to de-risk the recruitment and retention of disabled people for employers. The grant contributes to the disability related extra costs of working faced by disabled people and those with a health condition that are beyond reasonable adjustment, but it does not replace an employer’s duty under the Equality Act to make reasonable adjustments. Access to Work is a popular and well regarded programme, and in 2018/19 the official Access to Work statistics illustrated the increase in support provided by Access to Work, as the highest ever number of people received payments, 36,240, up 7% on 17/18. Expenditure increased to £129.1 million, equating to a 14% increase in real terms expenditure on 17/18.</p><p> </p><p>A number of studies have explored various aspects of Access to Work but no definitive impact evaluation has taken place. Being in work brings advantages for disabled people, including independence, income, improved confidence, social interaction and mental health and wellbeing, and if the benefits of the Access to Work programme exceed its costs the whole economy will benefit from a financial boost. The 2018 Access to Work Qualitative Research found that the support provided was especially valued and often came at a point of crisis when people might otherwise have fallen out of work. But currently there is no robust cost benefit analysis available, the 2018 ‘Feasibility of Evaluating the Impact of the Access to Work Programme’ Report (please see link below), found that to pursue this analysis would be expensive and require a very large survey sampling exercise which is not feasible at present.</p><p><a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/756442/Feasibility_of_evaluating_the_impact_of_the_Access_to_Work_programme.pdf" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/756442/Feasibility_of_evaluating_the_impact_of_the_Access_to_Work_programme.pdf</a></p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 07/09/2020 14:54:53 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4491 label Biography information for Vicky Foxcroft

1228882

registered interest
date	28/08/2020
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	Natural Gas: Safety
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans she has to amend the Gas Safety Management Regulations to allow hydrogen blending within the main grid to levels higher than 0.1 per cent by volume; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Kilmarnock and Loudoun
tabling member printed	Alan Brown
uin	82102
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/09/2020 answer text <p>The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is currently reviewing the Gas Safety (Management) Regulations 1996 (GSMR). This includes the safe composition of gas for transmission and distribution in Great Britain’s gas network. Following completion of the review, I will consider any proposals for change HSE puts forward.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 08/09/2020 16:22:40 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
tabling member	4470 label Biography information for Alan Brown

1228928

registered interest
date	28/08/2020
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	Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit: Medical Examinations
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to resume assessments for Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit claims during the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow North West
tabling member printed	Carol Monaghan
uin	82088
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/09/2020 answer text <p>Our priority throughout this health emergency continues to be to protect the public and staff, while ensuring people get the benefits they are entitled to quickly and safely. Reviews and reassessments remain suspended while we review what activity we can gradually start reintroducing in line with the latest public health advice. We will confirm next steps as soon as possible.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 03/09/2020 13:23:49 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4443 label Biography information for Carol Monaghan

1228929

registered interest
date	28/08/2020
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	Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit: Medical Examinations
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department are taking to ensure that no claimant for Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit loses out due to delays in assessment due to the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow North West
tabling member printed	Carol Monaghan
uin	82089
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/09/2020 answer text <p>I can reassure you that IIDB is being treated with the same priority as other benefits and we are working closely with our stakeholders to restart assessments safely as soon as possible. Once face-to-face assessments are recommenced and cases progressed, awards will be backdated to the date of claim to ensure no one is underpaid. In the meantime, for claimants with the most serious or terminal conditions, claims continue to be processed and decisions made as normal. We are actively considering how to deal with those cases not currently being processed.</p><p> </p><p>Reassessment case awards have been extended to ensure that payments continue unhindered on those cases. Any deteriorations in condition which would have meant an increase in award, will be backdated once face-to-face assessments recommence, to ensure that no one is underpaid.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 03/09/2020 13:29:03 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4443 label Biography information for Carol Monaghan

1228938

registered interest
date	28/08/2020
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	Kickstart Scheme
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the effect of the requirement for candidates for the kickstart scheme to be in receipt of universal credit on the take-up of that scheme; and if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of removing that requirement.
tabling member constituency	Romford
tabling member printed	Andrew Rosindell
uin	81613
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/09/2020 answer text <p>Our initial focus is on young people who are currently on Universal Credit and at risk of long-term unemployment as they have most to gain from an opportunity like Kickstart. Work Coaches will work with young people to identify those most suitable for the Kickstart scheme and can match suitable young people to vacancies. We will consider expanding to other groups as we grow the volume of Kickstart roles available.</p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 08/09/2020 17:00:13 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
tabling member	1447 label Biography information for Andrew Rosindell

1228948

registered interest
date	28/08/2020
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: Mental Illness
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on potential difficulties that people with mental health problems have in applying for benefits during the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Manchester, Withington
tabling member printed	Jeff Smith
uin	82092
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/09/2020 answer text <p>Ministers and officials of both Departments hold regular discussions relating to the ongoing covid-19 outbreak including its impact on people with health conditions.</p><p> </p><p>My Department has provided mental health training for staff who have direct contact with claimants, including all Work Coaches, to equip them to identify mental wellbeing issues or vulnerabilities, and to take appropriate action to support individuals. Work Coaches will tailor support to the needs of the individual and work closely with local organisations that provide additional specialist support.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 07/09/2020 13:37:07 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4456 label Biography information for Jeff Smith

1228972

registered interest
date	28/08/2020
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: Mental Illness
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the potential additional barriers people with mental health problems experience in applying for benefits during the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Bedford
tabling member printed	Mohammad Yasin
uin	82254
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/09/2020 answer text <p>Ministers and officials of both Departments hold regular discussions relating to the ongoing covid-19 outbreak including its impact on people with health conditions.</p><p> </p><p>My Department has provided mental health training for staff who have direct contact with claimants, including all Work Coaches, to equip them to identify mental wellbeing issues or vulnerabilities, and to take appropriate action to support individuals. Work Coaches will tailor support to the needs of the individual and work closely with local organisations that provide additional specialist support.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Background</strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Mental wellbeing training has been provided for all staff (around 30,000 colleagues trained to date) who have direct contact with customers (including via telephone).</p><p>Staff have also had specific training to help them to identify vulnerable people, and signpost or refer them to further support provided by local partners. Every jobcentre has a complex needs toolkit containing links to local organisations to facilitate this.</p><p> </p><p>Since the start of the pandemic we’ve introduced online claim application processes <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/dwps-response-to-coronavirus-covid-19" target="_blank">for ESA</a> and <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pension-credit-claimants-now-able-to-apply-online" target="_blank">Pension Credit</a> claimants (telephony options still exist). And we’ve also introduced <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-video-service-for-deaf-claimants-accessing-universal-credit" target="_blank">new services</a> for deaf claimants.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 07/09/2020 14:52:29 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4598 label Biography information for Mohammad Yasin