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1314940

registered interest
date	17/05/2021
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: Medical Examinations
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	What steps she is taking to ensure that assessments for health and disability benefits are conducted safely during the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Sittingbourne and Sheppey
tabling member printed	Gordon Henderson
uin	900037
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/05/2021 answer text <p>In March 2020, to ensure safety, we paused face-to-face assessments and assessed through paper-based review, telephone and video assessments. Working with providers and the Deputy Chief Medical Officer, we developed guidance to ensure the re-opening of assessment centres and resumption of face-to-face assessments can be conducted safely. Face-to-face will initially be for claimants unable to be assessed through other means.</p><p /> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 17/05/2021 15:16:03 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4050 label Biography information for Gordon Henderson

1314759

registered interest
date	14/05/2021
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	Sign Language
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to bring forward legislative proposals on the legal recognition of British Sign Language; and what steps she has taken to ensure local authorities raise awareness of British Sign Language.
tabling member constituency	Ynys Môn
tabling member printed	Virginia Crosbie
uin	1415
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/05/2021 answer text <p>On 18 March 2003 the UK government formally recognised that British Sign Language (BSL) is a language in its own right. Provision for accessing services by users of BSL are covered by the Equality Act 2010 and the Public Sector Equality Duty.</p><p> </p><p>Existing equality legislation already means employers, service providers and public bodies have to provide services in BSL and other formats when it is reasonable to do so. The Public Sector Equality Duty requires public bodies, when carrying out their functions, to have due regard to the needs of a range of protected characteristics, including disability.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 19/05/2021 12:51:28 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4859 label Biography information for Virginia Crosbie

1314852

registered interest
date	14/05/2021
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	State Retirement Pensions: National Insurance Contributions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many (a) men and (b) women (i) built up a qualifying year towards the state pension by paying National Insurance Contributions, (ii) built up a qualifying year towards the state pension through National Insurance credits and (iii) did not build up a qualifying year towards the state pension in (A) 2011-12 and (B) the latest year for which figures are available.
tabling member constituency	North East Fife
tabling member printed	Wendy Chamberlain
uin	1397
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/06/2021 answer text <p>We do not have the specific data. However, the Local Labour Market Statistics of 2019 provides us with a 1% sample data. If that was to be scaled to 100% the probability is that the 100% data would show the following:</p><p> </p><p>The tables below show a breakdown of how qualifying years were built up for the tax years 2011/12 and 2018/19.</p><p> </p><p><strong>2011/12</strong></p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p><strong>Male</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Female</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Total</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>NI Contributions only</strong></p></td><td><p>13,851,200</p></td><td><p>11,157,100</p></td><td><p><strong>25,008,300</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>NI Credits only</strong></p></td><td><p>2,352,600</p></td><td><p>3,047,500</p></td><td><p><strong>5,400,100</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>NI Contributions and Credits</strong></p></td><td><p>445,700</p></td><td><p>840,200</p></td><td><p><strong>1,285,900</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Total</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>16,649,500</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>15,044,800</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>31,694,300</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong> </strong></p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>No full qualifying year</strong></p></td><td><p>2,546,600</p></td><td><p>2,027,500</p></td><td><p>4,574,100</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong>2018/19</strong></p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p><strong>Male</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Female</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Total</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>NI Contributions only</strong></p></td><td><p>13,863,400</p></td><td><p>12,378,800</p></td><td><p><strong> 26,242,200 </strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>NI Credits only</strong></p></td><td><p>1,518,900</p></td><td><p>2,918,300</p></td><td><p><strong> 4,437,200 </strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>NI Contributions and Credits</strong></p></td><td><p>210,300</p></td><td><p>682,700</p></td><td><p><strong> 893,000 </strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Total</strong></p></td><td><p><strong> 15,592,600 </strong></p></td><td><p><strong> 15,979,800 </strong></p></td><td><p><strong> 31,572,400 </strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong> </strong></p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>No full qualifying year</strong></p></td><td><p>2,168,900</p></td><td><p>2,017,100</p></td><td><p>4,186,000</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The line ‘NI Contributions and Credits’ indicates where a qualifying year includes some periods of contributions and some of credits within the year.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The line ‘No full qualifying year’ refers to those individuals who may have had some contributions or credits recorded, but did not build a qualifying year in the respective years.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 02/06/2021 10:12:31 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4765 label Biography information for Wendy Chamberlain

1314859

registered interest
date	14/05/2021
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	Employment: Asthma
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference Demos' report entitled the economic cost of uncontrolled asthma, published February 2021, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that people with asthma are able to stay in work.
tabling member constituency	Blaydon
tabling member printed	Liz Twist
uin	1366
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/05/2021 answer text <p>The Government is committed to ensuring that people with disabilities and health conditions are able to stay in work and offers a range of support. Access to Work (ATW) is a demand-led, discretionary grant scheme administered by Jobcentre Plus (JCP). The scheme facilitates recruitment and retention of disabled people for employers by contributing towards covering the costs of employment –related support above the level of reasonable adjustment. The scheme can fund up to £60,700 worth of flexible, personalised support per person per year.</p><p> </p><p>In 2019, the Government consulted on ways to support and encourage employers to minimise the risk of ill-health related job loss among their employees in Health is Everyone's Business. Our response is due shortly.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 20/05/2021 14:32:40 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4618 label Biography information for Liz Twist

1314861

registered interest
date	14/05/2021
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	Asthma
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 Answer of 21 April 2021 to Question 179362, if she will make an assessment of the causes of inequality in pay and job prospects for people with severe asthma.
tabling member constituency	Blaydon
tabling member printed	Liz Twist
uin	1367
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/05/2021 answer text <p>Analysis published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows that disabled employees are generally under-represented in higher skilled and typically higher paying occupation groups, while they are over-represented in lower-skilled and lower paying occupations when compared to non-disabled employees. Disabled workers are also less likely to move into and be in work, as well as more likely to move out of work.</p><p> </p><p>Baroness Ruby McGregor-Smith is currently leading a commission looking at how DWP, wider Government and employers can best support people to progress out of low pay, especially for those groups more likely to be in persistent low pay, such as disabled workers.</p><p> </p><p>The Government is committed to ensuring that everybody, including people with asthma, has equal access to employment opportunities and offers a range of support to help disabled people to stay in or move into work.</p><p> </p><p>In 2019, the Government consulted on ways to support and encourage employers to minimise the risk of ill-health related job loss among their employees in Health is Everyone's Business: proposals to reduce ill-health related job loss. Our response is due shortly.</p><p> </p><p>The Government will also publish a National Strategy for Disabled People which will focus on issues that disabled people say affect them the most in all aspects of life, including employment.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 20/05/2021 14:35:54 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4618 label Biography information for Liz Twist

1314862

registered interest
date	14/05/2021
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	Employment Schemes: Asthma
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the economic benefits of assisting people with severe asthma to participate fully in the labour market.
tabling member constituency	Blaydon
tabling member printed	Liz Twist
uin	1368
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/05/2021 answer text <p>The Government recognises the important economic contribution of disabled people in the labour market and is committed to seeing 1 million more disabled people in work. DWP delivers a range of programmes to support disabled people, including those with severe asthma, to stay in or move into work.</p><p> </p><p>These include the Work and Health Programme, Intensive Personalised Employment Support, Access to Work, Disability Confident and initiatives in partnership with the health system, including Employment Advice in NHS Improving Access to Psychological Therapy services and Individual Placement and Support.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 20/05/2021 14:37:51 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4618 label Biography information for Liz Twist

1314883

registered interest
date	14/05/2021
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	Universal Credit
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to increase data sharing with local authorities on universal credit.
tabling member constituency	Preseli Pembrokeshire
tabling member printed	Stephen Crabb
uin	1283
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/05/2021 answer text <p>The Department already shares significant amounts of Universal Credit (UC) data through a secure mechanism with Local Authorities (LAs), including through a daily feed of change notifications to support administration of Council Tax Reduction schemes. In addition, LAs have access to claimant level UC data via a system called Searchlight. We continue to engage with LAs to enhance our understanding of how data access may support localised provision.</p><p> </p><p>To further support LAs in identifying vulnerable families, we are also planning to provide them with information about those Universal Credit claims with limited capability for work as well as claims with earnings below the free school meals and free prescription thresholds before the end of May.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince grouped question UIN 1284 question first answered 18/05/2021 15:58:49 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	1554 label Biography information for Stephen Crabb

1314884

registered interest
date	14/05/2021
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	Universal Credit
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 potential merits of sharing universal credit data with local authorities to help improve local responses to poverty.
tabling member constituency	Preseli Pembrokeshire
tabling member printed	Stephen Crabb
uin	1284
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/05/2021 answer text <p>The Department already shares significant amounts of Universal Credit (UC) data through a secure mechanism with Local Authorities (LAs), including through a daily feed of change notifications to support administration of Council Tax Reduction schemes. In addition, LAs have access to claimant level UC data via a system called Searchlight. We continue to engage with LAs to enhance our understanding of how data access may support localised provision.</p><p> </p><p>To further support LAs in identifying vulnerable families, we are also planning to provide them with information about those Universal Credit claims with limited capability for work as well as claims with earnings below the free school meals and free prescription thresholds before the end of May.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince grouped question UIN 1283 question first answered 18/05/2021 15:58:49 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	1554 label Biography information for Stephen Crabb

1314900

registered interest
date	14/05/2021
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	Universal Credit
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to reduce the backlog of assessments for universal credit.
tabling member constituency	Sheffield, Heeley
tabling member printed	Louise Haigh
uin	1334
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/05/2021 answer text <p>For the purposes of this response, I have assumed the Honourable Member is referring to Work Capability Assessments (WCAs) used to assess the health entitlement in Universal Credit when referring to “assessments.”</p><p> </p><p>Throughout the pandemic following the suspension of face to face Work Capability Assessments (WCAs) to protect the health of our customers and staff, we continued to assess people on paper evidence whenever possible and introduced telephone assessments from May 2020, doing so in a cautious and evidence-based way, in order to reduce the risk of incorrect benefit outcomes.</p><p> </p><p>Our priority was and continues to be to get our customers into payment as soon as possible. Therefore, telephone assessments initially focused on claimants who were most likely to benefit from having an assessment i.e. those who were likely to have limited capability for work and work-related activity (LCWRA), with this being the only outcome available. Using a test and learn approach, we expanded the range of outcomes available in telephone assessments during the course of the pandemic and, from February 2021, the full range outcomes have been able. This is enabling us to provide a further telephone assessment to those customers who didn’t get an outcome from their first one. We are also, in parallel, doing a small number of Video Assessments.</p><p> </p><p>We have continuously improved our guidance and processes to minimise the number of customers for whom a telephone assessment is not suitable because of their health condition. Now only a small proportion of customers are unable to undertake a telephone assessment. These customers will be prioritised for a face to face assessment following their resumption this month.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 19/05/2021 12:48:43 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4473 label Biography information for Louise Haigh

1314412

registered interest
date	13/05/2021
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, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of financial support provided to people who have moved from (a) severe disability premium and (b) other legacy benefits to universal credit.
tabling member constituency	Slough
tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
uin	1170
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/05/2021 answer text <p>No assessment has been made of the adequacy of financial support provided to people who have moved from Severe Disability Premium and other legacy benefits to universal credit.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 18/05/2021 16:32:30 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi