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50179

registered interest
date	07/05/2014
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what support is in place to help people with ME or chronic fatigue syndrome who are well enough to consider a return to work.
tabling member constituency	Mid Dorset and North Poole
tabling member printed	Annette Brooke
uin	198031
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/05/2014 answer text <p> </p><p> </p><p>We do not target our employment programmes exclusively at individuals with particular conditions such as M.E. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. The Department's programmes, including its specialist disability employment programmes, aim to identify and meet the needs of the individual, including those with M.E. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.</p><p> </p><p>Access to Work provides additional support for individuals whose health or disability affects the way they do their job. It provides individuals and their employers with advice and support with extra costs which may arise because of an individual's needs. Access to Work does not replace the duty an employer has under the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments.</p><p> </p><p>Work Choice is a specialist disability employment programme that provides tailored support to help disabled people who face the most complex barriers to employment, find and stay in work and ultimately help them progress into unsupported employment, where it is appropriate for the individual.</p><p> </p><p>Jobcentre Plus Disability Employment Advisers can provide support and advice for disabled people who need help finding and retaining employment. They can refer individuals to specialist programmes, including Work Choice, and can use the professional expertise of Work Psychologists, who specialise in working with disabled people. Disability Employment Advisers can advocate with employers on the individual's behalf and help employers to explore job solutions such as the restructuring of a job's tasks/environment, or the provision/change of equipment.</p><p> </p><p>The Government published ‘The disability and health employment strategy: the discussion so far' on 17 December 2013. This paper sets out a range of proposals to further improve our employment support for disabled people and those with health conditions.</p><p> </p><p>The Government recognises that getting the right support at the right time is particularly important for disabled people and those with a health condition so as part of our vision for future employment support we are developing a new Employment Gateway. This will be a light-touch process based on an individual's strengths and needs and will direct people to the most appropriate support.</p><p> </p><p>In order to support individuals to stay in work where possible we are putting in place a new Health and Work Service (HWS).The HWS will provide occupational health advice and support for employees, employers and GP's to help individuals with a health condition to stay in or return to work.</p><p> </p><p>The intention is to introduce the service by the end of 2014.</p> answering member constituency Hemel Hempstead answering member printed Mike Penning grouped question UIN 198105 question first answered 14/05/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1528 label Biography information for Sir Mike Penning
tabling member	1431 label Biography information for Annette Brooke

50180

registered interest
date	07/05/2014
answering body	Department of Health
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health
answering dept sort name	Health
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to improve access to social care assessments for people with ME or chronic fatigue syndrome.
tabling member constituency	Mid Dorset and North Poole
tabling member printed	Annette Brooke
uin	198039
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/05/2014 answer text <p>The Care Bill will require local authorities to provide information and advice on how to access care and support in their area including assessments.</p><p> </p><p>The Bill will place local authorities under a duty to assess any adult who appears to have needs for care and support, whatever their level of need. The assessment will look at the person's needs and outcomes they want to achieve, and the person must be involved throughout the process. Authorities will have to ensure that anyone who is undertaking an assessment is appropriately trained to do so, and that where the assessor is not experienced in the condition of the person they are assessing, they must consult someone who is.</p><p> </p><p>These measures will ensure that the person needing care has an effective assessment carried out by an appropriately trained assessor.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency North Norfolk answering member printed Norman Lamb question first answered 12/05/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1439 label Biography information for Norman Lamb
tabling member	1431 label Biography information for Annette Brooke

50181

registered interest
date	07/05/2014
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that specialist training on (a) ME or chronic fatigue syndrome and (b) other fluctuating conditions is given to healthcare professionals assessing claimants for the personal independence payment.
tabling member constituency	Mid Dorset and North Poole
tabling member printed	Annette Brooke
uin	198106
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/05/2014 answer text <p /> <p /> <p>The Department requires the health professionals carrying out Personal Independence Payment assessments to have a broad and thorough training in disability analysis, as well as training in specific conditions, including fluctuating conditions.Both organisations providing the assessment have to conform to a rigorous set of quality and recruitment standards which are closely monitored by the Department for Work and Pensions.</p> answering member constituency Hemel Hempstead answering member printed Mike Penning question first answered 14/05/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1528 label Biography information for Sir Mike Penning
tabling member	1431 label Biography information for Annette Brooke

50210

registered interest
date	07/05/2014
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps are being taken to deal with websites offering services to customers wishing to apply for a blue badge parking permit, and which are not associated with the Blue Badge Improvement Service.
tabling member printed	Baroness Thomas of Winchester
uin	HL6928
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/05/2014 answer text <p>To obtain a Blue Badge in England applicants can apply directly via the Gov.UK website or to the relevant local authority. Successful applicants will be charged no more than £10.</p><p> </p><p>The Government's contractor, Northgate Public Services, has taken a number of positive steps to raise awareness about unauthorised websites. These include issuing a press release warning people about dubious websites, issuing a Bulletin to all local authorities so that they can warn residents, providing advice and awareness to charitable organisations representing disabled people, and ensuring staff at the national Blue Badge support helpline are able to advise the public accordingly.</p> answering member printed Baroness Kramer question first answered 13/05/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1557 label Biography information for Baroness Kramer
tabling member	3785 label Biography information for Baroness Thomas of Winchester

50211

registered interest
date	07/05/2014
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
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to close the employment gap for disabled people since the ending of the quota system in 1995; and how progress is being monitored.
tabling member printed	Baroness Thomas of Winchester
uin	HL6929
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/05/2014 answer text <p> </p><p> </p><p>The disability employment gap has reduced. The Quarterly Labour Force Survey data is used to measure the employment rate gap between working age disabled people and the total working age population.</p><p> </p><p>The Government is committed to ensuring that all disabled people have the opportunities and support that they need to get a job and to remain in work. There is a range of provision to provide this support including the Work Programme, Access to Work and Work Choice programmes. Further, in December 2013, the Government published ‘the disability and health employment strategy: the discussion so far'.</p><p> </p><p>A new Health and Work Service (HWS) is being developed to provide occupational health advice and support for employees, employers and GP's to help individuals with a health condition to stay in or return to work.The intention is to introduce the service by the end of 2014.</p><p> </p><p>In July 2013, The Prime Minister launched the Disability Confident Campaign to help increase employer confidence in recruiting and retaining disabled people as part of a diverse workforce, and to provide opportunities for employers and organisations to share learning and good practice.</p> answering member printed Lord Freud question first answered 14/05/2014 12:00:00 answering member 3893 label Biography information for Lord Freud
tabling member	3785 label Biography information for Baroness Thomas of Winchester

50212

registered interest
date	07/05/2014
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 training is provided on disability awareness to staff in Jobcentre Plus offices as part of the public sector equality duty; and what steps are being taken to ensure that awareness by staff of obligations under the duty is improving.
tabling member printed	Baroness Thomas of Winchester
uin	HL6930
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/05/2014 answer text <p /> <p /> <p>DWP, in partnership with Civil Service Learning, provides a wide range of diversity and disability learning opportunities for staff.</p><p> </p><p>The ‘Equality and Diversity Essentials' package provides an overview of the Equality Act 2010, the Public Sector Equality Duty and covers disability for customers and employees. The learning is targeted at all new employees as part of induction and as a refresher for other staff.</p><p> </p><p>DWP offers a follow up ‘Disability Awareness' course. This aims to build the confidence of managers to give effective support to disabled employees.</p><p> </p><p>DWP customer facing staff are trained in the skills required to support a range of claimants and to respect their individual needs. This approach ensures they are skilled to deal with a diverse set of circumstances, whilst treating everyone as individuals. Jobcentre Advisers, in particular, have access to a comprehensive training programme which focuses on raising awareness of the individual's personal circumstances, including disabilities, and also recognises that those circumstances can affect individuals in different ways.</p><p> </p><p>The Department regularly participates in external benchmarking activity to measure and improve performance for disabled staff, customers and service users. 2013 results showed a significant improvement in performance from 2012.</p> answering member printed Lord Freud question first answered 14/05/2014 12:00:00 answering member 3893 label Biography information for Lord Freud
tabling member	3785 label Biography information for Baroness Thomas of Winchester

50213

registered interest
date	07/05/2014
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
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, as part of the requirement to make reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010, accessible toilets at Jobcentre Plus offices are available for the use of claimants with disabilities.
tabling member printed	Baroness Thomas of Winchester
uin	HL6931
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/05/2014 answer text <p /> <p /> <p>Where there is a medical need, our policy is to allow claimants to use toilet facilities in our Jobcentres, subject to constraints in certain locations caused by the layout of the building and keeping people safe. We consider that this policy complies with the requirement under the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments.</p> answering member printed Lord Freud question first answered 13/05/2014 12:00:00 answering member 3893 label Biography information for Lord Freud
tabling member	3785 label Biography information for Baroness Thomas of Winchester

50214

registered interest
date	07/05/2014
answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that accessible toilets for disabled people in buildings other than private dwellings comply with published national standards.
tabling member printed	Baroness Thomas of Winchester
uin	HL6932
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/05/2014 answer text <p> </p><p> </p><p>In buildings other than dwellings, Part M of the Building Regulations requires that reasonable provision is made for accessible toilets where relevant types of building work are undertaken. Statutory guidance on how that can be achieved is contained in <em>Approved Document M (Access to and use of buildings)</em>. The building control body is responsible for ensuring that relevant building work complies with this requirement.</p><p> </p><p>Provisions in the Equality Act 2010 require employers and those providing a service to the public or carrying out a public function to make a “reasonable adjustment”, so that disabled people are not placed at a “substantial disadvantage” compared to non-disabled people. Ultimately, only a court can decide what is “reasonable” in any particular case. However, Part 4 of the Equality Act 2010 (Disability) Regulations 2010, prescribes circumstances in which it is not reasonable for such a body to remove or alter a physical feature which was provided in or in connection with a building to assist with access to the building or the use of facilities and which satisfy the relevant design standard. The Schedule to these Regulations provides details of how to determine whether the design standard is satisfied, and refers to design considerations and provisions in Approved Document M.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Stowell of Beeston question first answered 14/05/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4205 label Biography information for Baroness Stowell of Beeston
tabling member	3785 label Biography information for Baroness Thomas of Winchester

50215

registered interest
date	07/05/2014
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many car parking companies which are members of the British Parking Association have been refused access to keeper data by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency since the introduction of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012.
tabling member printed	Baroness Thomas of Winchester
uin	HL6933
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/05/2014 answer text <p>29 members of the British Parking Association have been suspended from having access to vehicle keeper data since the introduction of the Act in 2012.</p> answering member printed Baroness Kramer question first answered 13/05/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1557 label Biography information for Baroness Kramer
tabling member	3785 label Biography information for Baroness Thomas of Winchester

50216

registered interest
date	07/05/2014
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	CaTreasury
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to increase the tax-free allowance given to individuals who rent out a room in their property.
tabling member printed	Baroness Scott of Needham Market
uin	HL6934
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/05/2014 answer text <p>The Government currently has no plans to increase the threshold for rent a room relief.</p><p> </p><p>As with all aspects of the tax system, the Government keeps all tax reliefs under review, and any decisions on changes will be taken as part of the annual Budget process in the context of the wider public finances.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Deighton question first answered 13/05/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4262 label Biography information for Lord Deighton
tabling member	2542 label Biography information for Baroness Scott of Needham Market