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167675

registered interest
date	03/12/2014
answering body	Department for Energy and Climate Change
answering dept id	63
answering dept short name	Energy and Climate Change
answering dept sort name	Energy and Climate Change
hansard heading	New Businesses: Energy
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps his Department is taking to provide guidance and assistance to new businesses on maximising energy efficiency measures in their premises.
tabling member constituency	East Londonderry
tabling member printed	Mr Gregory Campbell
uin	217084
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/12/2014 answer text <p>There are a range of new initiatives businesses can take advantage of, depending on their size and premises, although the Government does not target specific energy efficiency support specifically on new businesses</p><p>The Electricity Demand Reduction Pilot is making a total of up to £20 million available to organisations that deliver electricity savings during winter peak times by installing more efficient equipment.</p><p>The recently introduced Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS) makes it mandatory for large enterprises in the UK to measure and audit their energy use. The Scheme will improve awareness within large UK businesses and third-sector bodies of cost-effective energy efficiency steps they can take.</p><p>In order to raise awareness of the benefits of energy efficiency amongst small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), in spring 2015 the Government will publish specific guidance, including advice on simple steps to reduce energy consumption. The Government is also taking steps to raise awareness amongst SMEs of the Energy Saving Opportunity Scheme as a voluntary tool they can use to identify energy saving opportunities.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hastings and Rye answering member printed Amber Rudd question first answered 11/12/2014 17:03:05 answering member 3983 label Biography information for Amber Rudd previous answer version 32295 answering member constituency Hastings and Rye answering member printed Amber Rudd answering member 3983 label Biography information for Amber Rudd
tabling member	1409 label Biography information for Mr Gregory Campbell

167834

registered interest
date	03/12/2014
answering body	Northern Ireland Office
answering dept id	21
answering dept short name	Northern Ireland
answering dept sort name	Northern Ireland
hansard heading	Detainees: Human Rights
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what information she has received from the Irish government on whether any new evidence informed that government's decision to refer back to the European Court a 1978 decision relating to the treatment of people detained in Northern Ireland in 1971.
tabling member constituency	East Londonderry
tabling member printed	Mr Gregory Campbell
uin	217086
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/12/2014 answer text <p>The decision of the Irish Government to ask the European Court of Human Rights to re-open the case relating to the treatment of persons detained in 1971 is a matter for them.</p><p>The UK Government is considering the implications of the decision.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Chipping Barnet answering member printed Mrs Theresa Villiers question first answered 08/12/2014 13:14:27 answering member 1500 label Biography information for Theresa Villiers
tabling member	1409 label Biography information for Mr Gregory Campbell

167847

registered interest
date	03/12/2014
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Motor Vehicles: Testing
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what checks are in place to ensure that MOTs are conducted properly; and what action is taken if they are not.
tabling member constituency	Barnsley Central
tabling member printed	Dan Jarvis
uin	217102
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/12/2014 answer text <p>The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) conduct a number of different activities to monitor the quality of testing at MOT Garages. These range from re-inspecting vehicles that have just been tested through to conducting mystery shopper type activities.</p><p><br>DVSA use a mechanism to target its resource to those MOT Garages that present the greatest risk profile. The type of activity conducted is based on that which is best suited for the identified risk. These activities can range from an educative type support to a more stringent enforcement approach. <br><br>Where poor quality testing has been identified an assessment is carried out and, again, the approach is designed to be proportionate to the need - focused on best ensuring test quality. This could include on-site support or redirected additional training. More serious cases can result in the authorisation of either the Tester or the Authorised Examiner being removed from the scheme.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Devizes answering member printed Claire Perry question first answered 08/12/2014 16:46:31 answering member 3974 label Biography information for Claire Perry
tabling member	4243 label Biography information for Dan Jarvis

167851

registered interest
date	03/12/2014
answering body	Women and Equalities
answering dept id	31
answering dept short name	Women and Equalities
answering dept sort name	Women and Equalities
hansard heading	Castes: Discrimination
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, pursuant to the Answer of 13 October 2014 to Question 209041, when the final consultation on caste discrimination will be published.
tabling member constituency	Islington North
tabling member printed	Jeremy Corbyn
uin	217135
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/12/2014 answer text <p>We are currently considering the form and timing of the public consultation in the light of ongoing caste discrimination litigation in the Employment Appeal Tribunal. We will await the outcome of the judgment before deciding in what form to issue the public consultation</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles question first answered 09/12/2014 19:55:07 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles previous answer version 32604 answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
tabling member	185 label Biography information for Jeremy Corbyn

167852

registered interest
date	03/12/2014
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	State Retirement Pensions: British Nationals Abroad
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of unfreezing state pensions for British citizens living in Commonwealth countries; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Bolton South East
tabling member printed	Yasmin Qureshi
uin	217127
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/12/2014 answer text <p /> <p>The policy of this Coalition Government on the up-rating of UK state pensions paid to people living overseas is the same as that of successive post-war Governments. Namely to up-rate such pensions where we are legally required to under the terms of EU law or a bilateral social security agreement. There are no plans to change policy on this issue.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Steve Webb question first answered 08/12/2014 16:34:06 answering member 220 label Biography information for Steve Webb
tabling member	3924 label Biography information for Yasmin Qureshi

167853

registered interest
date	03/12/2014
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	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, in what circumstances benefit claimants are permitted to undertake paid work which is regarded as therapeutic.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	217129
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/12/2014 answer text <p /> <p>A person who is entitled to Employment and Support Allowance and who does any work will normally be treated as not having limited capability for work and will lose their entitlement accordingly. However, under existing provisions, there are types of work that a claimant can do without losing their benefit entitlement.</p><p> </p><p>This is called ‘exempt work’ (more commonly referred to as ‘permitted work’). <br> The categories of exempt work are Permitted Work; Voluntary Work and work done in a Work Placement. There are four types of permitted work.</p><p> </p><p>· Permitted Work Lower Level: work for no more than £20 a week at any time for as long as the person is on benefit;<br> <br></p><p>· Permitted Work Higher Level: work for less than 16 hours a week with earnings of no more than £104.00 a week for a fixed period of 52 weeks with the aim of progressing to work of more than 16 hours per week; <br> <br></p><p>· Permitted Work Higher Level Subsequent: at the end of the 52 week period of PWHL, if they have not progressed to work of more than 16 hours, claimants can continue to work for no more than £20 per week. After a gap of 52 weeks customers can undertake a subsequent period of 52 weeks at the higher level;<br> <br></p><p>· Supported Permitted Work: claimants can work for no more than £104.00 a week for as long as they are on benefit if they have a disability which is unlikely to improve over time and they need regular and on going support or supervision in the work place in order to make as much progress as they can towards full-time work. A person is able to work and earn up to and including £104.00 a week indefinitely where their work is supervised by someone who is employed by a public or local authority, or a voluntary organisation whose job it is to arrange work for people with disabilities.</p><p> </p><p>A person can only do one type of Permitted Work at any one time and there are rules which cover the length of time that claimants may undertake each category, and the amount they can earn.</p> answering member constituency Forest of Dean answering member printed Mr Mark Harper question first answered 08/12/2014 12:24:20 answering member 1520 label Biography information for Mr Mark Harper
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

167854

registered interest
date	03/12/2014
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	Employment and Support Allowance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, in what circumstances claimants of employment and support allowance are permitted to retain their benefit while undertaking voluntary work.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	217130
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/12/2014 answer text <p>A person can do voluntary work as long as they do not receive any payment other than reasonable expenses. The work can be for a charitable or voluntary organisation, for example, or any other type of volunteering as long as it is not for a relative.</p> answering member constituency Forest of Dean answering member printed Mr Mark Harper question first answered 08/12/2014 12:35:05 answering member 1520 label Biography information for Mr Mark Harper
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

167855

registered interest
date	03/12/2014
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	Social Security Benefits: Voluntary Work
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what arrangements his Department has in place with the voluntary sector to enable benefit claimants to undertake voluntary work.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	217131
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/12/2014 answer text <p /> <p>We believe that volunteering can play an important part in the life of unemployed people – not only by improving their chances of securing paid work but also through providing valuable support to their communities.</p><p> </p><p>Claimants can therefore do unlimited voluntary work whilst claiming benefits, providing they continue to meet all the usual entitlement conditions, although volunteers are allowed additional time to make themselves available for interviews and to take-up employment.</p> answering member constituency Wirral West answering member printed Esther McVey question first answered 08/12/2014 17:17:26 answering member 4084 label Biography information for Esther McVey
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

167863

registered interest
date	03/12/2014
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	Employment and Support Allowance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the reasons for the increased number of claimants of employment and support allowance receiving benefit sanctions since mid-2013.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	217132
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/12/2014 answer text <p /> <p>The number of ESA claimants referred to the Work Programme has increased by more than half over the last 2 years and as such we would expect to see a consequential increase in sanction referrals as more people join the programme.</p><p> </p><p>ESA claimants are not sanctioned for not finding or taking up work and all activities claimants are referred to must be reasonable given their circumstances and capabilities. In any month less than 1% of ESA claimants are sanctioned.</p><p> </p><p>Evidence suggests that work and work related activity is good for people with health conditions. Through the Work Programme ESA claimants have access to the support they need to improve their skills and move closer to the labour market. With this increased support, comes increased expectations and where claimants fail to meet reasonable requirements, proportionate sanctions are applied.</p> answering member constituency Forest of Dean answering member printed Mr Mark Harper question first answered 08/12/2014 12:43:13 answering member 1520 label Biography information for Mr Mark Harper
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

167864

registered interest
date	03/12/2014
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	Jobseeker's Allowance
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 Government's commitment in its response to the Oakley Review, Cm 8904, to strengthen guidance so that hardship provision is clear upfront to all claimants who are sanctioned, what progress has been made in strengthening such guidance; and whether the planned implementation date of August 2014 was achieved.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	216998
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/12/2014 answer text <p /> <p>In response to the recommendation we implemented improvements to the hardship process in July 2014 which includes strengthened guidance for work coaches. All claimants will be informed about how and when they can make an application for hardship payment following a conditionality doubt.</p> answering member constituency Wirral West answering member printed Esther McVey question first answered 08/12/2014 17:23:58 answering member 4084 label Biography information for Esther McVey
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms