DWP has seen a substantial increase in claims for Disability Living Allowance (Children) since Covid-19, and this upward trajectory continues. This has resulted in increased pressures on early years services for children with additional needs and neurodiverse conditions, with gathering evidence from educational institutions and the NHS taking longer. We are maximising our resources wherever possible and have ongoing recruitment efforts to mitigate these challenges.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/163", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "East Ham"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Sir Stephen Timms"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-10-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-10-24T13:16:17.22Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2024-10-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Disability Living Allowance: Standards"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reason the rate of disability living allowance claims processed dropped between (a) 2019-20 and (b) 2023-24.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4591", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sarah Olney"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Richmond Park"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Sarah Olney"} ], "uin" : "9515"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1734858", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1734858/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) does not have a target timeframe, but we aim to process Disability Living Allowance (DLA) claims for children within 40 working days, not 50. As published in the DWP Annual Report and Accounts 2023 to 2024, which covers April 2023 to March 2024, of the 186,200 claims DLA claims for children processed over that period, 6,500 (3.5%) met the planned processing timescales.<\/p>
<\/p>
DWP has seen a substantial increase in claims since Covid-19, and this upward trajectory continues. This has resulted in increased pressures on early years services for children with additional needs and neurodiverse conditions, with gathering evidence from educational institutions and the NHS taking longer. We are maximising our resources wherever possible and have ongoing recruitment efforts to mitigate these challenges.<\/p>
<\/p>
For further details, please refer to the DWP annual report and accounts 2023 to 2024 (HTML) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)<\/a> available on the GOV.UK website.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/163", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "East Ham"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Sir Stephen Timms"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-10-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-10-24T13:15:33.197Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2024-10-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Disability Living Allowance"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many children are waiting for over the 50 working day target for their disability living allowance claim to be processed in the latest period for which data is available.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4591", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sarah Olney"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Richmond Park"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Sarah Olney"}
], "uin" : "9516"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1734860", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1734860/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Data on how many pension credit applications have been made between 29 July and 9 August 2024 was recently published on gov.uk, Weekly Pension Credit claims received from 1 April 2024 to 22 September 2024 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)<\/a><\/p> <\/p> Because of how we capture our operational data, information on how many claims we received over that period which are still outstanding is not available and to provide it would incur disproportionate costs. However, we are actively seeking to develop the data sets to provide that level of information.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4077", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Emma Reynolds"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Wycombe"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Emma Reynolds"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-10-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-10-24T13:13:34.997Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2024-10-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Pension Credit"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many pension credit applications made between 29 July and 9 August 2024 are waiting to be processed.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4591", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sarah Olney"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Richmond Park"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Sarah Olney"}
], "uin" : "9517"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1734862", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1734862/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The department supports customers to claim Pension Credit through a range of take up campaigns. In June 2019, the BBC announced its intention to limit free TV licenses to people 75+ and in receipt of Pension Credit from June 2020. The subsequent mass mailing to existing free licence holders contributed to a significant spike in calls to the Pension Service, and in 2022-23, the department continued to provide vital financial support to pensioners on a low income through Pension Credit.<\/p> <\/p> DWP launched a comprehensive communications campaign to raise awareness of Pension Credit and encourage pensioners to apply for it. The campaign included advertising in national and regional newspapers and on broadcast radio and television as well as promotion of Pension Credit via internet search engines and on social media. This, together with success of the Help for Household campaign, led to more than double the level in Pension Credit applications compared to the previous year.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4077", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Emma Reynolds"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Wycombe"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Emma Reynolds"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-10-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-10-24T12:59:45.927Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2024-10-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Pension Credit: Applications"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reason the average number of pension credit applications processed within 50 working days dropped between (a) 2019-20 and (b) 2022-23.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4591", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sarah Olney"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Richmond Park"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Sarah Olney"}
], "uin" : "9518"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1733741", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1733741/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Environment Agency (EA) does not model flow at gauging stations using drought event return periods. The modelling of flow under a range of climate scenarios is carried out as part of planning by water companies to assess how resilient their supply systems are to droughts. This assessment is set out in their statutory Water Resources Management Plans (WRMP) and Drought Plans.<\/p> <\/p> Thames Water have worked with Water Resources South East (WRSE) regional group to model flow under a range of climate scenarios as a component of regional system simulation modelling which informs their WRMP.<\/p> <\/p> The EA is a statutory consultee for water company WRMPs and reviews the technical analysis undertaken by water companies showing how secure supplies are now (known as the baseline) and what actions are needed to ensure secure supplies in the future.<\/p> <\/p> The EA has reviewed Thames Water\u2019s latest draft WRMP and is satisfied with the company\u2019s evidence provided alongside its latest draft WRMP.<\/p> <\/p> I attended the National Drought Group meeting earlier this month on Wednesday 16 October 2024 where I outlined the pressure climate change is having on our water system and that we need to be prepared for all eventualities. This Government is taking decisive action to improve the resilience of our precious water supplies.<\/p> <\/p> For more information on water resource system modelling completed on behalf of Thames Water see the following links:<\/p> wrse-hydrological-modelling-method-statement-november-2022.pdf<\/a><\/p> method-statement-regional-simulation-model-aug-2021.pdf<\/a>.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4645", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Emma Hardy"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Kingston upon Hull West and Haltemprice"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Emma Hardy"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-10-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-10-22T15:56:19.797Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2024-10-14", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "River Thames: Reading"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will publish the Environment Agency\u2019s modelling of average (a) daily and (b) monthly volumetric river flow rates for each gauging station on the Thames from Reading to Kingston for drought events that are (i) 1 in 100, (ii) 1 in 200 and (iii) 1 in 500 years.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4591", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sarah Olney"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Richmond Park"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Sarah Olney"}
], "uin" : "8843"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1733742", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1733742/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Environment Agency (EA) does not model how resilient water company owned supply systems are to drought. It is the responsibility of the water companies to ensure that their systems can deliver secure water supplies for customers whilst ensuring they meet their environmental obligations and legal requirements during a drought.<\/p> <\/p> Every 5 years, water companies are required to evidence in their statutory Water Resources Management Plans (WRMP) how they will ensure secure supplies for the next 25 years. This includes consideration of resilience to extreme droughts, population growth, climate change and environmental water needs.<\/p> <\/p> The EA is a statutory consultee for water company WRMPs and reviews the technical analysis undertaken by water companies showing how secure supplies are now (known as the baseline) and what actions are needed to ensure secure supplies in the future. The EA has reviewed Thames Water\u2019s latest draft WRMP and is satisfied with the company\u2019s evidence provided alongside its latest draft WRMP.<\/p> <\/p> I attended the National Drought Group meeting earlier this month on Wednesday 16 October 2024 where I outlined the pressure climate change is having on our water system and that we need to be prepared for all eventualities. This Government is taking decisive action to improve the resilience of our precious water supplies.<\/p> <\/p> For more information on water resource system modelling completed on behalf of Thames Water see the following links:<\/p>