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  • Chris Ruane – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission

    Chris Ruane – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2015-02-11.

    To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission, what steps the Electoral Commission has taken on local authorities who have improperly sold on the details of electors who have opted out of the open register.

    Mr Gary Streeter

    If an Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) wrongly supplies the details of an elector who has opted out of the open register, this could constitute a breach of the Data Protection Act. In those circumstances, The Electoral Commission would advise an ERO to immediately speak to their local authority’s Data Protection Officer (or an equivalent officer) and/or directly contact the Information Commissioner’s Office. Depending on the circumstances it could potentially constitute a breach of the ERO’s official duty. An ERO guilty of any act or omission in breach of their official duty – without reasonable cause – is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale.

    The Commission’s guidance to EROs makes clear that the details of any elector who has asked to opt out of the open register must not appear in the open register.

    It also highlights that an ERO is a data controller with statutory responsibilities under the Data Protection Act, and links to the data protection principles produced by the Information Commissioner’s Office, as well as other sources of guidance for local authorities on data handling, including the Local Government Association and the Society of Information Technology Management (SOCITM).

  • Hywel Williams – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Hywel Williams – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hywel Williams on 2015-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he has taken to ensure that cases before the Transport Commissioner originating from Wales are heard in Wales.

    Claire Perry

    The Traffic Commissioner for Wales and the Office of the Traffic Commissioner continue to be committed to, in general, holding all hearings for Welsh operators and drivers in Wales unless they request otherwise.

  • Grahame M. Morris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Grahame M. Morris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame M. Morris on 2015-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 9 February 2015 to Question 223358, how many UK-based (a) ratings and (b) officers will be employed on the re-named Allseas vessel contracted by Shell to carry out major decommissioning work in the Brent Field.

    Mr John Hayes

    The nationality/country of residence of the crew members for an individual vessel is entirely a commercial decision and this information is not provided to government.

  • Russell Brown – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Russell Brown – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Russell Brown on 2015-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many vaccine damage payments have been awarded in each year since 2003.

    Mr Mark Harper

    The number of Vaccine Damage Payments made each year since 2003:

    2002/03 5

    2003/04 5

    2004/05 4

    2005/06 5

    2006/07 4

    2007/08 2

    2008/09 0

    2009/10 3

    2010/11 1

    2011/12 0

    2012/13 0

    2013/14 0

    2014/15 0

  • Hywel Williams – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Hywel Williams – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hywel Williams on 2015-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to share information on personal independence payment claimants between his Department and social services departments in local authorities.

    Mr Mark Harper

    A key part of the personal independence payment claims process is that claimants are able to tell the Department who is best placed to provide supporting evidence. Such evidence can come from a variety of sources, including social services, as well as GPs, community nurses, family members and carers.

    As part of continuous improvement, the Department will continue to work with other areas of the public sector, including local authorities, to improve this information sharing process to ensure the best possible outcomes for claimants. The Government is also considering the recommendation by Paul Gray in his independent review of the PIP assessment to explore the potential for wider sharing of information, and will respond in due course.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Andrew Rosindell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-02-11.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people were in full-time employment in Havering in each year since 2010.

    Mr Rob Wilson

    The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

  • Hywel Williams – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Hywel Williams – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hywel Williams on 2015-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claimants he expects to return to work as a consequence of the revised benefit cap.

    Esther McVey

    This information is not available as the benefit cap has not been revised.

    The latest official statistics show over 55,000 households have been capped to November 2014. In total, on average, 800 households per month have either found work or are no longer claiming housing benefit. Of those no longer capped, 40 per cent or 12,478 households went into work. The actual number of households who have gone into work may be higher; some individuals may go into work but may not be eligible to claim WTC if their earnings are too high or the hours worked do not meet the claim requirements. Further information can be found at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/benefit-cap-number-of-households-capped-to-november-2014

    “

  • Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reasons his Department and the Skills Funding Agency have not agreed a data sharing protocol with the Work Programme contractors delivering the Skills Support for Work Programme participants in employment project in partnership with Newham College of Further Education.

    Esther McVey

    The department has established an information sharing protocol enabling relevant data to be shared by Work Programme providers with all Skills Support for Work Programme providers. This involves providers first obtaining the participants’ consent, so their information can be shared.

  • Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what representations he has received from Jobcentre Plus staff, working on Universal Credit in jobcentres where it has been rolled out, about technical and communications problems associated with Universal Credit.

    Mr Mark Harper

    The Department routinely seeks and receives insight from Work Coaches and other front-line staff on all aspects of DWP operations.

    We use this feedback to ensure our services are operating at an optimal level.

  • Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the effect of the withdrawal of the Youth Contract Wage Incentive Scheme on youth unemployment; and if he will make a statement.

    Esther McVey

    The wage incentive was always intended to be a time limited measure. It was designed to support employers during the recession. It has provided nearly 100,000 job opportunities for young people. The economy is recovering; the UK has witnessed the largest annual drop in youth unemployment since records began.

    Our focus now is to make sure young people have the skills they need to take up these vacancies. The reinvestment of money from the wage incentive scheme into other areas has enabled us to continue to drive down youth unemployment with the most recent figures showing youth unemployment down 188,000 in the last year and by nearly 200,000 since 2010. During 2014 youth unemployment recorded its largest annual fall on record and long-term youth unemployment has also fallen by more than 50,000 in the last year.

    Since the wage incentive was introduced, take up by employers has been lower than expected. Employers found it less attractive than other elements of the scheme. DWP listened to businesses and responded to their needs, as such we reinvested money into those groups who are hardest to help to:

    · Provide additional advisor time for young people in areas of high youth unemployment and for disadvantaged 18-19 year old NEETs;

    · Provide additional funding for BIS to support young people further away from the labour market by providing education and training activities intended to lead initially to traineeships or equivalent provision and subsequently employment.

    · Support the 16-17 NEET pilots and BIS 18-21 Work Skills pilots

    · Provide additional funding for City Deals;

    · Extend the New Enterprise Allowance scheme to December 2014 and provide funding for BIS for start up loans