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  • Chris Stephens – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    Chris Stephens – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Stephens on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what meetings (a) Ministers and (b) officials of her Department have had with representatives of (i) the Taxpayers’ Alliance, (ii) the Confederation of British Industry, (iii) the Institute of Economic Affairs, (iv) the Adam Smith Institute, (v) the Freedom Association, (vi) the Politics and Economics Research Trust and (vii) the Midlands Industrial Council in the last 12 months.

    Caroline Dinenage

    Details of Ministers’ meetings with external organisations are published up to 31 March 2015 and can be accessed on Gov.uk at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/ministers-transparency-publications

    Further publications of Ministerial meetings will be published in due course.

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  • Henry Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    Henry Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Henry Smith on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle homophobic bullying in schools.

    Caroline Dinenage

    Tackling all forms of bullying is a top priority for this Government. All schools are required by law to have a behaviour policy with measures to prevent all forms of bullying. The Government has taken a number of steps to help schools address bullying, including by providing advice on how to prevent and tackle bullying and how schools should support children who are bullied.

    We are providing £1.3 million this year to anti-bullying charities to tackle all forms of bullying, on top of the £4 million provided in 2013-2015. We have also launched a specific programme in 2015-2016 to prevent and tackle homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying in schools. £2 million has been awarded to projects to work with schools through classroom-based activities, use of positive role models and specific training for teachers to understand and address this issue effectively. We will share the learning from these projects more widely, so all schools have the tools and knowledge to take appropriate action.

  • Ben Howlett – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    Ben Howlett – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Howlett on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what recent assessment she has made of the ease of disabled children’s access to play.

    Caroline Dinenage

    The Equality Act 2010 prohibits discrimination against disabled children which could include ‘play’. For example it would be unlawful to refuse or inhibit a disabled child’s access to a local playground; their enrolment at a local nursery or playgroup; or their taking part in any other play activities such as local sports. The Act requires service providers to make both requested and anticipatory ‘reasonable adjustments’ that will facilitate the participation of disabled children in all forms of ‘play’.

  • Nic Dakin – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Nic Dakin – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he is taking to tackle homophobic bullying in universities.

    Joseph Johnson

    Homophobia has no place on a university campus, nor anywhere else. This is a serious matter where a zero tolerance approach is required. Universities are already tackling the issue through a range of initiatives, including working with expert organisations such as Stonewall.

    Universities have duties through the Equality Act 2010 and in particular the Public Sector Equality Duty applies to publicly funded universities and requires them to have “due regard” to the need to eliminate discrimination, harassment and victimisation of students on the grounds of sexual orientation. Institutions themselves are responsible for making sure that their policies and practice meet their legal duties.

    However, more can be done. The Department is working with Universities UK, the body that represents universities, which has established a task force to explore what more can be done by universities to address harassment. The task force, which will involve the Department along with students and relevant sector bodies, will look at harassment in all its forms whether related to gender, religion and belief, sexual orientation or disability. Although it is for the task force to decide what the outcomes will be it is likely that the focus will be on practical actions to support universities to combat these issues and to safeguard students.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Brown on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will review the increase in the state pension age to mitigate the effects of that change on women born between April 1953 and April 1960.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The Government will not be revisiting the State Pension age timetable for women affected by the Pensions Act 2011.

    Of the approximately five million individuals affected, two point four million are men. For women, the maximum increase in State Pension age relative to the previous timetable is 18 months and for men it is 12 months.

    As analysis by the Institute for Fiscal Studies has shown, the rise in women’s State Pension age since 2010 has been accompanied by increases in employment rates for the women affected. Those unable to work because of health problems may be able to claim Employment and Support Allowance, whilst those who are unemployed may be able to receive Jobseeker’s Allowance.

    All those affected by faster equalisation of pensionable ages for men and women will reach State Pension age after the introduction of the new State Pension. The new State Pension will be more generous for many women who have done poorly under the current system, largely as a result of lower average earnings and part-time working. Around 650,000 women reaching State Pension age in the first ten years will receive an average of £8 per week (in 2014/15 earnings terms) more due to the new State Pension valuation of their National Insurance record.

    Regular consideration of State Pension age is necessary to ensure the pensions system remains sustainable as life expectancy grows. The 2014 Act provides for a 6-yearly review, to take into account up-to-date life expectancy data and the findings of an independently-led review. The first review will conclude by May 2017 and will consider, amongst a number of other factors, the impact of State Pension age change on women.

  • Ian C. Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Ian C. Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian C. Lucas on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many applications for jobseeker’s allowance were made in Wrexham (a) by telephone and (b) online in each of the last 24 months.

    Priti Patel

    The information requested is not available.

  • Roger Godsiff – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Roger Godsiff – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 14 September 2015 to Question 9725, whether Capita is permitted to provide recording equipment for use during personal independence payment assessments at its own expense, if such equipment is requested by the person being assessed.

    Justin Tomlinson

    There are no contractual obligations for the PIP assessment providers (Atos and Capita) to provide audio recording equipment at its own expense if such equipment is requested by the person being assessed.

    If claimants wish for their assessments to be recorded they may do so using their own equipment, provided they comply with the conditions put in place which were outlined in the response provided to your previous question on this subject on 9 September 2015.

  • Roger Godsiff – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Roger Godsiff – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 14 September 2015 to Question 9725, with reference to his Department’s response to the Disability Benefits Consortium report on PIP Assessment Providers, published 4 April 2015, what steps his Department has taken to assess the usefulness of audio recordings as part of the employment and support allowance assessment process.

    Priti Patel

    A pilot of the audio recording of face-to-face Work Capability Assessments was undertaken in 2011 to “determine whether such an approach is helpful for claimants and improves the quality of assessments”. The pilot showed recording did not improve the quality of assessments. Less than half those taking part thought it would be helpful to them and only a handful requested a copy.

    However, despite very low requests for audio recordings, we are continuing to make this service available to those Employment and Support Allowance claimants who request it.

  • Laurence Robertson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Laurence Robertson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Laurence Robertson on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will take greater steps to help UK nationals access pensions which have been earned abroad.

    Priti Patel

    The UK already participates in a comprehensive EU-level system of regulations which allows people to claim their state pension from every EEA country they have lived or worked in.

    There are further international agreements with countries outside the EEA and taken together with the UK’s own bilateral social security agreements, the large majority of people are covered for claims to state pension earned abroad.

  • Jon Trickett – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Jon Trickett – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jon Trickett on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will amend existing legislation relating to police widow pensions to bring parity with other public sector pensions.

    Mike Penning

    In common with other public sector pensions, the police pension schemes provide a pension for the widow, widower or civil partner of a police officer who dies. For the 2006 and 2015 police pension schemes that pension is paid for life regardless of future remarriage, civil partnership or cohabitation. As the Home Secretary announced in the House of Commons on 12 October 2015, in recognition of the level of risk that police officers face in the execution of their duty, the 1987 Police Pension Scheme will shortly be amended to ensure that widows, widowers and surviving civil partners of police officers who died on duty in England and Wales will no longer lose their survivors’ benefits if they remarry, form a civil partnership or cohabit in the future. The Government will lay these regulations in the coming weeks and the change will be backdated to 1 April 2015.