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  • Andrew Rosindell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    Andrew Rosindell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2014-03-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what assessment he has made of the growth prospects of small and medium-sized enterprises in Wales.

    Mr David Jones

    190,000 Small and medium-sized businesses in Wales will be helped by a significant package of support measures announced at Budget 2014, including doubling the Annual Investment Allowance to £500,000 from April 2014 until 31 December 2015, and measures to improve the availability of finance.

  • Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-03-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what his Department’s policy is on allowing officials to appear before all-party parliamentary groups.

    Stephen Crabb

    I refer the hon Gentleman to the answer given by my Rt hon Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General on 26 March, Official Report, Column 300W.

  • Mr Graham Stuart – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Mr Graham Stuart – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mr Graham Stuart on 2014-03-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of average waiting times for Atos (a) personal independence payments and (b) work assessments in Beverley and Holderness constituency; and what steps he is taking to achieve a reduction in waiting times for such assessments.

    Mike Penning

    It is not possible to provide data on waiting times for Personal Independence Payment and Employment and Support Allowance claimants in the Beverley and Holderness constituency. Information for this specific geographical area is not routinely reported to DWP by Atos Healthcare.

    We announced in a Written Ministerial Statement on 27 March our plans to achieve a reduction in waiting times and next steps. Atos Healthcare will be withdrawing from delivery of Work Capability Assessments in Great Britain before the end of the current contract

  • Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-03-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 18 March 2014, Official Report, column 547W, on the Work Programme, if he will place in the Library the draft findings of the Work Programme evaluation received by his Department in August 2013.

    Esther McVey

    The evaluation of the Work Programme is still on-going, and the Department will publish findings once it is completed.

  • Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-03-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reasons he has not yet placed the business case for universal credit in the public domain.

    Esther McVey

    In line with standard practice, as the Universal Credit Business Case includes details of a sensitive nature the Department will not be putting the Business Case into the public domain.

  • Tom Greatrex – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Tom Greatrex – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Greatrex on 2014-03-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many personal independence payment applications have been processed in each month since April 2013.

    Mike Penning

    Personal Independence Payment started from April 2013 and although limited data has started to feed through, we need to wait until the Department has quality assured, meaningful figures for publication. The Department is working to guidelines set by the UK Statistics Authority to ensure we are able to publish statistics that meet high quality standards at the earliest opportunity. We intend to publish official statistics on personal independence payment from spring 2014.

    An ad-hoc release of PIP information was published on Tuesday 11 February 2014. www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/277986/adHoc-pip-statistics-feb14.pdf

  • Tom Greatrex – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Tom Greatrex – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Greatrex on 2014-03-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in receipt of jobseeker’s allowance were sanctioned for failing to complete their job search evidence form on 25 December 2013.

    Esther McVey

    Claimants are expected to do all that is reasonable within full time working hours in any week to look for work and this is not restricted to specific days.

    Claimants with sincerely held religious beliefs can restrict their availability during religious festivals and holidays.

  • Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-03-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his Department’s policy is on allowing officials to appear before all-party parliamentary groups.

    Esther McVey

    I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to question number 193382 by my Rt Hon. Friend, the Minister for the Cabinet Office, Francis Maude. Official Report 26 Mar 2014Col. 300W

    Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what his Department’s policy is on allowing officials to appear before all-party parliamentary groups. [193382]

    Mr Maude: Guidance on officials appearing before all-party parliamentary groups is set out in Volume 2 of the Directory of Civil Service Guidance, copies of which are available in the Library of the House and online at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/60997/guide-civil-service-guidance-volume-2_0.pdf

    “

  • Graham Jones – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Graham Jones – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graham Jones on 2014-03-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the overall cost to his Department of data entry associated with universal credit.

    Mike Penning

    There are no dedicated data entry roles and accordingly no cost to the department can be reliably estimated.

  • Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-03-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the work of his Department’s youth hubs.

    Esther McVey

    Youth hubs have been set up in some locations under our Freedoms and Flexibilities policy where local managers judge they would be an effective way of supporting young people. There has been positive feedback on them but evaluation is a matter for local Managers.