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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Smith on 2016-02-01.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his Department’s legal costs were in the case Susan Rutherford, Paul Rutherford and Warren Todd and Appellant A v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.

Justin Tomlinson

The Government has incurred approximately £50,626 in legal costs in the Court of Appeal proceedings in the case of Rutherford and others v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and A v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions [2016] EWCA CIV 29.

It should be noted that this figure includes VAT where this is payable (e.g. on Counsel’s fees) but does not include costs attributable to the time spent by Government advisory lawyers on this case, as time spent by such advisory lawyers is not recorded in a manner that allows it to be attributed to individual cases.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Smith on 2016-02-01.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of the cost resulting from the reduction in the work allowance of universal credit relates to (a) new claimants to universal credit, (b) current recipients of universal credit and (c) current tax credit recipients naturally migrated onto universal credit.

Priti Patel

This information is not available.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Smith on 2016-02-01.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the Government plans to provide transitional protection for tax credit recipients who have been naturally migrated onto universal credit.

Priti Patel

Natural migration occurs where people have had a significant change of circumstances that would previously have triggered a new claim to benefits or tax credits. They would always have had their entitlement recalculated based on a new set of rules. That principle is maintained in Universal Credit, and therefore transitional protection is not appropriate. Universal Credit is already proving better than the system it replaces with claimants moving into work faster and earning more. It also provides a seamless taper as well as better support for childcare.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Smith on 2016-02-01.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, under what change of circumstances a tax credit claimant will naturally be migrated onto universal credit.

Priti Patel

The events that can trigger a change of circumstances depend on many factors. They are similar to the circumstances that would trigger a new claim to existing benefits or tax credits, which would also lead to a recalculation of entitlement.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Smith on 2016-02-01.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what information his Department holds on the number of times a universal credit claimant has been paid housing benefit and housing costs at the same time resulting in an overpayment of housing benefit.

Priti Patel

The information could only be obtained at a disproportionate cost.