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  • Lord Turnberg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Lord Turnberg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Turnberg on 2016-02-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the cost of benefit payments to EU immigrants during the last two years for which data are available.

    Lord Freud

    The information on benefit receipt by nationality is not available.

    The Department has published statistics on working age benefit recipients claiming within 6 months of National Insurance Number (NINO) registration. This information is known as “Nationality at point of National Insurance number registration of DWP benefit claimants” and is included in the “Statistical Bulletin on National Insurance Number Allocations to Adult Overseas Nationals”.

    The Government is looking at ways to reform the current administrative system under Universal Credit so that it will systematically record nationality and immigration status of migrants who make a claim.

  • Lord Turnberg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lord Turnberg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Turnberg on 2016-02-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the value of benefit payments made to EU immigrants for their children living in their home countries during the last two years for which figures are available.

    Lord O’Neill of Gatley

    The information is not available.

  • Lord Turnberg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Lord Turnberg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Turnberg on 2016-02-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proportion of total annual benefit payments are paid to EU immigrants.

    Lord Freud

    The information on benefit receipt by nationality is not available.

    The Department has published statistics on working age benefit recipients claiming within 6 months of National Insurance Number (NINO) registration. This information is known as “Nationality at point of National Insurance number registration of DWP benefit claimants” and is included in the “Statistical Bulletin on National Insurance Number Allocations to Adult Overseas Nationals”.

    The Government is looking at ways to reform the current administrative system under Universal Credit so that it will systematically record nationality and immigration status of migrants who make a claim.

  • Lord Bradshaw – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lord Bradshaw – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bradshaw on 2016-02-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, in devolving transport powers to local authorities, it is their intention also to grant authorities the power to implement part 6 of the Traffic Management Act 2004 so that they become responsible for tackling rising congestion and poor air quality or urban roads, and to promote more efficient bus operation.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    The Government will continue to work with local authorities to consider whether there are powers that would be appropriate to devolve as part of their devolution deals.

  • Lord Laird – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Lord Laird – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2016-02-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of whether, under the Belfast Agreement 1998, which underlined equality and parity of esteem for Irish and Ulster Scots languages, both languages are treated in an equal way, and of the causes of any inequalities that that assessment has identified.

    Lord Dunlop

    Her Majesty’s Government has not made an assessment of whether, under the Belfast Agreement, both Irish and Ulster Scots languages are treated in an equal way. The Northern Ireland Executive has responsibility for issues relating to Irish and Ulster Scots in Northern Ireland under the terms of the devolution settlement.

  • Lord Laird – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Lord Laird – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2016-02-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government on what occasions the government of the Republic of Ireland reported on its implementation of the Belfast Agreement 1998 in the areas of human rights, equality and parity of esteem in the Republic; what were the dates of those occasions; where any such meetings took place; who attended those meetings; and what conclusions were reached.

    Lord Dunlop

    The UK and Irish Governments meet regularly at ministerial and official level to discuss issues of mutual interest and concern. These include matters relating to the implementation of the Agreements which underpin the political settlement in Northern Ireland.

  • Lord Laird – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Lord Laird – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2016-02-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what meetings under the Belfast Agreement 1998 can be attended by members of the public.

    Lord Dunlop

    Meetings between the UK Government, Irish Government and Northern Ireland political parties, such as those which took place that led to the Fresh Start Agreement, are held in accordance with the three-stranded approach established by the Belfast Agreement. Such political talks are held in private but are attended by representative politicians.

  • Lord Laird – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Lord Laird – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2016-02-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government on how many occasions information has been requested under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 concerning meetings of the North/South Ministerial Council Secretariat set up as a result of the Belfast Agreement 1998; whether each request was granted, and if not, why not.

    Lord Dunlop

    The Northern Ireland Office has not received any Freedom of Information requests concerning meetings of the North/South Ministerial Council Secretariat set up as a result of the Belfast Agreement 1998.

  • Lord Laird – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Leader of the House of Lords

    Lord Laird – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Leader of the House of Lords

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2016-02-03.

    To ask the Leader of the House when was the most recent time that she gave guidance to the Northern Ireland Office on the importance of answering parliamentary written questions in full, providing all the information requested.

    Baroness Stowell of Beeston

    As Leader of the House, I regularly stress to departments the importance of giving full and timely answers to Questions for Written Answer. The content of each answer is a matter for the Minister concerned, and each Minister is responsible to the House for the answers they provide. That direct accountability is important: that is why Ministers in this House must provide personally signed answers to members.

    The Ministerial Code says that “It is of paramount importance that Ministers give accurate and truthful information to Parliament”. It also makes clear that “Ministers should be as open as possible with Parliament and the public, refusing to provide information only when disclosure would not be in the public interest”. In addition, there is a longstanding rule of this House that all answers should be complete and comprehensible. I shall continue to make this guidance clear to all Ministers.

  • Lord Lansley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Lansley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Lansley on 2016-02-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many local authorities with a social care responsibility have made local authority-funded care available for those with less than substantial care needs, in each of the last five years.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    The following table shows where local authorities set their local eligibility criteria within the eligibility framework set out in the statutory guidance Prioritising Need in the Context of Putting People First: A whole system approach to eligibility for social care.

    Critical

    Substantial

    Moderate

    Low

    2010/11*

    –

    –

    –

    –

    2011/12

    3

    121

    25

    3

    2012/13

    3

    127

    19

    3

    2013/14

    3

    130

    16

    3

    2014/15**

    –

    –

    –

    –

    Source: ADASS Budget Survey

    * Data not collected

    ** Data not published

    The Care Act 2014 provides the power for Secretary of State to set national eligibility criteria. The national criteria are set out in the Care and Support (Eligibility Criteria) Regulations 2015, which were implemented in April 2015. The national eligibility threshold is set at a level where an adult’s needs have a significant impact on their wellbeing. Local authorities cannot tighten eligibility above this threshold, but they can choose to meet needs below this threshold.