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  • Peter Aldous – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Peter Aldous – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Aldous on 2016-04-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential benefits of supported housing in helping people who are fleeing domestic abuse.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    We understand the importance of ensuring that those people living in supported accommodation, including refuges, who are generally the most vulnerable members of our society, receive appropriate protections.

    Domestic Abuse is a devastating crime and the Government is determined to ensure that no victim is turned away from the support they need. The Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy set out our ambition to improve services for women suffering from domestic abuse, committing to a new Statement of Expectations to set out for the first time what we expect from local areas. To support this, we are launching a new two year fund for refuges and other forms of accommodation based support and to help local areas take the steps they need to meet the National Statement.

    We have commissioned an evidence review of the supported housing sector which we expect to report shortly.

  • Holly Lynch – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Holly Lynch – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Holly Lynch on 2016-04-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what equality assessment the Government has made of its policy to provide the national living wage only for people aged 25 and over.

    Nick Boles

    The Government published its Impact Assessment of the National Living Wage (NLW) on 7 December 2015 which included equality analysis of the policy.

    The NLW has provided a higher wage floor for those aged 25 and over because of the need to protect the employment prospects of younger workers. The priority for younger workers is to secure work and gain experience so they can compete in the labour market. Additionally, those aged 21 to 24 have a marked difference in labour market dynamics when compared to older workers, evident through their median earnings, employment rates and unemployment rates.

    The design of the NLW reflects provisions in the National Minimum Wage Act allowing rates to vary up to the age of 25, under clause 3.

  • Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2016-04-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, (a) how many and (b) what proportion of officials of his Department resigned in each of the last six years.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The information requested is provided in the table below.

    Period

    Number of resignations

    Proportion of the workforce (%)

    2010/11

    5,143

    4.2

    2011/12

    2,591

    2.3

    2012/13

    2,036

    1.8

    2013/14

    1,783

    1.7

    2014/15

    1,683

    1.7

    2015/16

    2,120

    2.2
  • Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-04-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent steps his Department has taken to ensure that people who qualify for attendance allowance have been made aware of that scheme and of their eligibility for it.

    Justin Tomlinson

    Attendance Allowance (AA) is available to those who have long term care or supervision needs that arise from age 65 onwards. The Department is committed to encouraging older people to take up the benefits they are entitled to and goes to considerable lengths to publicise benefits. Information is available from the Department’s offices; advice agencies, including local authorities. Information about all benefits and how these may be claimed is readily available on the GOV.UK website, or through the DWP Information Line.

    Information for welfare rights advisers, available on GOV.UK, includes specific detailed benefits information; this same information is used by Decision Makers in DWP.

    Additionally, the Department’s National Partnerships Team works with customer representative organisations, both nationally and locally, to provide a wide range of advice and support for older people. Over 300 of these partner organisations operate as an Alternative Office, taking and verifying Attendance Allowance claims on behalf of the Secretary of State. And for those unable to access services through other channels, a visiting service is available to help with information and claims.

  • Andrew Stephenson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Andrew Stephenson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Stephenson on 2016-04-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in (a) the North West, (b) Lancashire and (c) Pendle have found lasting work through the Work Programme.

    Priti Patel

    The information held by the department relates to the number of Work Programme job outcomes by various geographies and this can be found at:

    http://tabulation-tool.dwp.gov.uk/WorkProg/tabtool.html

    Guidance for users can be found at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dwp-tabulation-tool-guidance

    “

  • Peter Aldous – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Peter Aldous – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Aldous on 2016-04-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he plans to make a decision on how supported housing will be funded when universal credit is introduced.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The Department for Work and Pensions jointly with the Department for Communities and Local Government commissioned an evidence review of the shape, scale and cost of the supported housing sector.

    Off the back of this evidence, we will conduct a policy review to ensure support is focused on the most vulnerable and the appropriate groups are safeguarded.

  • Chris Stephens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Chris Stephens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Stephens on 2016-04-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many employees of his Department are employed to investigate benefit fraud; what the estimated cost to the taxpayer is of such fraud; and if he will make a statement.

    Priti Patel

    As of March 2016, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) employed around 3,765 staff involved in work relating to investigation of benefit fraud and error.

    The information requested on the estimated cost to the taxpayer is published and can be found at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/fraud-and-error-in-the-benefit-system

    “

  • Lord Addington – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Lord Addington – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Addington on 2016-04-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether students with disabilities taking the proposed new Degree Apprenticeships will have access to the support of the Disabled Students Allowance in the same way as any student undertaking a higher education qualification at any institute of higher education.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    Apprenticeships are jobs with training. As an apprentice is paid by their employer, they cannot access the student support package, which includes the Disabled Students Allowance.

    Apprentices with disabilities can apply for Access to Work funding for adjustments to the workplace. Training providers can use this to support the apprentice’s learning. Adjustments will depend on the individual and the qualification, but may include extra time, assistive technology, use of a scribe etc.

    Under the Equality Act (2010), employers and training providers have a duty to make reasonable adjustments for their employees and students. These same duties apply for apprentices, including degree apprentices.

  • Lord Addington – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Lord Addington – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Addington on 2016-04-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether any college or institution involved in the teaching of Degree Apprenticeships will have the same duty to provide reasonable adjustments and support to any candidate with a disability as a conventional university or institute of higher education.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    Yes. The training for Degree Apprenticeships will be provided by many of the same universities as traditional degrees.

    Under the Equality Act (2010), all employers and training providers have a duty to make reasonable adjustments for their employees and students. These same duties apply for apprentices, including degree apprentices in exactly the same way.

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2016-04-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the timing of the referendum taking place in Darfur between 11 and 13 April, in the light of the levels of violence in Jebel Marra, Central Darfur.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We remain concerned by the timing of the Darfur referendum due to ongoing violence and the absence of a peace agreement. The continued fighting and level of civilian displacement in Jebel Marra is particularly troubling, and brings in to question the viability of holding the referendum at this time. We have raised such concerns with the Government of Sudan. We have also pressed for full humanitarian access to be granted, including at the UN Security Council and bilaterally as part our recent strategic dialogue with the Government of Sudan, led by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s Africa Director. Officials from our Embassy in Khartoum are monitoring the situation closely.