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  • Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-02-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what representations he has received from local authorities engaged in the accelerated rollout of universal credit to their areas from February 2015.

    Mr Mark Harper

    As part of the national roll out of Universal Credit (UC) which I announced on 12 October 2014, officials from my Department are in discussions with Local Authorities (LA) and their representative bodies across Great Britain including the Local Government Association, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and the Welsh Local Government Association in taking UC forward.

    Senior Representatives jointly consider matters in the Partnership Forum, and in the Universal Support Task Force and most recently the Implementation and Expansion Sub Group.

    These discussions include; agreeing go-live dates, managing communications, discussion on level of support LAs can provide to UC claimants and associated costs. All Representations from LAs are being managed at a local level during the course of these discussions.

    The Minister for Welfare Reform has engaged with the local government sector including holding regular meetings with Councillor David Sparks, chairman of the Local Government Association (LGA).

  • Tessa Munt – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Tessa Munt – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tessa Munt on 2015-02-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many recipients of UK state pension reside in metropolitan France.

    Steve Webb

    Information on the number of recipients of UK state pension residing in France, and of those how many are in the French Overseas Departments, is available at: http://tabulation-tool.dwp.gov.uk/100pc/sp/cccountry/cnage/a_carate_r_cccountry_c_cnage_may14.html

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  • Tessa Munt – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Tessa Munt – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tessa Munt on 2015-02-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many recipients of UK state pension reside in the French overseas department of (a) Guiana, (b) Martinique, (c) Guadeloupe and (d) Reunion.

    Steve Webb

    Information on the number of recipients of UK state pension residing in France, and of those how many are in the French Overseas Departments, is available at: http://tabulation-tool.dwp.gov.uk/100pc/sp/cccountry/cnage/a_carate_r_cccountry_c_cnage_may14.html

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  • Kate Green – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Kate Green – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Green on 2015-02-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his estimate is of the (a) cost of awards and (b) administration costs of the Diffuse Mesothelioma Payment Scheme in (i) the first year of the scheme and (ii) each of the next 10 years.

    Mr Mark Harper

    The information requested is available from the Impact Assessment for the Diffuse Mesothelioma Payment Scheme which was published in March 2014. This sets out the anticipated levels of claims, awards and costs over the first 10 years of the scheme.

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/286525/mesothelioma-payment-scheme-ia-mar-2014.pdf

    The scheme has now been running since April 2014 with payments being made from July 2014. We will review the estimates made in the Impact Assessment in light of data on the actual number of claims and payments made in 2014/15 and will publish the outcome of that review in due course.

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  • Kate Green – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Kate Green – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Green on 2015-02-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many (a) applications and (b) awards he estimates will be made by the Diffuse Mesothelioma Payment Scheme in (i) the first year of the scheme and (ii) each of the next 10 years.

    Mr Mark Harper

    The information requested is available from the Impact Assessment for the Diffuse Mesothelioma Payment Scheme which was published in March 2014. This sets out the anticipated levels of claims, awards and costs over the first 10 years of the scheme.

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/286525/mesothelioma-payment-scheme-ia-mar-2014.pdf

    The scheme has now been running since April 2014 with payments being made from July 2014. We will review the estimates made in the Impact Assessment in light of data on the actual number of claims and payments made in 2014/15 and will publish the outcome of that review in due course.

    “

  • Kate Green – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Kate Green – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Green on 2015-02-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Written Statement of 10 February 2015, HCWS 269, on Diffuse Mesothelioma Payment Scheme, whether there will be any change in the amount of the levy on the insurance industry which was announced in the Written Statement of 28 November 2014, column 58WS, on Diffuse Mesothelioma Payment Scheme levy.

    Mr Mark Harper

    On 28 November 2014 the Government announced that the levy for the first year of the Scheme’s operation would be £32m. This was calculated using the estimated costs of the Scheme extrapolated from the first seven months of its operation. There are no plans to change the amount of the levy that was announced on 28 November as we believe it will still be sufficient to cover the costs of the Scheme in its first year.

  • Kate Green – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Kate Green – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Green on 2015-02-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Written Statement of 10 February 2015, HCWS 269, on Diffuse Mesothelioma Payment Scheme, what estimate he has made of the (a) additional and (b) total cost of paying awards at 100 per cent of average civil damages in the first year of operation of the Diffuse Mesothelioma Payment Scheme.

    Mr Mark Harper

    Those diagnosed with diffuse mesothelioma on or after 10 February 2015 will be eligible for a payment at the increased tariff rate of 100% of average civil claims but no payments can be made at that rate until the regulations which will introduce this change come into effect. Given this timing, this means that there will only be a very small number of claims which will be paid at the increased rate within the first year of the Scheme’s operation.

  • Kate Green – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Kate Green – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Green on 2015-02-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Written Statement of 10 February 2015, HCWS 269, on Diffuse Mesothelioma Payment Scheme, what the additional administrative safeguards referred to in that statement are.

    Mr Mark Harper

    The administrative safeguards are related to audit, management information and ongoing support of the Employers’ Liability Tracing Office. They provide additional insight into the live running of the Scheme for the insurance industry, but do not impact in any way upon the Scheme itself.

  • Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-02-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the effect of raising the participation age on the level of youth unemployment.

    Esther McVey

    Raising the participation age was legislated for in 2008 with the aim of ensuring young people have the skills and qualifications they need to succeed in the workplace. The number of young people in work is increasing, up by over 100,000 in the last year and by over 125,000 since 2010. A higher participation age should help to cut youth unemployment in the short-term, as it means more young people are studying full-time, and in the longer term, by increasing the level of skills and qualifications of the workforce. Over the last year 16-17 year olds and 18-24 year olds have both seen significant falls in unemployment, with unemployment down both for those studying full-time and for those who have left full-time education. During 2014 overall youth unemployment recorded the largest annual fall on record and the youth claimant count has now fallen for 38 consecutive months.

  • Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-02-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the effect of raising the participation age on the take up of apprenticeships by 16 to 19 year olds.

    Nick Boles

    The latest participation data shows there was an increase in the proportion of 16-18 year olds taking an apprenticeship in 2013/14. The proportion of 16 year olds – the first cohort affected by the raising of the participation age (RPA) – was unchanged. Participation data for 2014/15 is not yet available

    There are a number of factors that may affect the take up of apprenticeships, and no assessment has been made of the distinct impact of the introduction of RPA.