The below Parliamentary question was asked by on 2014-06-12.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their current estimate of the time it will take, in the event of a yes” vote in the Scottish referendum on 18 September
Lord Wallace of Saltaire
It is not possible to predict the time needed for the preparations that would be necessary in the event of a “yes” vote in the Scottish referendum.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Willis of Knaresborough on 2014-06-12.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many 18–21 year olds and 22–24 year olds in England are (1) employed, (2) employed and claiming housing benefit, and (3) employed and claiming housing benefit and on an apprenticeship.
Lord Freud
Since May 2010, the number of out-of-work Housing Benefit claimants has fallen. Action this Government has taken is bringing the ballooning housing benefit bill under control – saving the taxpayer around £6bn by the end of this Parliament
Housing benefit has always helped those in and out of work. The average rate of increase of housing benefit claimants in work has slowed under this Government, having increased by more than 50% in just 18 months under the last Government. And we have seen a fall in the number of housing benefit claimants in the last year.
(1) Analysis of the Labour Force Survey for the most recent period Jan-Mar 2014 shows that:
Of those aged 18-21 in England, around 1,567,000 are employed.
Of those aged 22-24 in England, around 1,242,000 are employed.
(2) (3)The information for those in work or undertaking apprenticeships, is only available for HB recipients whose claim is not passported: that is for those who do not receive the following benefits: Income Support, Jobseeker’s Allowance (Income-Based), Employment and Support Allowance (Income-Based), or Pension Credit (Guaranteed Credit).
The information that shows those in work for HB recipients whose claim is not passported can be found at:
https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk
Guidance on how to extract the information required can be found at:
https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Stat-Xplore_User_Guide.htm
Those in apprenticeships are recorded as being in work and cannot be separately identified.
The economic status of all Housing Benefit (HB) recipients is not available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Taylor of Bolton on 2014-06-12.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to recognise women who worked in munitions factories during the Second World War as part of the 70th anniversary commemorations marking the end of conflict.
Viscount Younger of Leckie
The Government fully appreciates the efforts and the often very dangerous conditions experienced by those who worked in factories producing vital equipment for the armed forces that helped contribute to winning the Second World War. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has been working with the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Recognition for Munitions Workers, which was set up in 2011 to explore ways to ensure that the valiant collective efforts of all those who worked in munitions factories are not forgotten.
Following the very successful commemorations to mark the 70th anniversary of D-Day we will now be focussing in more detail across government on how the 70th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in 2015 might be marked in an appropriate manner. No decisions have yet been made on how the anniversary will be marked, but we expect an announcement on the commemorations to be made by the Government later in the year.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hoyle on 2014-06-12.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether there is any regulation of heir hunters in the way they operate or the fees they charge beneficiaries; if not, whether they have plans to introduce such regulations; and, if not, why not.
Lord Deighton
There is no regulation in place that specifically covers the way probate researchers operate or the fees they charge beneficiaries.
Relationships between probate researchers and their clients are normally contractual arrangements and subject to contract law.
The Government is planning to introduce regulation of the activity of conducting private investigations, surveillance or inquiries, which could bring some probate and asset researchers into scope for statutory licensing by the Security Industry Authority.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Drake on 2014-06-12.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to lower the level of fees for access to employment tribunals.
Lord Faulks
The Justice Secretary is committed to reviewing the impact of the introduction of fees in the employment tribunal system. The Ministry of Justice is currently finalising arrangements for the timing and scope of the review to ensure that the impacts can be properly assessed. An announcement will be made when the review begins, and again when it has been completed, setting out the results.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Morrow on 2014-06-12.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many companies currently providing contracted services to government departments and agencies use zero hours contracts.
Lord Wallace of Saltaire
The information requested is not held centrally.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Morrow on 2014-06-12.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the estimated current backlog of persons waiting to be assessed by Atos Healthcare for (1) Employment Support Allowance, and (2) Disability Living Allowance, broken down by region of England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales; what action they are taking to address the backlog; and on what evidence they base their attribution of the delays to failings within Atos.
Lord Freud
The table below shows outstanding Employment and Support Allowance new claims, existing Employment and Support Allowance recipients awaiting a review and Incapacity Benefit claimants awaiting reassessment, at the end of April 2014 for England, Scotland and Wales. The figures exclude cases referred to Atos Healthcare where the claimant has yet to return their ESA50 questionnaire.
|
Region |
ESA New claims awaiting a Work Capability Assessment |
Existing ESA recipients awaiting a review Work Capability Assessment |
Incapacity Benefit recipients awaiting reassessment |
|
England |
333,000* |
201,000* |
74,000* |
|
Scotland |
34,000* |
13,000* |
2,000* |
|
Wales |
28,000* |
20,000* |
7,000* |
* Note: figures are based on operational management information received from Atos Healthcare and are rounded to the nearest thousand.
The total Disability Living Allowance claimants’ awaiting an assessment at the end of April 2014 nationally was 800. Figures are based on operational management information received from Atos Healthcare and are rounded to the nearest hundred.This information is not routinely collated to regional area.
The Department for Social Development in Northern Ireland has a separate contract with Atos Healthcare for the delivery of assessments in Northern Ireland. Therefore, questions relating to waiting times in Northern Ireland should be addressed to the Minister for Social Development in Northern Ireland.
We are working closely with our supplier to deliver the best possible service for claimants, driving up performance and quality to help reduce waiting times and process claims as quickly as possible. We are continuing to monitor and robustly manage this contract.
Identification by the Department of a reduction in Atos Healthcare’s quality led to decisive action in the form of a retraining and re-accreditation exercise and an overhaul of audit arrangements when we instructed Atos Healthcare to introduce an improvement plan in July 2013. The quality of reports provided by Atos Healthcare has improved significantly but the Department continues to monitor quality closely.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Morrow on 2014-06-12.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the decision by Atos Healthcare to end its contract early, whether that contract will now be made public.
Lord Freud
A redacted copy of the Medical Services Contract between the Department for Work and Pensions and Atos Healthcare was placed in the House of Lords library on 14th September 2010.
The Health Services Category Team are currently undertaking the necessary contractual action following the mutual Termination of the Medical Services Contract with Atos and an updated version of the contract will be placed in the library by 30th July 2014.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Rowlands on 2014-06-12.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the final cost of terminating the welfare to work contracts made before May 2010.
Lord Freud
We have interpreted the question as referring to the early cancellation of Flexible New Deal (FND) contracts in 2011.
I would draw your attention to the DWP Annual Accounts 2011-12 (page 174) FND exit costs.
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Rowlands on 2014-06-12.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what nuclear power stations there are in the United Kingdom; which of those are being decommissioned; what has been the cost to date of each station; and what is the estimated cost of completion of the decommissioning process.
Baroness Verma
The current and former nuclear power stations designated to NDA are Berkeley, Bradwell, Calder Hall, Chapelcross, Dungeness A, Hinkley Point A, Hunterston A, Oldbury, Sizewell A, Trawsfynydd and Wylfa.
All are being decommissioned with the exception of Wylfa which continues to generate.
The costs of each station since their respective generation end dates, and during the period in which they have been in NDA ownership (since 1 April 2005) have been:
Berkeley £400 million
Bradwell £590 million
Calder Hall £265 million
Chapelcross £490 million
Dungeness A £285 million
Hinkley Point A £370 million
Hunterston A £345 million
Oldbury £72 million
Sizewell A £280 million
Trawsfynydd £540 million
The estimated cost of completion (the remaining lifetime cost) for all of the sites named is £16.5 billion.
EDF / British Energy stations are: Hunterston B, Hinkley Point B, Hartlepool, Heysham 1, Dungeness B, Heysham 2, Torness, Sizewell B.