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  • Mark Williams – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Mark Williams – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Williams on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many local authorities in the UK maintain a register of accessible or adapted homes; and what guidance his Department issues to local authorities on registers of accessible housing.

    Kris Hopkins

    The Department does not hold this information.

    The Government recognises the importance of ensuring that people with disabilities are able to access suitable accommodation which meets their needs.

    Accessible housing registers can be useful and we are aware that some councils and social landlords have incorporated such an approach within their lettings scheme.

    The Government believes it is more important that people who require accessible housing are given the right level of priority under a council’s housing allocation scheme, and that councils and social landlords are able to make the best use of affordable housing in their area, including accommodation which is accessible or has been adapted.

    That is why, through the Localism Act, we have retained the statutory reasonable preference requirements which ensure that priority for social housing is given to those who need to move on medical and welfare grounds (including grounds relating to a disability). We have also made sure that council and housing association landlords have the flexibility to use their social housing stock in a way which best meets the needs of individual households and their local area.

  • Mark Williams – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Mark Williams – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Williams on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many houses not compliant with Part M building regulations were built (a) in the last two years and (b) since 2010.

    Stephen Williams

    My Department does not hold the information requested.

    Building control bodies (local authorities or private sector approved inspectors) assess new dwellings for compliance with the requirements of the Building Regulations, including Part M, at both plans stage and throughout the course of building work on site. If at any stage the building control body considers that a new dwelling would not be compliant on completion it will give the person carrying out the work advice and guidance on what is needed to make the dwelling compliant and a warning that a failure to comply might result in formal enforcement action. In almost all cases this is sufficient to achieve compliance. At the completion of work, if the work complies, the building control body will give a compliance certificate.

  • Mark Williams – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Mark Williams – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Williams on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many houses built in each of the last five years are (a) wheelchair accessible and (b) built to lifetime homes standards.

    Stephen Williams

    DCLG does not collect information on the number of wheelchair-accessible or lifetime homes standard properties built each year.

  • Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people gaining work through the Work Programme have entered self-employment since the inception of that programme.

    Esther McVey

    The information requested is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

  • Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claimants of employment and support allowance referred to the Work Programme since June 2011 had an estimated period before they were fit for work of (a) up to three months, (b) three to six months, (c) six to 12 months and (d) over 12 months.

    Esther McVey

    The information we have in respect of both referrals and attachments, by prognosis group, are given in the table below:

    Number of Work Programme Referrals and Attachments by ESA prognosis Customer Groups, Great Britain: 1 June 2011 – 31 December 2013

    ESA Prognosis Customer Group

    Referrals

    Attachments

    All ESA WRAG

    242,510

    234,210

    ESA (c) WRAG Mandatory

    10,470

    9,990

    ESA (c) WRAG Voluntary

    1,060

    1,040

    ESA (IR) WRAG 12Mth Mandatory

    37,370

    35,560

    ESA (IR) WRAG 12Mth Voluntary

    1,970

    1,900

    ESA (IR) WRAG 3/6Mth Existing

    5,470

    5,230

    ESA (IR) WRAG 3/6 Mth Mandatory

    98,290

    96,100

    ESA (IR) WRAG 3/6 Mth Voluntary

    750

    730

    ESA (IR) WRAG 3/6 Mth Mandatory ExIB

    23,230

    22,590

    ESA (IR) WRAG 3/6 Mth Voluntary ExIB

    210

    210

    ESA Mandatory (IR) WRAG 12m

    42,710

    40,840

    ESA (IR) WRAG 12m Mandatory EXIB

    20,980

    20,040

    ESA Credit Only

    230

    210

    ESA (IR) Support Group

    360

    350

    ESA (c) Support Group

    100

    100

    ESA (IR) Support Group ExIB

    100

    100

    ESA (c) Support Group ExIB

    100

    90

         

  • Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether a jobcentre is permitted to require a jobseeker to attend a voluntary employment support project in receipt of no statutory funding without the consent of that project.

    Esther McVey

    The role of the Jobcentre Plus Work Coach is to provide support and advise claimants of the best opportunities available to help them secure employment.

    Jobcentre Plus can issue a Jobseeker’s Direction to require JSA claimants to undertake activity they judge will help them back to work. However, before doing so, the Jobcentre Plus Work Coach will take into account the claimant’s individual circumstances, as well as determining that the activity being required will help improve their employment prospects and they can reasonably be expected to undertake it.

  • Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many staff will be employed in the specialist housing teams that will be established in univesral credit centres.

    Esther McVey

    A team exists to support current live service. This will expand as the rollout continues.

  • Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claimants in the Employment and Support Allowance Work Related Activity Group are currently on the Work Programme; and how many such claimants had the period before they were fit for work assessed as (a) up to three months, (b) three to six months, (c) six to 12 months and (d) over 12 months.

    Esther McVey

    The information we have in respect of both referrals and attachments, by prognosis group, are given in the table below:

    Number of Work Programme Referrals and Attachments by ESA prognosis Customer Groups, Great Britain: 1 June 2011 – 31 December 2013

    ESA Prognosis Customer Group

    Referrals

    Attachments

    All ESA WRAG

    242,510

    234,210

    ESA (c) WRAG Mandatory

    10,470

    9,990

    ESA (c) WRAG Voluntary

    1,060

    1,040

    ESA (IR) WRAG 12Mth Mandatory

    37,370

    35,560

    ESA (IR) WRAG 12Mth Voluntary

    1,970

    1,900

    ESA (IR) WRAG 3/6Mth Existing

    5,470

    5,230

    ESA (IR) WRAG 3/6 Mth Mandatory

    98,290

    96,100

    ESA (IR) WRAG 3/6 Mth Voluntary

    750

    730

    ESA (IR) WRAG 3/6 Mth Mandatory ExIB

    23,230

    22,590

    ESA (IR) WRAG 3/6 Mth Voluntary ExIB

    210

    210

    ESA Mandatory (IR) WRAG 12m

    42,710

    40,840

    ESA (IR) WRAG 12m Mandatory EXIB

    20,980

    20,040

    ESA Credit Only

    230

    210

    ESA (IR) Support Group

    360

    350

    ESA (c) Support Group

    100

    100

    ESA (IR) Support Group ExIB

    100

    100

    ESA (c) Support Group ExIB

    100

    90

         

  • Gordon Marsden – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Gordon Marsden – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions his Ministers or officials in his Department have had with colleagues in the Department for Education on the effect of deregulating school holidays on the tourism industry.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    DCMS officials meet with their Department for Education counterparts regularly and discuss a range of issues.

  • Gordon Marsden – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Gordon Marsden – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment his Department has made of the economic effects of deregulating school holidays on (a) tourism-related jobs in seaside and coastal areas and (b) seaside economies in general.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    At present, local authorities set term and holiday dates for about 30% of secondary schools and 70% of primary schools (around half of all registered pupils). The Deregulation Bill gives more schools the flexibility to make changes should they wish to, although the experience of the academies programme and voluntary aided (church) schools, suggests that only a small percentage of schools are likely to vary their term dates.

    The Department for Education has produced an assessment of the impact of the changes. Whilst there will be greater flexibility, we expect that sensible conversations between the local authority and schools on coordination will take place. Variations to term dates could also help businesses and employers, for example, in areas of high-seasonal employment where employees may welcome the chance to holiday outside of peak tourist periods. For example, Bishop Bronescombe School in St Austell has a two-week half term in May/June to accommodate parents’ seasonal employment patterns.

    A separate assessment of the specific impact on tourism related jobs in seaside towns or seaside economies has not been carried out.