The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2014-03-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he plans to reply to the email correspondence from the hon. Member for Denton and Reddish dated 10 January 2014 (reference 7648/Jan14) on Atos Healthcare.
Mike Penning
I wrote to the hon. Member on 7 March. I apologise for the delay in replying.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julie Hilling on 2014-03-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate his Department has made of the effect of the removal of the under-occupancy penalty on the number of children living in relative income poverty.
Esther McVey
This information could be only provided at disproportionate cost.
This Government has made good progress in tackling the root causes of child poverty and has recently published the 2014-17 draft child poverty strategy for consultation which outlines the actions we are taking. The latest figures from 2011/12 show that 2.3m (17%) children are in relative income poverty – down 300,000 since 2009/10. These are the lowest level since the mid-1980s.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2014-03-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in Warrington currently have benefits of which type paid into a Post Office card account.
Steve Webb
The information is not available in the format requested as data held relates to payment accounts rather than people. A customer may receive benefits in the form of a separate payment for each benefit to which they are entitled or a single, combined payment. Each of these payments is termed a payment account which would be paid into the same Post Office card account.
The number of payment accounts paid into a Post Office Card Account split by benefit type in Warrington Local Authority as at February 2013 is shown in the table below.
Number of payment accounts paid via a Post Office Card Account by benefit type in Warrington Local Authority: February 2013
|
Total Benefits paid via Post Office Card Accounts |
9,540 |
|
Attendance Allowance |
390 |
|
Bereavement Benefit |
10 |
|
Disability Living Allowance |
1,260 |
|
Employment and Support Allowance |
610 |
|
Incapacity Benefit |
200 |
|
Carer’s Allowance |
170 |
|
Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit |
190 |
|
Income Support |
480 |
|
Jobseeker’s Allowance |
440 |
|
Pension Credit |
1,730 |
|
State Pension |
3,970 |
|
Severe Disablement Benefit |
90 |
|
Widow’s Benefit |
10 |
Source: DWP Information, Governance & Security Directorate, 100% data
Notes:
1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.
2. Figures refer to payment accounts. Claimants with more than one account will be counted for each account. Figures only relate to accounts live and in payment on the specified date.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mr Gregory Campbell on 2014-03-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to promote small business entrepreneurial skills for people who are currently unemployed.
Esther McVey
The Government is keen to promote and provide support to help people start and build their own business. One of the ways we are doing this is through the New Enterprise Allowance (NEA).
The NEA provides access to business mentoring and financial support for people on benefits interested in starting up their own business. The financial support consists of a weekly allowance payable over 26 week’s worth up to £1,274. If participants need start-up capital they may also apply for an unsecured loan through the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills start-up loan scheme.
So far 32,520 businesses have been created and 56,700 claimants have started working with a mentor.
We announced in the Autumn Statement our intention to extend the scheme through to 2015/16.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-03-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans his Department has for the future use of Post Office card accounts.
Steve Webb
The Post Office card account (POca) contract expires in March 2015 with the possibility of a 2 year extension beyond that date.
No decision has been made on the future of the POca but discussions are currently taking place between DWP, Post Office Ltd and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills to consider the future needs of customers beyond 2015.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-03-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, which Health and Safety Executive Approved Codes of Practice (a) have been reviewed since May 2010, (b) are scheduled for review or amendment and (c) are not currently scheduled for review.
Mike Penning
Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is reviewing all of its Approved Codes of Practices (ACOP) in line with Professor Löfstedt’s independent review of health and safety legislation ‘Reclaiming health and safety for all’ (published November 2011).
(a) 19 ACOPs have been reviewed since May 2010. Of these, five have been revised and re-published, nine consolidated into three revised ACOPs and five withdrawn completely. These are:
|
Revised |
|
L5 – Control of substances hazardous to health |
|
L8 – Legionnaires’ disease. The Control of legionella bacteria in water systems |
|
L24 – Workplace health, safety and welfare |
|
L117 – Rider-operated lift trucks: Operator training |
|
L118 – Health and safety at quarries |
|
Consolidated |
|
L56 – Safety in the installation and use of gas systems and appliances. This is a consolidation of two ACOPs (L56 and COP20: Standards of training in safe gas installation) into a single revised ACOP (L56) |
|
L138 – Dangerous substances and explosive atmospheres consolidated the following five ACOPs into a single revised ACOP (L138): L134 – Design of plant, equipment and workplace L135 – Storage of dangerous substances L136 – Control and mitigation measures L137 – Safe maintenance, repair and cleaning procedures L138 – Dangerous substances and explosive atmospheres |
|
L143 – Managing and working with Asbestos. This is a consolidation of two ACOPs (L127 – The management of asbestos in non-domestic premises and L143 – Work with materials containing asbestos) into a single revised ACOP (L143). |
|
Withdrawn |
|
L21 – Management of health and safety at work |
|
L74 – First aid at work |
|
L81 – Design, construction and installation of gas service pipes |
|
L116 – Preventing accidents to children in agriculture |
|
L130 – Compilation of safety data sheets |
(b) A review of a further 14 ACOPS will be completed by the end of 2014. These are:
|
COP25 Safety in docks to be replaced by L148 Safety in docks ACOP |
|
Five Diving ACOPs: L103 – Commercial diving projects offshore L104 – Commercial diving projects inland/inshore L105 – Recreational diving projects L106 – Media diving projects L107 – Scientific and archaeological diving projects |
|
Three Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations linked ACOPs: L22 – Safe use of work equipment L112 – Safe use of power presses L114 – Safe use of woodworking machinery |
|
L113 – Safe use of lifting equipment |
|
L101 – Safe work in confined spaces |
|
L122 – Safety of pressure systems |
|
L133 – Unloading petrol from road tankers |
|
L146 – Consulting workers on health and safety |
A further 19 ACOPs associated with changes to legislation and will be reviewed in accordance with the timescale for legislative change.
(c) All HSE ACOPs are scheduled for review.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-03-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the effect (a) generally and (b) on ease of comparisons with previous years of collecting work-related ill-health data through the Labour Force Survey biennially instead of annually.
Mike Penning
Experience from collecting work-related ill health data through the Labour Force Survey from 2003/04 to 2011/12 indicated that figures rarely changed significantly year-on-year. The main value in the data is in comparisons over longer time periods and in combining survey years to look at detailed sub-populations.
Work-related ill health data for 2013/14 has been collated and will be published in the autumn.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jenny Chapman on 2014-03-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in Darlington constituency currently receive independent living fund payments.
Mike Penning
The Independent Living Fund records data by post code or local authority rather than by constituency and therefore, does not hold the information in the format requested. As at 13 March 2014 there are 63 ILF recipients in the area covered by Darlington Borough Council.
The ILF publishes data by local authority quarterly on its website: http://www.dwp.gov.uk/ilf/publications/corporate-publications/statistics/index.shtml
“
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ms Karen Buck on 2014-03-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many households have been placed in temporary accommodation by London councils in each local authority area outside London since March 2010.
Kris Hopkins
[Holding Reply: Monday 17 March 2014]
I refer the hon. Member to my answer to her of 19 December 2013, Official Report, Column 713W.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ms Karen Buck on 2014-03-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many homeless households have been placed in temporary accommodation in each London local authority by councils other than their own in each of the last eight quarters.
Kris Hopkins
[Holding Reply: Monday 17 March 2014]
I refer the hon. Member to my answer to her of 19 December 2013, Official Report, Column 713W.