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  • Mary Macleod – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Mary Macleod – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mary Macleod on 2014-04-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many job vacancies there are in (a) London, (b) the London Borough of Hounslow and (c) Brentford and Isleworth constituency.

    Esther McVey

    Headline figures on the number of unfilled vacancies at a point in time are published by the Office for National Statistics, based on a regular survey of employers. Latest figures, covering January-March 2014, show over 600,000 vacancies available in the UK economy at any one time. The sample size of the survey is, however, too small to allow information to be published below national level.

  • 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 2014-04-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department is monitoring the progress and effect of the EU Youth Guarantee.

    Esther McVey

    My Department takes part in a range of discussions at the EU level on issues relating to youth unemployment.

    The European Commission also continues to collect information from Member States in this respect.

    We believe that action is best taken at a national level because governments are best placed to know what measures are needed to address the particular situation in their country.

    This government introduced the youth contract, which is in addition to the support already on offer through the jobcentre.

    Latest statistics show that we are making real progress in tackling youth unemployment. Overall, youth unemployment in the UK is lower than most EU countries; it has fallen by 127 000 since peaking in 2011 and continues to fall. The Government remains focused on addressing this issue.

  • 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 2014-04-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the effect of the Youth Contract in the 20 designated areas of high youth unemployment.

    Esther McVey

    The Department has carried out an evaluation of the Youth Contract, to assess the effectiveness of the programme at a national level. The evaluation does not provide results for specific geographical locations, but the Youth Contract Official Statistics provides regional, Jobcentre Plus district, local authority and Parliamentary Constituency level data for work experience and sbwa.

    The information can be found at:

    Published evaluation reports

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/222943/early_impacts_of_work_experience.pdf

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/youth-contract-wage-incentive-wave-2-research

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/youth-contract-customers-experiences

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/employer-perceptions-of-work-experience-and-sector-based-work-academies-rr-842

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-evaluation-of-the-youth-contract-wage-incentive-scheme-rr828

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-youth-contract-findings-from-research-with-jobcentre-plus-staff-in-five-case-study-districts-rr-833

    Official Statistics

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/youth-contract-official-statistics-february-2014

    “

  • 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 2014-04-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average caseload was for a Jobcentre Plus advisor in (a) 2009, (b) 2010, (c) 2011, (d) 2012 and (e) 2013.

    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 2014-04-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what representations he has received from charities and community organisations on the removal of warm phones from Jobcentre Plus offices.

    Esther McVey

    The Department has received a number of enquiries from charities and community organisations on the removal of Customer Access Phones.

    They have all been reassured that claimants will still have access to a telephone when necessary.

    Jobcentres provide face to face support for claimants. After the removal of Customer Access Phones, claimants who require access to a phone in connection with their benefit or job search will be given controlled access to a telephone in a Jobcentre.

  • Andrew Bingham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Andrew Bingham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Bingham on 2014-04-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of British pensioners resident abroad whose pensions have been frozen.

    Steve Webb

    The information as requested by nationality of State Pension recipient is not available.

    However statistics on State Pensioners residing abroad by frozen and non frozen rate countries are available on the Department’s website at:-

    http://83.244.183.180/100pc/sp/tabtool_sp.html

    “

  • Mark Garnier – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Mark Garnier – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Garnier on 2014-04-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment he has made of the performance of Capita on processing medical assessment reports for personal independence payments.

    Mike Penning

    The Department’s contract with Capita for the delivery of assessments for Personal Independence Payment includes a full set of service level agreements setting out the Department’s expectations for service delivery. We are closely monitoring their progress against these and are taking action to drive up performance where this does not meet the required standards.

    We are aware that, in many cases, it is taking longer than we would like for claimants to have their assessments with Capita. We are working closely with our supplier to speed up the process for claimants.

  • Meg Munn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Meg Munn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Meg Munn on 2014-04-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he plans to publish on the government website an up-to-date impact assessment for universal credit.

    Esther McVey

    The Government published a detailed Impact Assessment in December 2012 to accompany the laying of the Universal Credit regulations that came into force in April 2013. There are no current plans to publish an update.

  • John Redwood – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    John Redwood – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Redwood on 2014-04-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what levels of stock his Department holds of (a) stationery, (b) printer cartridges, (c) treasury tags and other fasteners and (d) other office consumables.

    Mike Penning

    We do not have this level of information on a site by site basis either by value or volume. We operate a LEAN supply chain with minimal stock holding.

    a) Stationery – We are unable to confirm any stock held by sites, inclusive of paper as this information is not collected.

    b) Printer cartridges – as part of the Managed Print Service we operate on the basis of 1 consumable per device as stock, or 3 for a colour device; we also hold some drums and other products depending on the model. There are approximately 7910 devices at present. This does not take into account devices which are not part of the Managed Print Service.

    c) Treasury tags and other fasteners – we do not have this information available, this would require further analysis of Management Information for the desktop stationery contract and definition of other fasteners to identify the appropriate product lines.

    d) Other office consumables – we do not have this information available, this would require further analysis of Management Information for the desktop stationery contract and definition of what constitutes other office consumables in order to obtain information for each individual product.

  • Andrew Bingham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Andrew Bingham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Bingham on 2014-04-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment he has made of extending the triple lock guarantee to all British pensioners resident abroad; and if he will make a statement.

    Steve Webb

    The triple lock guarantee is intended to reflect the circumstances of pensioners living in the UK. It means that for this Parliament the basic State Pension will increase by the highest of the growth in average earnings or price increases or 2.5 per cent, for pensioners in the UK and for those who live overseas and currently receive an up-rated basic State Pension.

    There are no plans to change the up-rating arrangements for UK State Pension paid to pensioners overseas.