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  • Kate Green – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Kate Green – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Green on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he plans to take to ensure the effectiveness of the Sorting Out Separation Web app in providing constructive support to assist collaboration for longer-term separated parents in response to the evaluation commissioned by his Department which indicated that the Web app had little relevance or use for this group.

    Steve Webb

    DWP research report 863: Sorting Out Separation Web App: evaluation of effectiveness highlighted that the longer-term separated found the Sorting out Separation Web app less relevant because they were more likely to know most of the information provided.

    The evaluation confirmed that we need better to understand the needs of this group. Several projects funded in the second round of the Innovation Fund are specifically focussing on what type of support works to help longer-term separated couples to collaborate. When these projects have been completed and evaluated, we will be able to consider how further to improve support for longer-term separated parents.

  • Kate Green – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Kate Green – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Green on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what progress has been made on his Department’s child maintenance arrears and compliance strategy for 2012 to 2017; and if he will make a statement.

    Steve Webb

    Since 2008 we have considerably slowed down the growth of arrears via faster case processing and better enforcement. The successful introduction of the new 2012 Child Maintenance Scheme allows most paying parents to be assessed more quickly, which reduces the number of cases that accrue arrears. The new Child Maintenance Scheme is also built to trigger notification of missed payments so we can investigate non-compliance earlier, reducing the time in which arrears could build.

    We are also looking at new techniques for collecting older debt. The trial of the process of reclassifying arrears has concluded and we are analysing how this initiative might be used in the future.

  • Maria Eagle – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Maria Eagle – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his Department’s policy is when a claimant’s regular signing on date date falls on a bank holiday.

    Esther McVey

    Jobseeker’s Allowance claimants who are due to attend their local jobcentre on a public holiday are excused from doing so and an advanced payment is issued.

    Claimants must continue to meet the conditions of entitlement, by being available for and looking for work and the actions they have taken to do so are reviewed at the claimant’s next attendance.

    The claimant is informed of this and issued with a formal notification at their attendance prior to the public holiday.

  • Maria Eagle – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Maria Eagle – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether any jobseeker’s allowance claimant was sanctioned for not signing on Christmas Day.

    Esther McVey

    It is not Jobcentre Plus policy to sanction jobseeker’s allowance claimants for not signing on Christmas Day. Jobcentres are closed as this is a Public Holiday.

  • Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what average length of time was taken to process personal independence payments applications and DS1500s for clients who were terminally ill in Wales in the last year.

    Mike Penning

    I refer the hon Member to the answer I gave to the hon Member for Liverpool, West Derby and the hon Member for Airdrie and Shotts, official report, 5 March, column 850W.

    Although Personal Independence Payment is a new benefit, and the Department does not have a target for completion of claims while processess are bedding in, we do deal urgently with special rules claims for terminally ill claimants. We are implementing a range of improvements to improve clearance times for people with a terminal illness, including a dedicated phone service which we introduced in February 2014.

  • Maria Eagle – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Maria Eagle – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance his Department issues to Jobcentre Plus on giving written appointment cards to claimants with details of future appointments.

    Esther McVey

    Jobcentre staff are advised to confirm, in writing, the details of all appointments a claimant is required to attend. This includes the date, time and location of the appointment, what the claimant must do if they cannot attend and the consequences of failing to attend any of these appointments without good reason.

  • John Redwood – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    John Redwood – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Redwood on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the value of outstanding property development proposals on Network Rail land is.

    Stephen Hammond

    Network Rail is currently a private sector company limited by guarantee and the development of its property portfolio is a matter for the company, within the regulatory and incentives framework established for it by the independent Office of Rail Regulation.

  • John Redwood – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    John Redwood – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Redwood on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many staff Network Rail employed (a) in the last year for which figures are available and (b) in 2010-11.

    Stephen Hammond

    Network Rail is currently a private sector company limited by guarantee, and its annual total staff complement is a matter for the company. Network Rail advises that in 2012-13, the last year for which figures are available, the average number of its employees was 35,190. The figure for 2010-11 was 35,606.

  • Shaun Woodward – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Shaun Woodward – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Shaun Woodward on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect changes to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency vision testing contract will have on independent optical practices.

    Stephen Hammond

    As part of the procurement process, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency identified that 2,009 optical practices carried out vision testing services. The new contract means that independent practices are no longer required to carry out on average 20 assessments per year. This equates to around 10 hours of work.

  • Brian H. Donohoe – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Brian H. Donohoe – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Brian H. Donohoe on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential effects of the forthcoming independence referendum on the National Air Traffic Service Centre in Scotland’s ability to secure international contracts.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    No assessment has been made as we believe Scotland is stronger in the UK and the UK is stronger with Scotland in it. NATS’s success in winning international contracts is a matter in the first instance for its Board.