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  • 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 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many times he has written to work programme providers or their representative body about the progress of employment support allowance claimants since June 2011.

    Esther McVey

    It is not possible to separately identify the written correspondence from the Secretary of State, to work programme providers or their representative body about the progress of employment support allowance claimants since June 2011 other than at disproportionate costs.

  • 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 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many households in the UK received in excess of £100,000 in social security payments in (a) 2009, (b) 2010, (c) 2011, (d) 2012 and (e) 2013.

    Esther McVey

    This information is not available.

  • Matthew Offord – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Matthew Offord – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Offord on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent discussions he has had with his EU counterpart on further steps to prevent benefit tourism.

    Esther McVey

    Ministers and officials are in regular dialogue with the European Commission and other Member States about the coordination of social security in the European Union. DWP Ministers and officials have met with a number of their European counterparts in recent months to discuss mutual matters of interest where reforms to the social security coordination system have been discussed.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Hendrick on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in Preston constituency are subject to sanction of their (a) employment and support allowance and (b) jobseeker’s allowance.

    Esther McVey

    Statistics on the number of Jobseeker’s Allowance benefit, and Employment and Support Allowance claimants in the Preston parliamentary constituency who have been sanctioned, from April 2000, the earliest data we have, up to September 2013 which is the latest data available, are published and can be found at:

    https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/

    Guidance for users is available at:

    https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Stat-Xplore_User_Guide.htm

    “

  • 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 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of his Department’s performance in handling commercial contracts.

    Mike Penning

    In 2013, the department recruited a new Commercial Director who has reviewed the department’s commercial capability and capacity. The review took account of the views and policy steers from the Efficiency and Reform Group (ERG), the Chief Procurement Officer and Crown Representatives.

    The review found that whilst there are areas of high capability, in some of the most complex contract areas there is a need to improve the capability and capacity of the department’s commercial function and people. In line with Civil Service Reform and the ERG-led Procurement Reform programme, the department initiated a commercial improvement programme. The programme completed a commercial skills survey in October 2013. It also restructured the commercial organisation where assessment of current practice against the standards of the NAO contract management model was also conducted.

    The commercial improvement programme will strengthen commercial capability by developing and running training to underpin contract management capability and fill identified current skills gaps. Further improvement actions will be informed by the report of an independent assessment of the department’s contract management capability, currently being conducted by Price Waterhouse Coopers. The department’s commercial capability will also be evaluated by a review team as part of a new ERG programme during 2014.

  • Margaret Ritchie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Margaret Ritchie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Ritchie on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he has taken to ensure the long-term viability of the system for paying benefits into Post Office card accounts under the universal credit programme.

    Steve Webb

    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.

  • 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 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has invoked penalty clauses for unacceptable performance standards of (a) Capita or (b) other private sector companies administering personal independence payments.

    Mike Penning

    The Department has applied performance measures against both of the Personal Independence Payment Assessment Providers and has recovered Service Credits (Financial remedies) in accordance with their contracts.

    Specific application of service credits for Capita and Atos Healthcare is commercially sensitive information.

  • Simon Kirby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Simon Kirby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Simon Kirby on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to tackle pensioner poverty; and if he will make a statement.

    Steve Webb

    This Government wants all pensioners to have a decent and secure income in retirement. We have restored the link to earnings for the Basic State Pension and also introduced the ‘triple lock’, the guarantee that the Basic State Pension will increase by the highest of the growth in average earnings, price increases or 2.5 per cent. We have protected key benefits for older people including: free eye tests; free NHS prescriptions; free bus passes; free television licences for those aged 75 and over and Winter Fuel Payments.

  • Simon Kirby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Simon Kirby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Simon Kirby on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent steps he has taken to prevent benefit fraud; and if he will make a statement.

    Esther McVey

    The level of fraud in the benefit system is relatively low at 0.7% of total benefit expenditure. However, any loss to the public purse due to fraud is unacceptable, which is why the Department is working across Government – and with the private sector – to further reduce the level of loss due to benefit fraud.

    We have made considerable progress since the Fraud and Error Strategy was published in 2010. In terms of prevention, this includes using Real Time Information in the Universal Credit pathfinders to prevent fraud and error on new claims before payments are issued. In addition we recently announced a package of measures which, amongst other things include extending these checks to other benefits.

    We are also testing the effectiveness of communications to help change attitudes to benefit fraud and to encourage people to routinely report changes of circumstances.

  • Matthew Offord – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Matthew Offord – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Offord on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how the universal credit local support services framework supports claimants who may require extra support in accessing universal credit.

    Esther McVey

    We recognise that some people will need help with the new demands of UC. This could include understanding the new system, help with getting online, and help with managing on a monthly budget and paying rent.

    Central to the Local Support Service Framework is the “Delivery Partnerships Approach” under which DWP and local authority managers and service providers (such as Social Landlords and Charities) will work together to agree upon delivery of services at the local level. This will enable the provision of a joined-up, holistic service for claimants with complex needs and a “coherent claimant journey” for helping the claimant move from welfare dependency. Wherever appropriate, this may also result in work readiness for each claimant.