Tag: 2016

  • Eilidh Whiteford – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Eilidh Whiteford – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Eilidh Whiteford on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the effect on claimants of having no timescale within which his Department must return a mandatory reconsideration decision to the claimant.

    Penny Mordaunt

    There has been no statutory requirement to make a benefit decision within a specified time since 1998. This applies equally to a claim for benefit, an application for review and, since it was introduced in April 2013, an application for Mandatory Reconsideration. Decisions are made without delay – whilst giving claimants every opportunity to provide new and additional evidence to support their application.

  • Stephen Gethins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Stephen Gethins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Gethins on 2016-10-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential effect of the UK leaving the EU on UK universities’ ability to attract high-quality students and researchers from across Europe.

    Joseph Johnson

    The UK has a long-established system that supports, and therefore attracts, the brightest minds, at all stages of their careers. We fund excellent research wherever it is found and ensure there is the freedom to tackle important scientific questions. HM Treasury’s announcement on underwriting EU research funding awarded while we remain EU members, even when specific projects continue beyond the UK’s departure from the EU, underlines our commitment to maintain the UK as an attractive place to conduct research and innovation.

    The Government has also announced that EU students applying for a place at an English university or further education institution in the 2017/2018 academic year will continue to be eligible for student loans and grants, and will be for the duration of their course.

  • Thangam Debbonaire – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Thangam Debbonaire – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Thangam Debbonaire on 2016-01-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department plans to close HM Prison Bristol.

    Andrew Selous

    On 9 November 2015, the Chancellor and Secretary of State announced their intention to build a prison estate which allows prisoners to be rehabilitated, thereby enabling them to turn away from a life of crime. This will involve building nine new prisons and closing old and inefficient prisons.

    No decisions have yet been made on which prisons will be closed.

  • Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-01-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether unsuccessful universal credit applicants have access to a telephone helpline to allow them to query the decision not to allow them that benefit.

    Priti Patel

    The Universal Credit helpline (link enclosed) is available for all enquiries about Universal Credit, including advice for those whose claims have been unsuccessful.

    https://www.gov.uk/contact-jobcentre-plus

    “

  • Mary Glindon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Mary Glindon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mary Glindon on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the reasons are for the time taken to supply the Kurdistan Regional Government with new rounds for British machine guns.

    Penny Mordaunt

    We have previously provided some 50 tonnes of non-lethal support, 40 heavy machine guns and nearly half a million rounds of ammunition to the Kurdish Peshmerga. The Kurdish Regional Government has made a number of recent requests to Her Majesty’s Government for further assistance, including for ammunition. These requests are currently under consideration to see whether we can assist, taking into account the UK’s own requirements and stocks, and notifying Parliament in the normal way on assistance provided.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-03-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will estimate the forecast level of creditor claims related to insolvency litigation in each of the next five financial years.

    Andrew Selous

    The Ministry of Justice does not hold this information.

  • Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2016-04-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether participation in the randomised control trial his Department is conducting on in-work progression is mandatory for claimants; and what consequences there will be for claimants who do not wish to take part in that trial.

    Priti Patel

    Universal Credit claimants who meet the eligibility criteria will be required to participate in the trial. However, we are careful to protect people who are vulnerable. Claimants who are unable to work or earn more due to caring or because of health conditions or disabilities will not be required to participate, and there are a number of further exclusion criteria which generally reflect those applied to out of work UC claimants.

    Every claimant participating in the trial will have a tailored Claimant Commitment which is a joint agreement between the work coach and the claimant which sets out clearly what reasonable activity they have agreed to do in order to improve their earnings. Trial participants who fail to engage in the process, or who fail to take the reasonable actions mutually agreed in their claimant commitment without good reason may have their Universal Credit payments reduced under a sanction.

    Claimants will be given the opportunity to explain why they have not complied with a requirement. An independent decision maker will consider if a sanction is appropriate and if the claimant had good reason for not complying, taking into account the claimant’s representations. Where a claimant is sanctioned there are clear safeguards in place.

  • Neil Coyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Neil Coyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Neil Coyle on 2016-06-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many employment and support allowance appeals his Department conceded prior to their being heard at first-tier tribunals in the last 12 months.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The requested information in relation to Personal Independence Payment could only be obtained at a disproportionate cost.

    For ESA the figures for the latest 12 months available are as follows:

    Month

    Total

    April 2015

    260

    May

    190

    June

    240

    July

    360

    August

    230

    September

    230

    October

    240

    November

    280

    December

    250

    January 2016

    250

    February

    210

    March

    270

    Total

    3010

    These figures represent the number of appeals revised and lapsed before the appeal is heard. A decision will be revised at this stage of the decision making process mainly because of new information provided by the claimant in his grounds of appeal.

    – Figures have been rounded to the nearest ten.

    – This is unpublished data and, as such, it does not meet the quality standard required for official statistics publication. It should be used with caution and it may be subject to future revision.

    – Data taken from the Decision Making and Case Recording system

    – Figures are for GB only

    – Figures are correct as at 7 June 2016

  • Chris Stephens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Chris Stephens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Stephens on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the savings to the Exchequer resulting from the future transfer of responsibility for funding television licences for people over 75 from his Department to the BBC for (a) Glasgow South West constituency, (b) Glasgow City Council and (c) Scotland.

    Richard Harrington

    The summer budget 2015 announced a number of fundamental changes relating to the BBC and free TV licences for those aged 75 and over. DWP will cease to fund free TV licences from 2019/20 and the BBC will absorb the cost of this and take responsibility for the policy which currently sits with the Department of Culture, Media and Sport. It is estimated that the provision of free TV licences for 2016/17 will cost £629m and DWP will continue to make a transfer to the BBC during the phasing period, as set out in the table below.

    2018/19

    2019/20

    2020/21

    HMG transfer for free TV licences (£m)

    468

    247

    0

    DWP resources currently assigned to the provision and collation of data relating to the free television licence scheme for people aged 75 and over is 12 staff days per annum. Any plans for the future role of employees and contractors will be determined following detailed discussions between my Department and the BBC nearer the time the BBC take full responsibility for funding and policy.

    In 2014/15 the cost of providing free TV licences to those 75 and over in Scotland was £49m and it is estimated the cost for qualifying residents in Glasgow South West constituency and Glasgow City local authority area was £0.7m and £4m respectively.

    The cost of the free TV licences to those aged 75 and over in Scotland for 2015/16 will be published on 21 September on the DWP website. Breakdowns by Local Authority and Parliamentary Constituency use that Scotland expenditure estimate and are therefore not currently available.

    Savings to the Exchequer resulting from the future transfer of responsibility for funding television licences for people aged 75 or over were set out in the summer budget 2015.

  • Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2016-10-17.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will extend the matching requirement for the Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme.

    Jane Ellison

    The Small Charitable Donations and Childcare Payments Bill relaxes the eligibility criteria for the Gift Aid Small Donation Scheme. These changes will ensure that the Scheme operates effectively and flexibly for a greater number of charities and a greater number of donations.

    The Government has no plans to extend the Gift Aid matching requirement.