Tag: Baroness Thomas of Winchester

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Thomas of Winchester on 2015-12-10.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have revisited the Personal Independence Payment assessment moving around guidance on reliability to ensure that that guidance captures real-life situations and that the criteria are applied consistently and fairly.

Baroness Altmann

The PIP Assessment Guide for Health Professionals carrying out assessments includes guidance on the assessment criteria and how they should be applied. The guide is regularly reviewed to ensure that the criteria is applied consistently and fairly.

Chapter 3 – ‘The Assessment Criteria’ (page 73) explains how to apply the reliability criteria, including in the ‘Moving Around’ activity. We have also provided a worked example to further assist health professionals.

The latest version of the guide is annexed to this answer.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Thomas of Winchester on 2016-07-08.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the result of the referendum on the UK’s membership of the EU, what plans they have for ensuring that the conditional approval of the European Medicines Agency for new treatments continues to have validity in the UK.

Lord Prior of Brampton

The previous Prime Minister was clear that the negotiation for Britain’s future relationship with Europe needed to begin under the new Prime Minister, and we now have got to look at all the detailed arrangements.

The Department has launched a ministerial industry strategy group to prepare for the renegotiation on the new European Union/United Kingdom relationship, which includes looking at the relationship between the UK and the EU medicines regulatory framework.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Thomas of Winchester on 2015-12-16.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Access to Work scheme can fund, or help fund, the installation of a disabled toilet in a workplace.

Baroness Altmann

Access to Work is able to help with adaptations to Premises and Equipment.

In all cases where adaptations to premises are required, advisers will look to see what reasonable adjustment has first been made in accordance with employers obligations under the Equality Act.

Dependent on the size of the business, an employer contribution may also be sought.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Thomas of Winchester on 2016-07-07.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether local authorities will be able to bid for resources from the Department for Transport’s Access Fund for Sustainable Travel to support or develop Wheels 2 Work schemes within their areas.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

The Department for Transport welcomes applications to the Access Fund from local transport authorities in England (except London) that support or develop Wheels 2 Work schemes in their area which increase cycling and improve access to work, skills, education or training.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Thomas of Winchester on 2016-01-11.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many times in the last year the Access to Work scheme has contributed to funding (1) the installation of a disabled toilet in a workplace, and (2) the adaptation of an existing workplace toilet into one suitable for disabled people.

Baroness Altmann

This information is not readily available.

In all cases where adaptations to premises are required, advisers will look to see what reasonable adjustment has first been made in accordance with employers obligations under the Equality Act.

Dependent on the size of the business, an employer contribution may also be sought.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Thomas of Winchester on 2016-07-07.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have made an assessment of the amount of benefits to which people are entitled that go unclaimed.

Lord Freud

On 28th June 2016 the Department for Work and Pensions published the report “Income-related benefits: Estimates of take-up in 2014/15”. The full report has been published online.

For Great Britain, the following estimates are available for 2014/15:

• Pension Credit: Up to £3.1 billion of available Pension Credit went unclaimed;
• Housing Benefit: Up to £4.6 billion of available Housing Benefit went unclaimed;
• Jobseeker’s Allowance (Income-based): Up to £2.4 billion of available Jobseeker’s Allowance (Income-based) went unclaimed.
• Income Support and Employment and Support Allowance (Income-related): Up to £2.9 billion of available Income Support and Employment and Support Allowance (Income-related) went unclaimed.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Thomas of Winchester on 2016-05-03.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to gather evidence on food insecurity in the UK.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble

There is no single definition of food insecurity. The factors that impact on household food security are complex. There are multiple indicators such as quality, variety and desirability of diet as well as total intake, not all of which are measured consistently. It is, therefore, very difficult and potentially misleading to attempt to develop a single classification of food insecurity.

Defra publishes annual statistics to show the proportion of household income spent on food by (a) all households and (b) the lowest income 20% of households. Lower income families spend a greater proportion of household income on food (15.7% compared to 11.4% for the average household). This has remained stable over recent years: 16.5% in 2013, 16.6% in 2012, 16.6% in 2011, 15.8% in 2010 and 16.1% in 2009. The most recent statistics are in the Food Statistics Pocketbook 2015 on the GOV.UK website.

Year on year food prices have continued to fall with an annual rate of inflation of -2.7 per cent in the year to March 2016. General inflation is 0.3 per cent, unchanged from January.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Thomas of Winchester on 2016-10-03.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government why the consultation on transforming the tribunal system Transforming our Justice System is not cross-referenced to the Department for Work and Pensions consultations website, given its relevance to the appeals process for Personal Independence Payment.

Lord Keen of Elie

The noble Lady will be aware that the Government is investing £1 billion to modernise our world-leading justice system. That means creating a system that is just, proportionate and accessible.

The ‘Transforming our Justice System’ consultation is about the administration of justice across all courts and tribunals and not one specific area. My officials are engaging with appropriate stakeholders, including disability groups, on relevant matters.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Thomas of Winchester on 2016-05-03.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will publish the number of people with disabilities who are seeking asylum.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

At present the Asylum Transparency Agenda Data set does not report information on asylum claimants with disabilities nor are there plans for this to be included. In addition we do not currently record this information in a readily accessible format.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Thomas of Winchester on 2016-10-13.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the proposal to remove a panel member with direct experience of disability from appeals for Disability Living Allowance, Personal Independence Payment and Attendance Allowance.

Lord Keen of Elie

The Government is investing close to £1 billion to reform and digitise our courts and tribunals to deliver swifter and more certain justice.

Technology will be at the forefront of our reforms but specific support will be provided to ensure tribunals remain accessible to all and physical hearings will continue to be used to resolve many cases.

An impact assessment was published alongside the Transforming our Justice System consultation paper.

The panel composition reforms will ensure that the most appropriate panel is always selected to hear a case. As now, relevant expertise will always be available where needed, regardless of how a case is resolved. The Senior President of Tribunals will continue to determine when panel members are used.