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.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Thomas of Winchester on 2016-05-18.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the remarks by Baroness Altmann on 4 May (HL Deb, col 1503), what rate of support claimants of the mobility component of Personal Independence Payment will be guaranteed to receive if they cannot walk safely, to an acceptable standard, repeatedly, and in a reasonable time period, (1) for more than 20 metres, or (2) for more than 50 metres.
Baroness Altmann
Claimants who can stand and then move no more than 20 metres will receive the enhanced rate of the mobility component of PIP. Claimants who can stand and then move more than 20 metres but no more than 50 metres are guaranteed to receive at least the standard rate of the mobility component. In some cases, depending on the individual’s circumstances, they may receive the enhanced rate If they score points from the other mobility activity.
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 impact of inflation on those who rely on benefits.
Lord Freud
Central to the Government’s long term economic plan is the creation of jobs and making work pay. We know that work is the best route out of poverty so our welfare reforms are focussed on supporting those people who can work to find and keep work rather than rely on benefits, ensuring fairness and affordability for the tax payer. We are committed to balancing incentivising work with protecting pensioners and those who cannot work, and help with the costs of additional needs. That is why benefits for the additional costs of disability, and for carers, are up-rated each year in line with prices, and the basic and new State Pensions are up-rated with our triple lock guarantee.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Thomas of Winchester on 2016-05-18.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what measures they will take to protect and enhance the amount of local housing allowance paid by local authorities in England in order to meet the accommodation and support needs of persons with learning disabilities.
Lord Freud
A Written Ministerial Statement was published on 1 March 2016 to announce that the effect of the Local Housing Allowance cap for those living in social sector supported housing, including those with learning disabilities, would be deferred by a year, pending the outcome of a review.
We have done this because we understand the importance of ensuring that both those living in supported housing and those who provide this type of accommodation receive appropriate protections. This is why we are awaiting the outcome of a “Supported Accommodation” research project and subsequent policy review, to ensure support is focused on the most vulnerable and appropriate groups are safeguarded
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Thomas of Winchester on 2016-05-19.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government why they have allocated £22 million to hire new presenting officers to support them at disability benefit tribunals.
Baroness Altmann
The government is increasing the number of Presenting Officers from 2017, to help the department present its case more effectively and gather valuable feedback from the Tribunal.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Thomas of Winchester on 2016-05-19.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, in the light of cuts in the number of welfare rights officers and to legal aid, they will provide resources to Citizens Advice Bureaux, local mental health charities and disability organisations to provide support for disabled people who go to tribunal when appealing against their Personal Independence Payment assessment.
Baroness Altmann
Tribunal proceedings are designed to be straightforward and accessible to all. The tribunal panel is trained and possess special expertise to ensure that all issues which have a bearing on the outcome of an appeal are investigated irrespective of whether or not they have been raised by the parties.
DWP does not provide funding for this purpose. Individual local authorities may provide funding for these types of organisations but it would be a matter for the individual local authority to decide.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Thomas of Winchester on 2014-06-26.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what arrangements local authorities will have in place, following the abolition of the paper Vehicle Access Duty tax disc from 1 October, to check the status of a vehicle parked in a bay or location authorised only for use by a disabled driver.
Baroness Kramer
It is for individual local authorities to decide how to establish the licensing status of vehicles parked in areas restricted to disabled drivers following the abolition of the vehicle tax disc.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has liaised with local authorities about the abolition of the tax disc and provided a broad range of information to help inform their customers. A specific email address has been established to deal with any queries from local authorities and a workshop has been organised for 2 July.
The DVLA has also enhanced its online vehicle enquiry system, which now includes information about the taxation class of a vehicle.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Thomas of Winchester on 2014-06-26.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have for identifying Class 3 Mobility Scooters, which currently have to display a nil value disc, once the paper Vehicle Access Duty tax disc is abolished from 1 October.
Baroness Kramer
The vehicle tax disc is not used to identify Class 3 mobility vehicles. These vehicles are indentified according to their construction, weight and speed and are required to be registered with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency. The abolition of the tax disc in October should not affect the current identification of these vehicles.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Thomas of Winchester on 2014-05-07.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps are being taken to deal with websites offering services to customers wishing to apply for a blue badge parking permit, and which are not associated with the Blue Badge Improvement Service.
Baroness Kramer
To obtain a Blue Badge in England applicants can apply directly via the Gov.UK website or to the relevant local authority. Successful applicants will be charged no more than £10.
The Government’s contractor, Northgate Public Services, has taken a number of positive steps to raise awareness about unauthorised websites. These include issuing a press release warning people about dubious websites, issuing a Bulletin to all local authorities so that they can warn residents, providing advice and awareness to charitable organisations representing disabled people, and ensuring staff at the national Blue Badge support helpline are able to advise the public accordingly.