Tag: Frank Field

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2016-07-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many people working for his Department on a (a) directly employed, (b) agency or (c) outsourced basis are paid less than the living wage as defined by the Living Wage Foundation; and how many of those people are employed on zero-hours contracts.

David Mundell

The Scotland Office does not directly employ any staff. The Office is staffed by civil servants on assignment, loan and/or secondment basis predominantly from the Ministry of Justice and the Scottish Government. No people working for the Scotland Office who are (a) directly employed in the civil service are paid less than the living wage as defined by the Living Wage Foundation, nor are on a zero hours contract.

No people working for the Scotland Office on an (b) agency basis are paid less than the living wage as defined by the Living Wage Foundation, nor are on a zero hours contract.

Information on workers on an (c) outsourced basis, paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation and their contractual hours can only be obtained at a disproportionate cost.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2016-10-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of reviewing the medical exemption criteria of prescription charges for people with long-term health conditions.

David Mowat

We have no plans to change the list of medical conditions which provide for exemption from prescription charges. Extending this exemption would have significant cost implications at a time when the National Health Service is facing increased demand and is expected to deliver efficiency savings of £22 billion by 2020.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2015-10-28.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the average (a) duration and (b) cost to the caller of a telephone call to HM Revenue and Customs’ tax credit telephone lines was in the most recent 12 months for which data is available; and how much revenue was generated from these calls.

Mr David Gauke

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) does not track each customer journey end to end through the phone system, and cannot therefore provide the average duration time as requested.

HMRC does not hold information of the cost of a call to its lines. I would refer to my answer given on 13 July 2015 to UIN 5712.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2015-11-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what guidance his Department provides to housing associations on the proportion of their new build properties that must be capable of adaptation.

Brandon Lewis

The Government does not issue specific guidance to housing associations on the proportion of their new build properties that must be capable of adaption.

Local authorities are best placed to understand the housing needs in their area. National policy sets out clearly the need for local authorities to plan for the housing needs of all members of the community.

On 1 October, new optional Building Regulations came into force to make new homes more adaptable to peoples changing needs over time. Housing associations could choose to implement this, or any other adaptable housing standard, when setting standards for the new homes they build.

Separately through the Care and Support Specialised Housing fund the Government is providing up to £315 million to build over 4,000 specialised homes for older and disabled people.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2015-11-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Jobcentre Plus offices have space in their building that is available for use by voluntary groups, social enterprises and mutuals to help equip claimants with the skills they need to use the internet.

Priti Patel

The Department for Work and Pensions occupies the majority of its estate under a Private Finance Initiative (PFI) known as the PRIME Contract. Under this PFI, the Department leases fully serviced accommodation from its private sector partner Telereal Trillium. The Department pays an inclusive unitary price for the space occupied. The Department does not own any of the buildings that it occupies.

The Department constantly reviews its estate to ensure the effective use of space. Jobcentre Plus works closely with local partners and providers across our network and we have a wide range of stakeholders in our buildings including local authority colleagues, employers, service providers and voluntary organisations. We also work from a wide range of partners’ premises, for example community hubs, libraries as well as co-locating our services in local authority sites.

The Department has provided public internet access devices across our Jobcentre Plus offices, and deploys staff to support those claimants who may need assistance in building the skills they need to make claims on-line and with job search.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2016-01-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many and what proportion of homes in the social rented sector have been classified as overcrowded in each of the last five years.

Brandon Lewis

The Department publishes estimates of the numbers and proportions of homes in the social rented sector that have been classified as overcrowded. The proportion was estimated as 7.3% in 2010/11 and as 6.2% in 2013/14. These figures are from the English Housing Survey and are available at:

Annex Table 1.13 at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/469214/2013-14_Section_1_Households_tables_and_figures_FINAL.xlsx

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2016-01-14.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many existing tax credit claimants had their payments stopped in the most recent 12 months for which data is available.

Mr David Gauke

HM Revenue and Customs do not hold the requested data.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2016-02-05.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many and what proportion of tax credit claims reviewed by Concentrix have, following the review process, been paid in full; and for how long each such claim was suspended.

Mr David Gauke

The information requested is not available.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2016-02-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he plans to reply to the letters from the hon. Member for Birkenhead (a) of 20 November 2015 on school holiday provision and (b) of 16 December 2015 on the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Hunger and Food Poverty’s report of December 2014.

Justin Tomlinson

Despite an extensive search I am afraid the Department has no trace of the letter from 20 November 2015.

The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, my Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Iain Duncan Smith, replied to the Rt.Hon. Member’s letter of 16 December 2015 on 25 February 2016.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2016-02-29.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, by when he expects the review into council tax support schemes to be published.

Mr Marcus Jones

The independent review of Local Council Tax Support schemes is set to complete and be published by the end of March 2016.