Tag: Frank Field

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many people working for his Department or its executive agencies 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.

Mr Marcus Jones

My department does not employ any staff earning less than the living wage as defined by the Living Wage Foundation, or any staff employed on zero-hour contracts.

One of our agencies, the Planning Inspectorate, currently has four agency staff employed on a temporary basis earning above the National Living Wage but less than the living wage as defined by the Living Wage Foundation. They will be paid the higher Living Wage Foundation rate after 12 weeks employment.

Another of our agencies, the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, has an outsourced contract for catering on-site. The contractor employs 42 staff earning the National Living Wage, but less than the Living Wage Foundation rate. These staff are on zero-hour contracts.

At present, there are 154 staff employed by an outsourced company to work within the DCLG Facilities Management contract. Of these 111 are paid at or above the National Living Wage but beneath the Living Wage Foundation rate. There are 28 zero hour contracts in place.

The Department maintains a position that the level of employee payment is for our external contractors to determine, while encouraging payment of a living wage.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2016-09-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many border staff were employed exclusively on checking the immigration status of beggars in (a) Westminster and (b) the UK; and how many of those checked were (i) illegal immigrants, (ii) committing criminal acts and (iii) deported in each of the last six months for which figures are available.

Mr Robert Goodwill

This information is not held on Home Office systems.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2016-10-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the report by the Children’s Society, The cost of being care free, published in June 2016, if he will take steps to provide additional protection for care leavers to reduce the number of benefits sanctions being applied to such people.

Damian Hinds

Our primary goal is to help care leavers get into work wherever possible and our interventions are tailored to achieve this. Care leavers aged between 18 and 21 have the opportunity to join the Work Programme from day one of their benefit claim, so that they receive tailored, locally-appropriate employment support at the earliest opportunity. We also provide additional support, over and above the standard Jobcentre Plus offer, to young claimants, including care leavers, aged 18-24. Work Coaches tailor interventions to the needs of the individual to address a variety of barriers to work, including improving job search skills, referral to skills and other work-related training such as Traineeships, Apprenticeships and work experience.

We have safeguards in place for care leavers along with other claimants who may be considered vulnerable. Work Coaches support all claimants with complex needs, or who require additional support, to ensure that they fully understand what they have been asked to do to enable them to access DWP benefits and use our services.

Care leavers, like all claimants, take ownership of planning how they will meet their requirements and ultimately secure employment. They will be supported by their Work Coach who will assist them in meeting their requirements through providing encouragement and direction, using a range of communication methods.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2015-10-27.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the total on-flow and off-flow for tax credits was in the most recent (a) 12 and (b) 24 months for which data is available.

Damian Hinds

The information is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2015-11-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many children in each parliamentary constituency are diagnosed with ADHD.

Alistair Burt

That information is not available centrally.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2015-11-25.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many complaints about Concentrix HM Revenue and Customs received from tax credit claimants in the last financial year.

Mr David Gauke

HM Revenue and Customs received 159 complaints about Concentrix from tax credit customers during the last financial tax year.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2016-01-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many households in each parliamentary constituency will be affected by the new benefit cap from April 2016; and what the mean amount of benefit capped will be in each constituency.

Justin Tomlinson

We will confirm roll out plans after the Welfare Reform and Work Bill has received Royal Assent.

A breakdown by local authority of the estimated number of households potentially affected by the benefit cap will be provided to local authorities in due course.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2016-01-22.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many children are being cared for primarily by their grandparents.

Edward Timpson

The Department does not collect information on the number of grandparents who provide care to their grandchildren.

The Department collects and publishes information about looked-after children who are placed in foster care with a relative or friend. At 31 March 2015, 7910 looked-after children were cared for in these arrangements.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2016-02-09.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent estimate he has made of the amount paid in child benefit to parents of children residing outside the UK who have died since a claim was set up in the last 10 years.

Mr David Gauke

The information requested is not available.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2016-02-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will carry out an assessment of the effect of changes in funding for community pharmacies on patient safety.

Alistair Burt

The community pharmacy proposals for 2016/17 and beyond, on which we are consulting, are being considered in respect to the public sector equality duty, the family test and relevant duties of the Secretary of State under the National Health Service Act 2006. The latter includes the duty as to improvement in quality of services, such as the safety of services.

At this stage we would note that all pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and pharmacies are regulated by the General Pharmaceutical Council, which protects, promotes and maintains the health, safety and wellbeing of members of the public by upholding standards and public trust in pharmacy. Also, under NHS pharmaceutical services, community pharmacies are required to meet clinical governance requirements, which encourage continuing quality improvement, including through risk management.

An impact assessment will be completed to inform final decisions and published in due course.