Tag: Kate Green

  • Kate Green – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Kate Green – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Green on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what progress has been made on his Department’s child maintenance arrears and compliance strategy for 2012 to 2017; and if he will make a statement.

    Steve Webb

    Since 2008 we have considerably slowed down the growth of arrears via faster case processing and better enforcement. The successful introduction of the new 2012 Child Maintenance Scheme allows most paying parents to be assessed more quickly, which reduces the number of cases that accrue arrears. The new Child Maintenance Scheme is also built to trigger notification of missed payments so we can investigate non-compliance earlier, reducing the time in which arrears could build.

    We are also looking at new techniques for collecting older debt. The trial of the process of reclassifying arrears has concluded and we are analysing how this initiative might be used in the future.

  • Kate Green – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Kate Green – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Green on 2014-05-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many magistrates sat more than 70 half days in the last year.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    The latest records for the number of magistrates that sat for more than 70 half days are for 2012/13. 759 magistrates sat for more than 70 half days in that year. It may also assist if I explain that 244 of those magistrates sat on panels, such as youth, family and fine enforcement.

  • Kate Green – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Kate Green – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Green on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions have been held with HM Treasury about changes in costs of administering the personal independence payment assessment process; what the outcomes of those discussions have been; and how they affect the current Spending Review benefits savings target and the proposed cap on benefit expenditure.

    Mike Penning

    The costs of administering the PIP assessment process were published in the NAO report in February 2014 and quote the current PIP business case (2013-2014)

    http://www.nao.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Personal-independence-payment-early-progress.pdf

    Forecast expenditure on PIP will be updated at Autumn Statement. The most recent forecasts were published by the Office for Budget Responsibility following Budget 2014.

    http://cdn.budgetresponsibility.org.uk/37839-OBR-Cm-8820-accessible-web-v2.pdf

    The Department meets regularly with HM Treasury to discuss progress on all programmes.

    “

  • Kate Green – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Kate Green – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Green on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he plans to take to ensure the effectiveness of the Sorting Out Separation Web app in providing constructive support to assist collaboration for longer-term separated parents in response to the evaluation commissioned by his Department which indicated that the Web app had little relevance or use for this group.

    Steve Webb

    DWP research report 863: Sorting Out Separation Web App: evaluation of effectiveness highlighted that the longer-term separated found the Sorting out Separation Web app less relevant because they were more likely to know most of the information provided.

    The evaluation confirmed that we need better to understand the needs of this group. Several projects funded in the second round of the Innovation Fund are specifically focussing on what type of support works to help longer-term separated couples to collaborate. When these projects have been completed and evaluated, we will be able to consider how further to improve support for longer-term separated parents.

  • Kate Green – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Kate Green – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Green on 2014-05-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the total number of sittings was by magistrates who sat more than 70 half days in the last year.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    The Department does not keep this information centrally and it could only be collected at a disproportionate cost.

  • Kate Green – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Kate Green – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Green on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment he has made of current performance towards achieving the target of assessing all current disability living allowance claimants for personal independence payment by 2018; and if he will estimate the potential additional costs in (a) the amount of benefit claimed and (b) the cost of processing claims if the current rate of assessments were to be maintained.

    Mike Penning

    We continue to monitor performance in the current phase of reassessment and along with our performance on new claims, this will inform further rollout plans for natural reassessment.

    Our plan is to complete reassessment within our original timescales and budget.

  • Kate Green – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Kate Green – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Green on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Written Statement of 27 March 2014, Official Report, columns 56-7W, on Atos, whether Atos Healthcare will continue to carry out assessments for industrial injuries disablement benefits; and if he will make a statement.

    Mike Penning

    The Written Statement, Official Report, 27 March 2014, Col. 56WS refers to the exit of Atos Healthcare from the the Medical Services Agreement. This contract includes assessments for industrial injuries disablement benefits. Atos will continue to provide assessments until the transition to a new provider in early 2015.

  • Kate Green – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Kate Green – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Green on 2014-05-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many magistrates were recruited in each of the last three years.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    Magistrates are recruited locally according to the business needs of the magistrates’ courts. The number of magistrates recruited in each of the last three financial years is shown below:

    2011/12 – 442

    2012/13 – 414

    2013/14 – 162

    The downturn in recruitment of new magistrates is a natural consequence of falling workloads in the magistrates’ courts, due to factors such as falling crime. The fall in overall numbers is a consequence of the downturn in recruitment combined with the relatively steady levels of retirements and resignations.

  • Kate Green – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Kate Green – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Green on 2014-06-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department plans to take to take to ensure that Trafford Commissioning Group provides the full treatment for IVF as recommended by National Institute for Health and Care Excellence in 2004.

    Jane Ellison

    The level of provision of infertility treatment, as for all health services they commission, is decided by local clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) and will take into account the needs of the population overall. The CCG’s decisions are underpinned by clinical insight and knowledge of local healthcare needs. As such, provision of services will be tailored to local requirements.

    NHS England expects all those involved in commissioning infertility treatment services to be fully aware of the importance of having regard to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence fertility guidelines. In February 2013, NHS England issued a factsheet to support CCGs in taking on those responsibilities.

  • Kate Green – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Kate Green – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Green on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will publish his Department’s risk assessment of the transfer of his Department’s contract with Atos Healthcare for provision of work capability assessments to a new provider; and what steps he is taking to mitigate the risks identified in that assessment.

    Mike Penning

    The transition from Atos Healthcare to the new provider in 2015 provides a further opportunity to improve the service the Department offers to claimants and customers. The Department will manage the transition carefully to mitigate the impact on claimants and customers and to further mitigate any risks the new provider will initially use elements of the Atos infrastructure already in place, including IT, Estate and Atos employees (subject to TUPE).

    The priority for the new provider will be to deliver the best possible service for claimants, increase the volume of assessments carried out and reduce waiting times.