Tag: Kirsten Oswald

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsten Oswald on 2016-06-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to take account of the levels of satisfaction with pay reported in the Regular Armed Forces Continuous Attitude Survey in his setting of pay policy for the armed forces.

Mark Lancaster

The new Pay 16 structure was specifically established in response to Service personnel criticisms of the old pay model. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has developed the new pay model as a simpler, more transparent system which provides Service personnel with greater pay predictability. It addresses some of the concerns about the previous pay model reported by personnel through both the Service Complaints system and the Armed Forces Continuous Attitude Survey (AFCAS) and in feedback from the Armed Forces Pay Review Body (AFPRB). I fully expect these changes to be positive for morale overall.

Many personnel will experience an increase in pay as a result of the new pay model, and no one will take a cut in core pay on implementation. We have taken steps to ensure that personnel are aware of the range and nature of the pay reforms that began on 1 April 2016 and comprehensive internal communications activity has been undertaken to explain the changes. This included Departmental guidance to help personnel understand their new pay statement and any changes. Personnel, including those under pay protection, continue to remain eligible for any Government-approved pay award. Pay protection has been put in place to ensure that no one will take a pay cut on implementation of Pay 16 and this arrangement will exist for at least the first three years to ensure that no one is disadvantaged.

The new pay model is not designed as a cost saving exercise, but is a rebalancing of pay to make more efficient and effective use of the Armed Forces pay bill; the AFPRB will continue to recommend pay rates for all personnel. As we go forward the Service Complaints Process and AFCAS will be primary sources which inform our assessment of the benefits realised through the pay reforms.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsten Oswald on 2016-07-21.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to ensure that former service personnel from other Commonwealth countries who wish to reside in the UK are supported through the immigration process.

Mr Robert Goodwill

Under the Immigration Act 1971 Commonwealth Nationals are exempt from immigration control whilst serving in HM Forces. They may qualify for Indefinite leave to remain in the United Kingdom on discharge from the Services, if they have completed more than four years’ reckonable service and meet the other requirements of the Immigration Rules.

To assist the transition of serving personnel to civilian life, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) offers a wide-ranging resettlement programme. Home Office officials work closely with MoD colleagues and the Tri Services to ensure that those discharged from HM Forces receive advice on their immigration status.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsten Oswald on 2016-10-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, (a) how many and (b) what proportion of personnel from each of the armed forces who have been made redundant have received transitional support through the Future Horizons Programme in each year since that programme’s inception.

Mark Lancaster

The Future Horizons Programme (FHP) is the resettlement programme for Early Service Leavers (ESL), meaning those members of the UK Armed Forces who leave with less than four years’ service. It is delivered through the Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) Career Transition Partnership (CTP) with Right Management Limited (part of the ManpowerGroup). The uptake rates and employment outcomes of ESL are monitored routinely through the CTP governance structure to ensure the programme continues to be effective in supporting ESL.

ESL have been entitled to the FHP since it was introduced on 1 October 2013. Between 1 October 2013 and 31 March 2014 approximately 33% of eligible personnel participated in the FHP. During financial year 2014-15 some 62% of eligible personnel participated in the Future Horizons Programme. Prior to the establishment of the FHP all ESL were entitled to unit level support as part of standard MOD policy.

From 1 October 2015, the resettlement provision for ESL is termed CTP Future Horizons. Official statistics for ESL who used CTP Future Horizons from 1 October 2015 will be published in January 2017 as part of the CTP Official Statistic.

All personnel made redundant in the Armed Forces redundancy programme 2011-2015 (Tranches 1-4), received the highest level of resettlement provision delivered through what was then termed the CTP Full Resettlement Programme, regardless of their overall length of service.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsten Oswald on 2015-10-22.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, who represented the Government at the third International Conference on Financing for Development in Addis Ababa; and what steps the Government took to consult with NGOs, churches and other stakeholders on the UK’s contribution in advance of that conference.

Justine Greening

As Secretary of State for International Development I led the UK delegation at the third International Conference on Financing for Development in Addis Ababa. In the run up to the conference, the UK Government undertook a programme of consultations on the FFD agenda with a range of stakeholders, including BOND, the UK membership body for organisations working in international development, whose members include Christian Aid and CAFOD.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsten Oswald on 2015-10-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the Answer of 6 May 2014 to Question 196742, what progress his Department has made on assessing the effectiveness of existing arrangements for reporting complications relating to transvaginal mesh implants; and if he will make a statement.

George Freeman

The working group on vaginal tapes and mesh is now finalising its interim recommendations which NHS England expects to publish in November 2015, subject to its internal governance processes.

However in the meantime the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has unified and simplified reporting under the Yellowcard reporting brand- All reporting under one page, promoted Yellow card reporting at conferences to increase awareness e.g. RCN Congress, NICE Annual Conference; created the role of Medical Device Safety Officers in conjunction with NHS England to promote local reporting and learning.

As a result we have seen an increase in Member of Public reports relating to transvaginal mesh of 350% over 2014 so far (Table 2).

The data below is taken from the Adverse Incident Tracking System

Table 1: Adverse events reported to MHRA by health professionals concerning vaginal tape and mesh implants are as follows:

	Vaginal tapes for stress urinary incontinence 64/25	Vaginal mesh for pelvic organ prolapse 64/25	Vaginal mesh for unknown1 indication
2011	3	1	0
2012	23	31	2
2013	27	20	0
2014	87	47	1
Up to September 2015	50	48	4
1 The reporter did not provide enough information on what type of mesh it was.

Table 2: Adverse events reported to MHRA by patients/members of the public concerning vaginal tape and mesh implants are as follows:

	Vaginal tapes for stress urinary incontinence	Vaginal mesh for pelvic organ prolapse	Vaginal mesh for unknown1 indication
2011	33	7	3
2012	26	2	0
2013	30	10	3
2014	22	3	0
Up to September 2015	68	17	6
1 The reporter did not provide enough information on what type of mesh it was.

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsten Oswald on 2015-10-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what effect the introduction of universal credit will have on the income of those working in a job from which they derive net earnings of at least £111 per week and who are the principal carers for elderly relatives with a disability.

Priti Patel

Carer’s Allowance ceases when the claimant earns more than £110 a week. There is not a similar cliff-edge effect in Universal Credit. Carers who combine caring with paid work will continue to have the Carer Element included in the calculation of their overall award for as long as they provide care for at least 35 hours per week for a severely disabled person.

In Universal Credit, earned income by members of the household is subjected to a work allowance. Different amounts are disregarded from earnings in order to reflect the needs of different types of household and to support the aim that work pays. Carers are entitled to one of these work allowances depending on their family type, although there is not a work allowance specifically for carers.

Carers who combine work with caring will be able to earn up to their work allowance without their Universal Credit entitlement being affected. If earnings exceed that allowance then the Universal Credit award will reduce gradually as earnings increase.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsten Oswald on 2015-10-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what effect the introduction of universal credit will have on the incomes of those spending more than 21 hours per week in education and who are the principal carers for elderly relatives with a disability.

Justin Tomlinson

A person in full time education will normally not meet the basic conditions for Universal Credit. There are however exceptions to this condition for some people; including people with limited capability for work, those in receipt of Personal Independence Payment, and people with care of dependent children.

There is no entitlement to Carer’s Allowance for people in education 21 hours or more a week because in order to be eligible they would need to be providing care for a severely disabled person for 35 hours a week.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsten Oswald on 2015-10-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what effect the introduction of universal credit will have on funding for care available to older people with a disability whose principal carer is engaged in education for no more than 20 hours per week.

Justin Tomlinson

A person in full time education will normally not meet the basic conditions for Universal Credit. There are however exceptions to this condition for some people; including people with limited capability for work, those in receipt of Personal Independence Payment, and people with care of dependent children.

There is no entitlement to Carer’s Allowance for people in education 21 hours or more a week because in order to be eligible they would need to be providing care for a severely disabled person for 35 hours a week.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsten Oswald on 2015-10-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what financial support is available to people earning less than £110 per week net who are the principal carers for elderly relatives with a disability.

Justin Tomlinson

This Government recognises and appreciates the vital contribution made by carers.

A variety of support is available to both carers and the severely disabled people that they care for. Support is both financial, including through the benefit and Tax Credit systems and the Universal Credit service, and in other ways through local councils and health services.

Carer’s Allowance is designed to provide a measure of financial support and recognition for people who give up the opportunity of full-time employment in order to provide regular and substantial care for a severely disabled person. For this reason it is not available to people earning more than £110 a week net of allowable deductions and expenses.

Carers earning more than £110 a week may be entitled to other financial support, such as Universal Credit or Tax Credits if they satisfy the qualifying conditions.

People with a disability can claim benefits in their own right in order to meet their needs. Depending on individual circumstances, such financial support can be through universal, extra costs benefits and/or means-tested benefits. Means-tested benefits, such as Pension Credit, include an additional amount for people with a severe disability (currently £61.85 a week for a single person) which can be paid to a disabled person to help meet the costs of caring if their carer is not receiving Carer’s Allowance.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsten Oswald on 2015-10-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what effect the introduction of Universal Credit will have on funding for care available to older people with a disability whose principal carer is engaged in education for more than 21 hours per week.

Justin Tomlinson

People in full-time education, including those with caring responsibilities, are not normally entitled to benefits. Rather they are supported through the educational maintenance system, via its range of loans and grants. Support may also be available through local councils and health services.

Students undertaking a part-time course have access to carer related benefits in the usual way.

People with a disability can claim benefits in their own right in order to meet their needs. Depending on individual circumstances, such financial support can be through universal, extra costs benefits and/or means-tested benefits. Means-tested benefits, such as Pension Credit, include an additional amount for people with a severe disability (currently £61.85 a week for a single person) which can be paid to a disabled person to help meet the costs of caring if their carer is not receiving Carer’s Allowance.