Tag: Lord Morrow

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Morrow on 2014-03-11.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether Atos Healthcare is seeking to opt out of or end its contract to provide assessment services for Disability Living Allowance and Employment and Support Allowance benefit applications.

Lord Freud

The Department is in discussions with Atos Healthcare regarding its contract; Atos Healthcare continues to be committed to and obliged to deliver the services under the contract until such time as the contract ends.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Morrow on 2014-03-27.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many complaints about Atos Healthcare have been submitted or received through the Department for Work and Pensions, per year, since the commencement of the service provision contract.

Lord Freud

The Department does not hold central records on the number of complaints received in regards to Atos Healthcare, this information could only be collated at disproportionate cost.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Morrow on 2014-04-01.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the trial use of victim support workers in accident and emergency settings in England to identify potential victims of domestic violence; and whether they plan to extend the scheme on a permanent and wider basis.

Lord Taylor of Holbeach

The Home Office is working closely with Co-ordinated Action Against Domestic Abuse which is conducting an in-depth evaluation of the effectiveness of basing Independent Domestic Violence Advocates in both hospital accident and emergency and maternity units. The report is due in 2015-16. Six services are taking part in the evaluation:

• Worth Services (based in West Sussex)
• Bristol Royal Infirmary IDVA service
• Domestic Violence: Health and Maternity Project (Imperial College, Standing Together and Advance Advocacy)
• Cambridge Addenbrooke’s IDVA service
• North Devon Women’s Aid
• Newcastle Victim Support

Emerging evidence from the evaluation can be found at:
www.caada.org.uk/policy/CAADA_Themis_Research_Briefing_1.pdf.

The Coalition Government will study the full findings from the evaluation before making a decision on whether the scheme is extended on a permanent and wider basis.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Morrow on 2014-03-31.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in light of the announcement that Atos Healthcare is exiting its contract in respect of fit-for-work tests, whether they plan to initiate an investigation with published terms of reference into that company’s performance, including complaints made directly to Atos Healthcare and through any other agency including the Department for Work and Pensions.

Lord Freud

The Department has closely monitored the performance of Atos Healthcare and will continue to do so until Atos exits the contract as described in the Written Ministerial Statement of 27 March 2014. There are no plans to carry out any investigations into performance.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Morrow on 2014-03-31.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Freud on 24 March (WA 63), and in the light of recent developments, what were the circumstances leading to the withdrawal of Atos Healthcare from its contract, including all relevant dates of notifications.

Lord Freud

Following detailed negotiations with Atos Healthcare, the Government has reached a settlement for Atos to exit the contract to deliver Work Capability Assessments before it is due to end in August 2015. Atos did not receive any compensation from the taxpayer for this early termination but made a substantial financial settlement to the Department for Work and Pensions.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Morrow on 2014-03-31.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Taylor of Holbeach on 3 February (WA 17), whether court orders handed down in the United Kingdom are enforceable in the Channel Islands; and, if not, what action is taken in those circumstances to ensure the safety and protection of vulnerable persons.

Lord Taylor of Holbeach

The Channel Islands (the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey) are Crown Dependencies. The Crown Dependencies are not part of the UK but are self-governing dependencies of the Crown, with their own directly elected legislative assemblies, administrative, fiscal and legal systems and their own courts of law. Judgments of the courts of England and Wales are not, therefore , of themselves effective in the Bailiwicks of Guernsey or Jersey, but it is possible for UK court orders to be recognised and enforced if they meet certain established criteria whether pursuant to statute, or pursuant to the common or customary law. Much depends upon the circumstances and type of offence committed or judgment made.

Criminal law in Scotland and Northern Ireland is devolved, meaning that responsibility for such matters lie with the devolved administrations of
Scotland and Northern Ireland respectively.

There is excellent co-operation between Common Travel Area (CTA) partners, including the UK and the Channel Islands, to prevent abuse of the CTA by strengthening its external border. The UK Government is working with the Channel Islands authorities to ensure that the implications of the Modern Slavery Bill and the Modern Slavery action plan for the Common Travel Area are fully understood.

UK Border Force staff receive mandatory training to help identify and tackle human trafficking, and to date we have not seen any evidence that individuals are being trafficked to the UK via the Channel Islands. However, we remain alert and will act on any information received.