Tag: Owen Smith

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Smith on 2015-11-03.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much the Government has spent on raising awareness of scam activity associated with pension freedoms.

Harriett Baldwin

Monitoring the market for pension scams is the responsibility of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Pensions Regulator (TPR). The Government remains in close contact with the regulators, and other organisations such as industry trade bodies, on these issues.

The FCA has launched a new consumer awareness campaign around investment scams, ScamSmart. The Pensions Regulator runs the Scorpion campaign, which includes videos, action packs, leaflets and guidance, helping to raise awareness of the threats posed by scams amongst trustees, business advisers and individuals. These play a crucial role in helping to stop scams by arming consumers with the information they need to protect themselves.

In addition Pension Wise specifically alerts consumers to scams in guidance sessions and through their website.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Smith on 2015-11-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what progress his Department has made on establishing pilot schemes to support carers to stay in work in North Tyneside, Northamptonshire, Cheshire West, Gateshead, Bury, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Staffordshire and Stoke and Sefton.

Justin Tomlinson

Government has provided £1.6 million of funding for nine Carers in Employment pilots in North Tyneside, Northamptonshire, Cheshire West, Gateshead, Bury, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Staffordshire and Stoke and Sefton, to explore how carers can be supported to stay in, or return to paid work alongside their caring responsibilities. They began running in all nine Local Authorities from April 2015. These pilot projects support local businesses to make the best use of flexible working arrangements, maximise the use of assistive technology; improve carers’ access to information and resources, and support carers to set up micro-businesses that will expand the local care market.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Smith on 2016-01-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his Department’s legal costs were in Ashley Hurley, Mary Jarrett and Lee Palmer v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, CO/2717/2014 and CO/3220/2014.

Justin Tomlinson

The government has to date spent approximately £53,000 on legal costs associated with the case of Hurley and Others v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions [2015]

It should be noted that this figure includes VAT where this is payable (e.g. on Counsel’s fees) but do not include costs attributable to the time spent by government advisory lawyers on these cases. Time spent by such advisory lawyers is not recorded in a manner that allows it to be attributed to individual cases. Nor does it include any costs payable by the Secretary of State to the other parties to these cases or received from the other parties.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Smith on 2016-02-22.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what amount of (a) 1993 and (b) 2003 Child Support Agency scheme arrears are currently being handled by the Child Maintenance Service; and to how many case groups those arrears relate.

Priti Patel

As at 31 December 2015 the total amount of 1993 and 2003 Child Support Agency scheme arrears held on the 2012 system and currently being handled by the Child Maintenance Service stood at £92.6 million.

Information on related case groups and break downs by scheme are not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Smith on 2016-04-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is tacking to tackle funeral poverty in the UK.

Justin Tomlinson

This department supports people with help on funeral expenses through the Social Fund Funeral Expenses Payments scheme, which provides help towards the cost of a simple funeral for people claiming eligible benefits.

We are considering the recent Work and Pensions Select Committee report on support for the bereaved and will respond in due course.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Smith on 2016-04-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 18 April 2016 to Question 33196, whether his Department plans to place work coaches in other food banks.

Priti Patel

Jobcentre Plus Work Coaches undertake outreach work every day in local communities on a number of activities which includes supporting the Troubled Families Programme, homeless hostels, drug and alcohol dependency and ex-offenders. They have recently been helping people with back-to-work support and advice in Manchester at the Lalley Community Centre, where a food bank sits alongside other support services.

The decision on engagement with food banks and other local community initiatives will continue to remain at local discretion; where Jobcentre Plus is invited to work with a food bank provider and where there is local need.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Smith on 2015-11-03.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what preparatory work his Department has undertaken in advance of sending letters to tax credit recipients on changes to tax credits.

Damian Hinds

HM Revenue and Customs will be ready to notify tax credit claimants of their 2016/17 tax credit award in good time.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Smith on 2015-11-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the age-standardised mortality rate of people declared fit for work by his Department since December 2011.

Priti Patel

The information as requested is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Smith on 2016-01-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the number of people in work who will be in receipt of universal credit in (a) 2016-17, (b) 2017-18, (c) 2018-19 and (d) 2019-20.

Priti Patel

The number of people on benefits is driven by a range of factors. Because of this, the Universal Credit programme measures progress by the successful achievement of its delivery plan, rather than numbers of claimants.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Smith on 2016-03-08.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many self-employed people claimed (a) child and (b) working tax credits in (i) 2013-14 and (ii) 2014-15.

Damian Hinds

The latest information for 2013-14 recipients can be obtained from the ‘Child and Working Tax Credits statistics: finalised annual awards – 2013 to 2014’ publication. It is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/child-and-working-tax-credits-statistics-finalised-annual-awards-2013-to-2014

The equivalent information for 2014-15 will not be available until May 2016.

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