Tag: Owen Smith

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people his Department has written to regarding changes to the work allowance element of universal credit.

Priti Patel

We have contacted around 59,000 people, purposefully casting the net wide to ensure that no one is missed. The actual number of claimants affected is expected to be significantly lower.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the personal details of universal credit claimants are stored safely.

Priti Patel

The security of claimant information is a crucial part of the way that data is managed in the department. The personal details of Universal Credit claimants are securely stored and access to this data is strictly controlled. A range of controls are present within the Universal Credit service to protect the confidentiality and integrity of claimant personal data and there are regular tests against these controls to ensure that they meet Government and international security standards.

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Smith on 2015-10-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many pensioners will lose money as a result of changing the Support for Mortgage Interest scheme from a benefit to an interest-bearing loan; and what the average annual loss will be for such pensioners.

Justin Tomlinson

All SMI claimants, including pensioners, will continue to receive the same level of support as now towards their mortgage interest when it becomes a loan. As a result no claimants, including pensioners, will receive less in SMI payments than they would now.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Smith on 2015-10-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what processes and procedures are in place when benefit claimants report having suicidal thoughts.

Priti Patel

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) takes seriously any declarations of intention to attempt suicide or self harm that are made by its customers. There is a clear, detailed action plan that staff must follow if a customer declares an intention to kill or harm themselves. DWP also provides guidance to help its staff deal with these incidents. The policy, procedures and guidance are reviewed regularly to ensure that they continue to meet their objectives and to identify areas for improvement.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Smith on 2015-10-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average length of time is that pensioners currently in receipt of the Support for Mortgage Interest scheme have been claiming that benefit.

Justin Tomlinson

A reliable estimate is not available. Consistent data on SMI claims has only been collected since 1996 and durations of claims starting before then cannot be calculated.