The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Smith on 2015-11-05.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent estimate he has made of the cost associated with the introduction of universal credit to date.
Priti Patel
In ‘Universal Credit at Work’ published in October 2014, we stated that the total cost of implementation is £1.8bn, of which a third (c£0.6bn) has been spent.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Smith on 2016-01-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many parents have moved to direct pay since the introduction of the 2012 child maintenance scheme.
Priti Patel
As at the end of August 2015, 82,600 cases were paying via Direct Pay.
More details can be found on page 6 of the Child Maintenance Scheme quarterly summary of statistics which can be accessed online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/2012-statutory-child-maintenance-scheme-aug-2013-to-aug-2015-experimental.
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Smith on 2016-02-22.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, in how many current Child Support Agency arrears cases with a current or ongoing liability for a child repayments are currently being made towards the arrears.
Priti Patel
As at December 2015, there were 149,600 CSA cases with a current liability and arrears paying more than their liability.
Information on Caseload Status is set out on Page 54 of the CSA Quarterly Summary of Statistics which can be accessed online at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/child-support-agency-quarterly-summary-statistics–2
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Smith on 2016-04-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 16 March 2016 to Question 30330, if he will publish examples of the feedback received on the placing of work coaches in foodbanks.
Priti Patel
The Department has shared findings from the food bank initiative with Jobcentre District Managers. There are no plans to publish the Lalley Community Centre findings externally.
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 22 March 2016 to Question 30765, when his Department plans to publish its White Paper on improving support for disabled people.
Justin Tomlinson
Improving support for disabled people and people with health conditions to get into and stay in work is a key priority for Government.
The Secretary of State has outlined that he is starting a new conversation with disabled people and people with health conditions, their representatives, healthcare professionals and employers. He is listening to all of their ideas and this will help inform our plans.
These will be set out in due course.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Smith on 2015-11-03.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of how many working households including people under 25 are likely to lose income as a result of changes he has announced to tax credits.
Damian Hinds
The Government is committed to achieving a higher wage, lower tax, lower welfare economy. That means more emphasis on support to working families on low incomes through reducing tax and increasing wages, than on topping up low wages through tax credits.
The Chancellor is listening to concerns raised by colleagues and will announce in his Autumn Statement how he plans to achieve the same goal of reforming tax credits and saving the money we need to secure our economy, while at the same time helping in the transition.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Smith on 2015-11-05.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people aged 18 to 21 in receipt of housing benefit also received tax credits in the most recent period for which figures are available; and what assessment he has made of the effect on those people of planned reforms to tax credit.
Damian Hinds
The Government is committed to achieving a higher wage, lower tax, lower welfare economy. That means more emphasis on support to working families on low incomes through reducing tax and increasing wages, than on topping up low wages through tax credits.
The Chancellor is listening to concerns raised by colleagues and will announce in his Autumn Statement how he plans to achieve the same goal of reforming tax credits and saving the money we need to secure our economy, while at the same time helping in the transition.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Smith on 2016-01-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans he has to increase collection charges for the 2012 child maintenance scheme for the (a) parent with care and (b) non-resident parent.
Priti Patel
The level of the application charge and collection charges for parents with care and non-resident parents will be included in the statutory 30 month review of charging, which is due to be completed by December 2016. There are no current plans to increase the application fee or collection charges.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Smith on 2016-02-22.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, in how many arrears-only Child Support Agency cases repayments are currently being made towards the arrears.
Priti Patel
In the quarter to December 2015, 48,000 arrears only Child Support Agency cases made a payment towards their arrears.
For further information see table 21(page 54) in the Quarterly Summary Statistics at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/child-support-agency-quarterly-summary-statistics–2
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Smith on 2016-04-08.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate the Government has made of the number of people who will (a) be eligible for and (b) participate in the Help to Save scheme in each year up to 2020.
Harriett Baldwin
Approximately 3.5 million people are expected to be eligible to open a Help to Save account in each year from the date the scheme is launched, which will be no later than April 2018.
The costing is based on the expectation that around half a million people will open a Help to Save account in the first two years that accounts are available.
Further information on the costing of this measure can be found on page 62 of the published Budget 2016 Policy Costings document, available here:
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