Tag: Stephen Timms

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-07-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many applications from maintained schools to convert to academy status were (a) approved and (b) declined by each regional schools commissioner in 2015.

Edward Timpson

The table below shows the total number of applications received in 2015 from Local Authority maintained schools and how many of these were subsequently approved or declined. The information is split by the RSC region in which the schools are located. Please note that the decision to approve or decline may in some instances have been made by ministers.

RSC region	Total number of applications received in 2015	Number of applications received in 2015 that were approved	Number of applications received in 2015 that were declined
East Midlands & Humber	59	43	3
Lancashire & West Yorkshire	42	35	1
North	63	49	0
North East London & East	55	55	0
North West London & South Central	55	52	0
South London & South East	56	49	1
South West	90	74	0
West Midlands	113	100	1
Total	533	457	6

A small number of applications received in 2015 have been withdrawn or not yet decided.

The data is correct as at 1 July 2016.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-09-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with how many local authorities his Department has worked to improve budgeting advice for universal credit claimants.

Damian Hinds

Universal Credit has introduced Personal Budgeting Support to provide budgeting and money advice to claimants as part of Universal Support provisions. We have engaged with all 380 local authorities in delivering this.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-10-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans he has to help reduce long-term unemployment.

Damian Hinds

The number of people in employment is increasing and the latest figures show that the employment rate has remained at the record high of 74.5%. There are more people in work than ever before (31.81 million) – up 106,000 on the quarter and 560,000 on the year.

The number of long term unemployment is 443,000 – the lowest level since 2008.

Universal Credit, the Work Programme and the Jobcentre Plus Offer, is reforming the welfare system to improve incentives and provide more effective support to those without work.

Work Coaches have the flexibility to offer all claimants a comprehensive menu of help which includes skills provision and job search support. All claimants who are long term unemployed can access the tailored, back to work support on offer from the Work Programme, which provides support for those who are more at risk of long-term unemployment.

An Employment and Health Related Service is being launched in 2017. The Work and Health Programme is a new programme that will harness the expertise of private, public, voluntary and community sector providers to deliver sustained work for disabled people, disadvantaged groups and the long term unemployed.

There is also to be a new Youth Obligation from April 2017. From day 1 of their claim, young people will participate in an intensive support regime equipping them with vital skills to not only find a job, but build capability to sustain work. After six months they will be expected to apply for an appropriate apprenticeship, a traineeship, gain work skills or go on a mandatory work placement to give them the opportunities they need to get on in work.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-10-29.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what criteria he will use to decide whether to extend the placement of jobcentre advisers in food banks beyond the current pilot.

Priti Patel

Jobcentre Work Coaches undertake outreach work every day in local communities, and have recently been helping people with back-to-work support and advice at the Lalley Centre in Manchester. Early feedback has been very positive. We will reflect on this and see if there is potential for extending engagement where there is local need and Jobcentre Plus are invited to do so.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-10-30.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the recommendations of the Lancet Commission on liver disease, published in November 2014.

Jane Ellison

NHS England is responsible for the overall national approach to improving clinical outcomes for people with liver disease. It is adopting a broad strategy to reduce premature mortality, including mortality from liver disease, and is working jointly with stakeholders to make sure that patients with liver disease are supported. In addition, Public Health England is working with stakeholders to develop a liver disease framework and is also working closely with the Lancet Commission.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-11-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many (a) advisers and (b) managers were interviewed during the course of the investigation which led to the dismissal of two advisers at Plaistow Jobcentre in May 2014.

Priti Patel

Allegations of misuse of the Flexible Support Fund at Plaistow Jobcentre were investigated fully by the Department’s professionally trained investigators. It is not appropriate for the Secretary of State to disclose detailed information about internal investigations as providing this information would risk individuals being identified.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-11-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether it is his Department’s policy that a jobseeker who is telephoned by a Jobcentre Plus adviser and does not answer the telephone on more than one occasion should be considered for a sanction.

Priti Patel

Under JSA, claimants are not sanctioned for failing to answer their telephone. In Universal Credit, claimants who have a prearranged telephone interview with their Work Coach, and who fail to participate without good reason, can be referred for a sanction decision.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-12-01.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what guidance his Department gives to betting companies on the nature of their messages about responsible gambling required in their shop window advertising.

Tracey Crouch

Dedicating 20% of shop window advertising to responsible gambling messages is an industry-led initiative, introduced by the Senet Group last year.

All gambling advertising must comply with the UK Advertising Codes. These Codes include a number of requirements, such as ensuring that advertising is not aimed at children or young people and that it does not leave vulnerable people open to exploitation or harm.

More generally, the Gambling Commission’s Licence conditions and codes of practice (LCCP) require that all gambling advertising should be undertaken in a socially responsible manner.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-12-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what procedures her Department has put in place to provide support for Syrian refugees relocated in the UK under the vulnerable persons relocation scheme who do not speak English.

Richard Harrington

Local authorities provide those resettled under the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme with a 12 month support package to assist with their integration, and this includes provision of English language tuition. This is being funded using Official Development Aid, and the Chancellor has now confirmed that the Government will provide additional funding to assist with costs incurred in years two to five of the scheme.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-12-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether additional financial support is available to local authorities who participate in the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme to assist them with housing Syrian refugees.

Richard Harrington

The first 12 months of each refugee’s resettlement costs are met from the UK’s overseas aid budget. At the Spending Review, government committed £129m to assist with local authority costs over years 2-5 of the scheme. This is a substantial level of funding which will enable local authorities to support these vulnerable people as they rebuild their lives in safe and secure surroundings, among supportive communities in the UK.