Tag: Stephen Timms

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.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-12-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with his German counterpart on the future operation of Deutsche Bahn services between Stratford International and Germany.

Claire Perry

I recognise the international importance of the HS1 network in allowing high-speed rail services from London to reach Europe, whilst noting that no international services currently serve Stratford International station. Eurostar, in which the government recently sold its 40% stake, accesses the HS1 network on an open access basis and is not subject to the terms of a franchise agreement or a contract let by government. Government has no power to direct or specify that Eurostar stops at Stratford International station. A decision made by Eurostar not to serve Stratford International would be as a result of commercial imperatives and priorities, for example, the potential revenue derived from customers using the station or the increased journey time which a further stop would involve. It would not be appropriate for government to interfere with that decision-making process. I have not received any recent representations on this matter from potential or actual train operators; who in any event, should address their questions to HS1 Ltd, as the infrastructure manager, in the first instance; nor have I held any discussions with Eurostar on the matter of services to Stratford.

Regarding any aspirations of Deutsche Bahn to commence operation of international services from St Pancras International, this is rightly a matter for HS1 Ltd as the infrastructure manager, who I understand have held discussions with a number of potential new entrants, including Deutsche Bahn. It would not be appropriate to comment on any ongoing commercial discussions between those parties.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-01-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance his Department gives to Jobcentre Plus staff on alerting applicants to the possibility of applying for universal credit by telephone rather than online.

Priti Patel

The main route to access Universal Credit (UC) is through digital channels. Where a claimant is unable to access the on-line service, departmental guidance directs staff to advise claimants of the UC helpline number to make a claim.