The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-02-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 4 February 2016 to Question 25175, for what other purposes claimants can make free calls to his Department.
Justin Tomlinson
The Department uses 0800 numbers so that claimants can make free calls to claim State Pension, Pension Credit, Jobseekers’ Allowance, Income Support, Employment and Support Allowance, and Personal Independence Payment.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-02-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what financial savings she expects to result from the transfer of processing Bangladeshi visa applications to New Delhi.
James Brokenshire
Decision making on UK visa applications lodged in Bangladesh was transferred from Dhaka to New Delhi in September 2014. Logistical changes like this are made for operational reasons and to refine the longstanding hub and spoke structure of the visa network, where applications are decided at regional decision making centres. The hub and spoke structure increases resilience, improves security and enhances decision quality. The overall customer experience is unchanged as applications can be submitted at the same visa application centres and continue to be decided within the same global customer service standard. As result of this transfer of work we also estimate a saving of around £0.6m per year.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-03-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when his Department will provide substantive Answers to Questions 25366 and 25426 submitted on 2 February 2016.
Mr Edward Vaizey
The PQs have now been answered.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-03-14.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what scope there is for new claimants of universal credit to negotiate the terms of their claimant commitment.
Priti Patel
A personalised Claimant Commitment is drawn up by the Work Coach as part of a one to one discussion with the claimant. The work-related requirements detailed in the Claimant Commitment are tailored to an individual’s needs, experience and circumstances, making them realistic and achievable.
It is reviewed with the claimant and revised where appropriate on an on-going basis.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-03-21.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether Jobcentre Plus staff can provide support and advice to claimants who are intending to appeal against a benefit sanctions decision.
Priti Patel
Jobcentre staff will advise claimants about the appeals process at various stages.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-03-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, to how many appeal hearings her Department did not send a representative at (a) First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum) and (b) Upper Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum) in (i) 2012-13 (ii) 2013-14 and (iii) 2014-15.
James Brokenshire
The Government publishes the percentage of appeal hearings at which the Secretary of State for the Home Department was represented on a quarterly basis. Below is a table covering the 2012-2015 period.
Appeal Representation Rates
|
Quarters |
All hearings (%) |
First Tier (%) 3 |
Upper Tier (%) 3 |
Deportation (%) 2 |
|
2012 Q1 |
83% |
80% |
100% |
100% |
|
2012 Q2 |
83% |
80% |
100% |
100% |
|
2012 Q3 |
87% |
85% |
100% |
100% |
|
2012 Q4 |
94% |
93% |
100% |
100% |
|
2013 Q1 |
95% |
94% |
100% |
100% |
|
2013 Q2 |
98% |
97% |
100% |
100% |
|
2013 Q3 |
98% |
98% |
100% |
100% |
|
2013 Q4 |
99% |
99% |
100% |
100% |
|
2014 Q1 |
99% |
98% |
100% |
100% |
|
2014 Q2 |
99% |
99% |
100% |
100% |
|
2014 Q3 |
99% |
99% |
100% |
100% |
|
2014 Q4 |
99% |
99% |
100% |
100% |
|
2015 Q1 |
97% |
97% |
100% |
100% |
|
2015 Q2 |
86% |
83% |
100% |
100% |
|
2015 Q3 |
85% |
82% |
100% |
100% |
|
2015 Q4 |
98% |
97% |
100% |
100% |
|
Appeal Representation Rates |
|
|
1 |
The percentage of appeal hearings at first tier/upper tier/deportation where the Home Office was represented. |
|
2 |
Deportation appeals show both first tier and upper tier representation rates. |
|
3 |
The first tier/upper tier information excludes entry clearance appeals and deportation appeals. |
|
4 |
All figures quoted have been derived from management information and are therefore provisional and subject to change. |
|
5 |
This information has not been quality assured under National Statistics protocols. |
|
6 |
Data refers ONLY to those cases recorded on the Casework Immigration Database. |
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-04-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to encourage homeless people to be screened for tuberculosis.
Jane Ellison
The Collaborative Tuberculosis (TB) Strategy for England 2015-2020 was launched in January 2015[1]. It lays out 10 key ‘areas for actions’ which include improving TB awareness raising, TB case finding (screening) and treatment for under-served populations such as the homeless; which are being delivered across England by seven TB Control Boards supported by a national TB team.
These actions are underpinned by collaborative working between third sector organisations, local authorities, Public Health England and the National Health Service. The work focuses on targeted awareness-raising of symptoms and curability of TB; the range of local health and care services; and eligibility for free treatment. Specific and targeted outreach interventions for under-served populations (informed by proven models such as ‘Find and Treat’ in London) include specific services for active case finding for pulmonary TB among homeless people, use of mobile X-ray units (MXUs) with incentives for people to have chest X-rays, enhanced case management and return to service interventions to prevent loss to follow up.
[1]Public Health England. Collaborative Tuberculosis Strategy for England 2015 to 2020 [Internet]. 2015. Available from:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/collaborative-tuberculosis-strategy-for-england
“
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-04-22.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what protocols her Department has on removing from the UK people who have been refused leave to remain and who require (a) 16 hours and (b) 24 hours of oxygen per day for medical reasons.
James Brokenshire
There are no protocols in place for enforced removals in such circumstances. Any such case would be assessed by our medical escorting contractor on the basis of the individual’s need.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-05-03.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate HM Revenue and Customs has made of the number of PAYE schemes whose balances do not reconcile to within £100 of their liabilities in 2013-14 and each successive financial year.
Mr David Gauke
HM Revenue and Customs does not keep this data.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-05-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many permanent EU officials were passed through the Civil/Diplomatic Service European Fast Stream programme in each year since 2010.
Mr David Lidington
The European Fast Stream was re-established in 2010 with the dual aim of increasing UK representation in the EU institutions, as well as building EU capability in Whitehall. As part of the scheme, each European Fast Streamer spends five months or longer in an EU institution as a national expert. Since 2010 there have been four successful candidates in the European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO) competitions from the European Fast Stream. Of these successful candidates, one took up a post in 2014 and another is starting in summer 2016.