The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-06-26.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people currently claiming jobseeker’s allowance are aged (a) 16, (b) 17, (c) 18, (d) 19, (e) 20, (f) 21, (g) 22, (h) 23, (i) 24 and (j) 25 years.
Mr Nick Hurd
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-02-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reasons his Department and the Skills Funding Agency have not agreed a data sharing protocol with the Work Programme contractors delivering the Skills Support for Work Programme participants in employment project in partnership with Newham College of Further Education.
Esther McVey
The department has established an information sharing protocol enabling relevant data to be shared by Work Programme providers with all Skills Support for Work Programme providers. This involves providers first obtaining the participants’ consent, so their information can be shared.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-07-16.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Youth Contract wage incentive payments made since April 2012 have related to work activity of (a) over 30 hours’ duration and (b) between 16 to 29 hours’ duration per week.
Esther McVey
The information is not available.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-06-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 16 June 2014, Official Report, columns 345-6W, on employment and support allowance, how many claimants in the WRAG with a prognosis of two years or more who made (a) a new claim – initial assessment and (b) a new claim – repeat assessment were judged that return to work was unlikely in the longer term.
Mike Penning
The figures requested are the same as those referred to in the Answer of 16 June 2014, Official Report, columns 345-6W, on employment and support allowance. A prognosis of two years or more is defined as unlikely in the longer term.
The prognoses available to the healthcare professional are:
– 3 months
– 6 months
– 12 months
– 18 months
– Within 2 years
– In the longer term
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-02-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what representations he has received from Jobcentre Plus staff, working on Universal Credit in jobcentres where it has been rolled out, about technical and communications problems associated with Universal Credit.
Mr Mark Harper
The Department routinely seeks and receives insight from Work Coaches and other front-line staff on all aspects of DWP operations.
We use this feedback to ensure our services are operating at an optimal level.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-07-16.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many jobseekers were supported through the Flexible Support Fund in 2013; and what proportion of such were (a) men, (b) under 25 years old and (c) over 50 years old.
Esther McVey
The information requested is not readily available and there would be a disproportionate cost to collate this information.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-06-25.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 17 June 2014, Official Report, columns 600-601W, on the self-employed, what proportion of the working age population in each region are classed as individuals with self-employment sources.
Mr David Gauke
As provided in my answer on 17th June 2014, estimates of the numbers of individuals with self employment sources for each region of the UK in the year 2011-12 are provided in the table below.
|
Region |
Number of Self-employed |
|
North East |
158 |
|
North West and Merseyside |
497 |
|
Yorkshire and the Humber |
402 |
|
East Midlands |
352 |
|
West Midlands |
418 |
|
East of England |
556 |
|
London |
883 |
|
South East |
844 |
|
South West |
559 |
|
Wales |
240 |
|
Scotland |
368 |
|
Northern Ireland |
177 |
|
Address abroad |
34 |
|
All UK |
5,490 |
These estimates are based on the Survey of Personal Incomes for 2011-12 which is the latest year available.
Estimates of the UK population by country, region and age are published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Information at country level is published at the following address:
http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/publications/re-reference-tables.html?edition=tcm%3A77-318453
Information for each region within England is published at the following address:
http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/publications/re-reference-tables.html?edition=tcm%3A77-335242
“
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-06-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will place in the Library the methodology and assumptions used to populate the Help to Work sections of Table 2.1, page 78, Autumn Statement 2013, Cm 8747 showing financial savings arising from the programme.
Esther McVey
Page 8 of the Autumn Statement 2013: policy costing document sets out the assumptions and methodology for the benefit savings from Help to Work that are in Table 2.1, page 78, Autumn Statement 2013.
“
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-02-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the effect of the withdrawal of the Youth Contract Wage Incentive Scheme on youth unemployment; and if he will make a statement.
Esther McVey
The wage incentive was always intended to be a time limited measure. It was designed to support employers during the recession. It has provided nearly 100,000 job opportunities for young people. The economy is recovering; the UK has witnessed the largest annual drop in youth unemployment since records began.
Our focus now is to make sure young people have the skills they need to take up these vacancies. The reinvestment of money from the wage incentive scheme into other areas has enabled us to continue to drive down youth unemployment with the most recent figures showing youth unemployment down 188,000 in the last year and by nearly 200,000 since 2010. During 2014 youth unemployment recorded its largest annual fall on record and long-term youth unemployment has also fallen by more than 50,000 in the last year.
Since the wage incentive was introduced, take up by employers has been lower than expected. Employers found it less attractive than other elements of the scheme. DWP listened to businesses and responded to their needs, as such we reinvested money into those groups who are hardest to help to:
· Provide additional advisor time for young people in areas of high youth unemployment and for disadvantaged 18-19 year old NEETs;
· Provide additional funding for BIS to support young people further away from the labour market by providing education and training activities intended to lead initially to traineeships or equivalent provision and subsequently employment.
· Support the 16-17 NEET pilots and BIS 18-21 Work Skills pilots
· Provide additional funding for City Deals;
· Extend the New Enterprise Allowance scheme to December 2014 and provide funding for BIS for start up loans
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-09-17.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Answer of 24 March 2015 to Question 228133, pursuant to the Answer of 8 June 2015 to Question 748 and pursuant to the Answer of 15 September 2015 to Question 9414, why information on the number of hardship applications and the amount claimed in hardship payments will now no longer be available; and if he will make a statement.
Priti Patel
Information on the number of hardship applications and awards is available and will be published. Information on how much has been claimed in hardship payments is not available.