The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-01-14.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he plans to pilot the application of universal credit in work conditionality by staff other than Jobcentre Plus advisers; and if he will make a statement.
Esther McVey
The in-work progression trials, due to begin in April 2015, will be delivered by Jobcentre Plus Work Coaches.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-02-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what representations he has received from local authorities engaged in the accelerated rollout of universal credit to their areas from February 2015.
Mr Mark Harper
As part of the national roll out of Universal Credit (UC) which I announced on 12 October 2014, officials from my Department are in discussions with Local Authorities (LA) and their representative bodies across Great Britain including the Local Government Association, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and the Welsh Local Government Association in taking UC forward.
Senior Representatives jointly consider matters in the Partnership Forum, and in the Universal Support Task Force and most recently the Implementation and Expansion Sub Group.
These discussions include; agreeing go-live dates, managing communications, discussion on level of support LAs can provide to UC claimants and associated costs. All Representations from LAs are being managed at a local level during the course of these discussions.
The Minister for Welfare Reform has engaged with the local government sector including holding regular meetings with Councillor David Sparks, chairman of the Local Government Association (LGA).
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-06-27.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department is currently pursuing plans for jam jar bank accounts under the universal credit programme; and if he will make a statement.
Esther McVey
We are looking at a wide range of support options and considering the best outcomes for Universal Credit claimants which provide value for the taxpayer.
We are continuing to have discussions with providers of financial products and other stakeholders and we will make an announcement once those discussions have concluded.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-01-14.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his strategy for testing approaches to universal credit in work conditionality includes testing of a requirement to leave one job and start another in order to increase pay; and if he will make a statement.
Esther McVey
Each claimant will discuss their personal circumstances with a Work Coach and requirements will be personalised to take account of a claimant’s individual capability and circumstances. In some circumstances it may be reasonable to expect a claimant to apply for and take up new employment which will enable them to increase their earnings.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-02-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, on what criteria his Department compiled the list of people and organisations to whom his Department’s consultation, Universal Credit data sharing between his Department and local support providers, published on 10 December 2014, was initially sent.
Mr Mark Harper
This was an open consultation hosted on GOV.UK, to which anyone, individual or organisation could respond. DWP also sent it to organisations with whom we have been working to develop proposals for local support.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-06-27.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many universal credit claimants have become ineligible for the benefit as a consequence of increased income since October 2013.
Esther McVey
The information requested is not currently available.
The Department published its strategy for releasing official statistics on Universal Credit (UC) in September 2013 which can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/universal-credit-statistics
“
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-01-13.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to his Department’s guidance on delivering public value from spending proposals, under what circumstances procuring a system precedes completion of the full business case.
Danny Alexander
As set out in HM Treasury’s “The Green Book — appraisal and evaluation in Central Government”, all new policies, programmes and projects should be subject to comprehensive but proportionate assessment, where it is practicable, so as best to promote the public interest. The nature of this assessment will vary according to the nature of the proposal, and is likely to be influenced by factors such as the scale and complexity of the proposed procurement.
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 people for whom Youth Contract wage incentives have been paid since April 2012 have been (a) male, (b) female, (c) disabled and (d) Black and minority ethnic.
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, column 345W, on employment and support allowance (ESA), how many work programme job outcome payments there were in each ESA prognosis customer group in Great Britain between 1 June 2011 and 31 December 2013.
Esther McVey
The information held in respect of job outcomes by Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) prognosis group, is given in the table below:
Number of Work Programme Job Outcomes by ESA prognosis Customer Groups, Great Britain: 1 June 2011 – 31 December 2013:
|
ESA Prognosis Customer Group |
Job Outcomes |
|
All ESA WRAG |
11,900 |
|
ESA (c) WRAG Mandatory |
810 |
|
ESA (c) WRAG Voluntary |
240 |
|
ESA (IR) WRAG 12Mth Mandatory |
1,060 |
|
ESA (IR) WRAG 12Mth Voluntary |
170 |
|
ESA (IR) WRAG 3/6Mth Stock |
370 |
|
ESA (IR) WRAG 3/6 Mth Mandatory |
7,750 |
|
ESA (IR) WRAG 3/6 Mth Voluntary |
120 |
|
ESA (IR) WRAG 3/6 Mth Mandatory ExIB |
560 |
|
ESA (IR) WRAG 3/6 Mth Voluntary ExIB |
20 |
|
ESA Mandatory (IR) WRAG 12m |
650 |
|
ESA (IR) WRAG 12m Mandatory EXIB |
140 |
|
ESA Credit Only |
40 |
|
ESA (IR) Support Group |
50 |
|
ESA (c) Support Group |
20 |
|
ESA (IR) Support Group ExIB |
10 |
|
ESA (c) Support Group ExIB |
20 |
In addition to the 296,000 jobseekers where the Work Programme provider has claimed a Job Outcome payment, there are a further 26,000 people who we have identified, who have spent at least six months in work (or three for the hardest to help), but where the provider has not claimed a Job Outcome.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-01-13.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what representations he has made to the European Court of Justice in response to its consideration of the VAT treatment of bitcoin transactions; and if he will make a statement.
Mr David Gauke
No representations have been made to the EU Court of Justice regarding the VAT treatment of Bitcoin transactions.