Tag: Stephen Timms

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-06-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 12 June 2014, Official Report, column 247W, on Jobcentre Plus, whether Jobcentre Plus is required to obtain the consent of a voluntary employment support project which receives no statutory funding before issuing a jobseeker’s direction requiring a jobseeker’s allowance claimant’s engagement with that project.

Esther McVey

In return for receiving benefits we expect jobseekers to do everything they can to find work. This could include engaging with an employment support project. We expect districts to work in partnership with organisations that offer opportunities which will help improve a claimant’s employment prospects, but they are not legally obliged to gain their consent before issuing a Jobseeker’s Direction.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-01-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what conclusions about effective approaches to universal credit in work conditionality he has drawn from the labour market trials which started between May 2013 and January 2014; and if he will make a statement.

Esther McVey

The purpose of the initial Jobcentre Plus-led trials tested within Jobcentre Plus were to help inform and shape the design of larger-scale Randomised Controlled Trials that we plan to run in Universal Credit from April 2015, from which conclusions about effective in-work support will start to be drawn.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-02-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 9 February 2015 to Question 223098, what the value is of overpayments recovered from Work Programme providers since June 2011.

Esther McVey

The overpayments recovered from Work Programme providers since June 2011 to 31^st January 2015 is £30m, which is less than 2% of total expenditure on the programme.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-06-30.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills on the effect of universal credit on the self-employed.

Esther McVey

There have been no recent meetings with Ministers but there have been extensive discussions between DWP officials and officials at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills whilst designing the approach to supporting those who are self-employed in Universal Credit.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-01-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he plans to publish evaluations of the universal credit in work conditionality pilots.

Esther McVey

The Department is currently developing the evaluation strategy, including publication plans, for the large-scale Randomised Controlled Trials that we will deliver in Universal Credit. The first of these trials will be launched in April this year.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-02-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proposals his Department has to measure the time between a benefit claim being made and the claimant receiving their first payment.

Esther McVey

The Department currently uses a suite of measures to track and manage the timeliness of processing for the range of benefits it administers. These measures are supported by business information systems and used to help manage and improve performance. Going forward, the Department plans to retain these measurements for working age benefits and is developing a processing time measure for Universal Credit along similar lines.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-06-30.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he plans to take to reduce the number of rebukes his Department receives from the UK Statistical Authority.

Esther McVey

Since May 2010 the DWP has led the way in openness and transparency of statistical releases by publishing over 770 releases and datasets.
Great care is taken to get things right, and in this time the UK Statistics Authority (UKSA) has only written directly to DWP Ministers on two occasions about issues raised with it about DWP statistics. The Department has responded to these points and taken on board the UKSA suggestions.

DWP Statistical releases are produced and published separately to and independently from other Departmental comment or publications.
Great care is taken by DWP statisticians to ensure the Statistical releases are easy to read and understand, and are balanced and impartial.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-01-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what changes he has made to his Department’s policies or procedures in response to those representations about the adequacy of his Department’s hardship payments scheme.

Esther McVey

Following the recommendations of the Oakley Review of sanctions (published July 2014), Jobcentre Plus offices have improved claimants’ awareness of hardship when a sanction applies to their benefit.

Jobcentre Plus has undertaken a comprehensive review of the Hardship process. This has focused on strengthening information provided to claimants throughout their engagement with us. All claimants are informed about the application process before a sanction decision is made and before any benefit reduction. Assistance is also provided with the application process where required. We have also sped up the hardship process so all payments are made within 3 days.

Vulnerable claimants can continue to apply for hardship payments immediately.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-02-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reasons the Universal Credit IT system in Leigh, Greater Manchester, was out of action for three consecutive days in the first week of February 2015; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Mark Harper

The Universal Credit IT core system was fully operational throughout February. In Leigh, however, there was a problem in non-UC IT which was remedied promptly.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-06-30.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans Jobcentre Plus has to work with the organisation Movement to Work.

Esther McVey

Jobcentre Plus has been giving practical support to the employer-led Movement to Work initiative and continues to do so. It offers advice to employers who have Movement to Work opportunities to fill. Coaches in Jobcentres are able to refer young people to these opportunities where appropriate.

In addition the Department of Work and Pensions has been supporting the initiative centrally. Most recently Movement to Work organised an event in June to encourage more employers to join. As an employer the Civil Service is contributing 6000 work experience opportunities to the Movement and my Department is offering 3000 of them.