The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-04-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many times he has met work programme providers or their representative body to discuss the progress of employment support allowance claimants since June 2011.
Esther McVey
The Secretary of State has not met with work programme providers or their respresentative body about the progress of employment support allowance claimants since June 2011.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-04-28.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, in which years from 1984 to 2010 was there a reduction in the number of workless households.
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 2014-05-07.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what his most recent planning assumption is for the last date on which new claims for working tax credit will be accepted.
Nicky Morgan
Working Tax Credit is gradually being replaced by Universal Credit. The current Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) planning assumption is that the Universal Credit service will be fully available in each part of Great Britain during 2016, having closed down new claims to the legacy benefits that it replaces, including tax credits. HMRC will continue to work closely with the DWP on the specific process and timing for the closure of new claims to Working Tax Credit.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-06-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much his Department spent on correspondence with recipients of (a) jobseeker’s allowance and (b) employment and support allowance in (i) 2010, (ii) 2011, (iii) 2012 and (iv) 2013.
Esther McVey
The information requested is not available.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-06-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many 16 year olds claimed jobseeker’s allowance in (a) 2010, (b) 2011, (c) 2012 and (d) 2013.
Esther McVey
The information as requested is published and can be found at:
https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/Default.asp
“
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-03-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the effect (a) generally and (b) on ease of comparisons with previous years of collecting work-related ill-health data through the Labour Force Survey biennially instead of annually.
Mike Penning
Experience from collecting work-related ill health data through the Labour Force Survey from 2003/04 to 2011/12 indicated that figures rarely changed significantly year-on-year. The main value in the data is in comparisons over longer time periods and in combining survey years to look at detailed sub-populations.
Work-related ill health data for 2013/14 has been collated and will be published in the autumn.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-03-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many press officers his Department employed in each of the last six years.
Mike Penning
We have been able to provide the information dating back to 2011. The number of press officers employed by the Department is as follows:
March 2014 – 20
March 2013 – 20
March 2012 – 23
July 2011 – 31
By way of comparison in March 2010 the Department employed 54 press officers
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-03-27.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department collects information from Jobcentre Plus offices on the number of people referred to local advice providers to use telephones.
Esther McVey
It is not our policy to refer people to other organisations for the purposes of making a phone call.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-04-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the progress of the current review of the European strategy on health and safety at work.
Mike Penning
The UK Government responded to the public consultation on a new policy framework for health and safety at work in the EU conducted by the European Commission in 2013. We emphasised the need for any new policy framework to be rooted in the principles of better regulation. The Commission has said that it expects to publish a communication on the outcome of that consultation this year and I look forward to seeing it in due course.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-04-28.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to paragraph 1.197 of the Autumn Statement 2013, what the expected cost to the public purse will be of the basic skills pilot; how many people will benefit from that pilot; what its start and end dates will be; and if he will make a statement.
Esther McVey
The 18-21 Skills for Work pilots will be funded from within the Department’s budget settlement as agreed at Autumn Statement 2013.
Under the pilot, young people making a claim to JSA between the ages of 18 and 21 years will be screened for English and Maths below level 2. Those identified as having a skill need will be referred on a mandatory basis to Maths or English training.
It is projected 10,000 JSA claimants will be referred to learning. The pilot will start in late Autumn 2014 and last up to nine months.