Tag: Stephen Timms

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-10-28.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to gather data on people accessing the Pension Wise service.

Harriett Baldwin

The government committed to providing free, impartial guidance through Pension Wise, to help people make informed and confident decisions about how they use their defined contribution pension savings in retirement. It is available online, via the telephone and face to face. As of 29 October 2015, there were over 20,000 completed appointments for face to face guidance and 9,000 completed appointments for telephone guidance as well as over 1.7 million visits to the website.

Pension Wise runs exit surveys of those who have completed an appointment It is not mandatory for a user to complete an exit survey. The government is committed to being open and transparent with Pension Wise data and will be making core data readily available by placing it on the government performance platform this autumn. The data will be in the public domain and updated regularly. HM Treasury is working with Pension Wise delivery partners to provide the level of detail that we require for reporting purposes.

The Financial Conduct Authority, in line with its remit to protect consumers and ensure markets function in consumers’ interests, is monitoring developments in the retirement income market closely and has committed to take action where consumers are coming to harm or where the market is not operating competitively.

The government recognises that people may wish to consult different sources of information before reaching a decision about their retirement income. In addition to Pension Wise, The Pension Advisory Service (TPAS) provides independent, impartial information and guidance about pensions, free of charge, to members of the public. The Money Advice Service also provides free and unbiased information and guidance on all money matters.

A number of pension providers offer financial guidance. Individuals can also access regulated advice from an Independent Financial Adviser (IFA). HM Treasury and the Financial Conduct Authority are jointly considering how financial advice could be made more accessible and affordable for consumers through the Financial Advice Market Review.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-11-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, who authorised the payment from the Flexible Support Fund which led to the dismissal of two staff from Plaistow Jobcentre in May 2014.

Priti Patel

The information requested as to the identity of the authorising officer cannot be shared as it contains personal information relating to third parties.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-11-10.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, in cases where a person has registered a donation to a charity for gift aid but ended the year below the income threshold for income tax, whether it is the policy of HM Revenue and Customs to reclaim the gift aid from the (a) donor or (b) charity; and if he will make a statement.

Damian Hinds

Individual donors are responsible for ensuring that they have paid sufficient tax to cover any Gift Aid reclaimed on their donations.

In practice, where HMRC identifies tax to cover issues as a result of its compliance activity with a charity, it may invite the charity to make good any shortfall on behalf of their donors. The charity is not legally obliged to repay any over-claimed Gift Aid and the responsibility always remains that of the donor.

Details of how much Gift Aid is reclaimed separately from donors and charities is not available.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-11-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of premium service spousal visa applications were determined on the day of application in (a) 2010, (b) 2011, (c) 2012, (d) 2013 and (e) 2014.

James Brokenshire

The proportion of premium service spousal visa applications that received a grant or refusal outcome and were determined on the day of application during 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 were (data from 2009 has been included for context):

• In 2009, of 5930 applications, 80% were determined on the day of application

• In 2010, of 6360 applications, 80% were determined on the day of application

• In 2011, of 6855 applications, 74% were determined on the day of application

• In 2012, of 5670 applications, 69% were determined on the day of application

• In 2013, of 6335 applications, 78% were determined on the day of application

• In 2014, of 6725 applications, 91% were determined on the day of application

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-11-30.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance she has given to schools on including internet safety awareness in PSHE lessons for primary school children.

Edward Timpson

Internet safety has been a statutory requirement within the new computing programme of study since September 2014. The national curriculum sets the expectation that children in primary schools are taught how to use technology safely and respectfully; how to keep personal information private; and where to go for help and support when they have concerns about content on the internet.

The introduction of internet safety content in key stages 1 and 2 reflects the fact that children are increasingly accessing the internet from a young age, and is intended to inform pupils of good practice in staying safe online from an early age.

Schools are also able to teach pupils about internet safety in personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) lessons. The PSHE Association’s non-statutory programme of study for health and well-being includes ways of keeping physically and emotionally safe, including online.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-12-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 7 December 2015 to Question 18388, when he expects to publish the results of the Government’s evaluation of the effects of ending unsupervised stakes above £50 on fixed odds betting terminals in betting shops.

Tracey Crouch

I hope to publish the evaluation early in the new year.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-12-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 7 December 2015 to Question 17662, if she will recompense postal applicants for a spousal visa whose application is not determined within eight weeks; and if she will make a statement.

James Brokenshire

The Home Office does not intend to recompense all spousal visa applicants whose application was not determined within the 8 week postal service standard. The published service standard timeframes for spousal visa applications commences at the date of receipt, which is taken as the postal date marked on the application package and includes time taken for biometric enrolment.

Spousal visa applications may be decided outside of normal service standards for a range of reasons including requests for further information from the applicant or when an application is complex. An application will be deemed complex when it falls to be considered under Human Rights consideration beyond the original spousal route applied for. The applicant is normally advised when their application falls outside published service standards.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-01-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of claimants of universal credit who will be affected by the changes to benefits taking effect from April 2016.

Priti Patel

The information requested is not available.

However, the latest statistics indicate that the majority of existing Universal Credit claimants will see no change in entitlement as a result of the April 2016 changes. This is either because they are not yet in work or because they are already in work with earnings above the relevant threshold.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-01-11.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent estimate he has made of average annual pay growth in (a) 2016, (b) 2017, (c) 2018, (d) 2019 and (e) 2020.

Harriett Baldwin

The Office for Budget Responsibility provide the Government with estimates for annual pay growth. The table below sets out their forecast growth in average earnings for the years requested.

Year	Average earnings growth (per cent)
2016	3.4
2017	3.7
2018	3.6
2019	3.7
2020	3.9

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-01-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the contribution by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills on 5 November 2015, Official Report, column 1834, what steps he has taken to exploit the opportunities arising from future international services at Stratford International Station, once Crossrail arrives at that station.

Claire Perry

Crossrail services will serve Stratford domestic station, rather than the Stratford International station which is operated by HS1 Ltd. The Department for Transport has no powers to specify that an international operator – whether current or future – must stop at Stratford International station.

It is possible that an international operator may be able to produce a positive business case for using Stratford International station with the arrival of Crossrail. If this is the case, that operator would need to discuss their proposal with, amongst others, HS1 Ltd.