Asked by: Gerald Jones (Labour - Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what impact assessment he has made of the effect of the proposed relocation on the quality of life for his Department's staff who will be relocated, particularly in relation to (a) the increase in the length of their working day due to travel time and (b) the effect on those with caring responsibilities.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
Under the Public Sector Equality Duty the Department is required to consider the potential impact on people with protected characteristics when making policy decisions and delivering services. We have therefore carried out equality analyses wherever our plans are to close or co-locate an office or service. We used the findings to understand the potential impact of changes to our estate on people – both for the Department’s employees and people using our services.
During the consultation process with individual employees who are required to move, their future journey in the context of a working day and relevant personal circumstances, such as caring responsibilities, form part of the decision making process as to whether they will move or the Department will seek to redeploy them into an alternative role.
Asked by: Gerald Jones (Labour - Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of employment and support allowance claims were overturned at the mandatory reconsideration stage in Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney constituency in (a) January to December 2016 and (b) January to June 2017.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
The information requested is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost
Asked by: Gerald Jones (Labour - Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of personal independence payment claims were overturned at mandatory reconsideration stage in Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney constituency in (a) January to December 2016 and (b) January to June 2017.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
Between January and December 2016 there have been 1,480 initial decisions on claims for Personal Independence Payment in Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney. In this same period, 80 had their Award Changed at mandatory reconsideration.
Between January and April 2017 there have been 710 initial decisions on claims for Personal Independence Payment in Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney. In this same period, 30 had their Award Changed at mandatory reconsideration.
Asked by: Gerald Jones (Labour - Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what account is taken when assessing people for personal independence payments of the need for aids and appliances as a proxy of the condition of the person being assessed.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The PIP Assessment Guide for Health Professionals carrying out assessments includes guidance on the assessment criteria and how they should be applied.
Section 3.2 ‘Applying the criteria’ (page 75) explains how to assess a person who is reliant on aids and appliances to complete an activity. This guidance can be accessed on the gov.uk website:
Asked by: Gerald Jones (Labour - Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of benefit sanctions have been reinstated after mandatory reconsideration in (a) Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney constituency and (b) Wales in the most recent period for which figures are available.
Answered by Priti Patel
The information requested is available at:
https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk
Guidance on how to extract the information required can be found at:
https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started---SuperWEB2.html
Asked by: Gerald Jones (Labour - Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have been subject to benefit sanctions in (a) Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney constituency and (b) Wales in the most recent period for which figures are available; and what the reasons for those sanctions were.
Answered by Priti Patel
The information requested is available at:
https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk
Guidance on how to extract the information required can be found at:
https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started---SuperWEB2.html