Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many state pension payments have been delayed in the last 12 months.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department for Work & Pensions (DWP) interprets this question as relating to State Pension claims.
DWP does not retain information about the amount of State Pension payments which have been delayed in the last 12 months.
DWP is not able to ascertain whether a State Pension payment has been delayed as this is dependant on a number of factors, such as the date of entitlement, date when the customer requests payment to be made and whether a customer has put off (deferred) making their claim.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 16 October 2017 to Question 106233, on jobcentres: Sheffield, if he plans to publish a cost-benefit analysis for the closure of Eastern Avenue Jobcentre by the end of 2017.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
I refer the honourable member to the response given to Question 106233 on 16 October 2017. We are not in a position to share any figures due to commercial confidentiality pending completion of legal processes. No figures will be published in 2017.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has estimated the potential savings to the public purse of the closure of Eastern Avenue jobcentre.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
DWP continues to negotiate suitable terms on sites within Sheffield. Therefore due to on-going commercial sensitivities around these new lease agreements, we cannot comment on financial matters, provide details of the current lease or details of the future/new leases. This includes those sites being retained which we propose will take in staff and services from Eastern Avenue.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has conducted a cost-benefit analysis of the closure of Eastern Avenue jobcentre.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
The Department conducts detailed analysis of a range of factors, including cost, value for money, economic factors and affordability.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment has been made of the costs of relocation and refurbishment at Cavendish Court Jobcentre as part of the current jobcentre closure programme.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
We are not in a position to share figures due to commercial confidentiality pending completion of legal processes. We expect to make savings by merging offices through reduced running costs and making best use of both office space available and taxpayer’s money.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he plans to publish the cost-benefit analysis of Eastern Avenue Jobcentre closure.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
We are not in a position to share any figures due to commercial confidentiality pending completion of legal processes. We expect to make savings by merging offices through reduced running costs and making best use of both office space available and taxpayer’s money.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many screened interview rooms are being lost in jobcentres in South Yorkshire.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
Two screened areas are being removed; one in Mexborough Jobcentre as part of building works to merge services from Goldthorpe Jobcentre, and one from the closure of Eastern Avenue. Claimants will be directed to other screened areas within the District if required.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assistance is being provided to staff of jobcentres selected for closure who are unable to relocate to alternative sites and maintain their current working hours due to family commitments.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
For any staff who are outside of reasonable daily travel, we will be seeking to redeploy them into a new role within DWP wherever possible. We will also look to other government departments for wider opportunities. I would stress though, that our first priority is to minimise the risk of redundancies. Our track record on previous redeployments suggests that we will be able to relocate or offer alternative roles to the vast majority of those potentially affected. At this time staff continue to be supported through local discussions with their managers.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many screened interview rooms are being lost in jobcentres in Sheffield.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
Sheffield Eastern Avenue Jobcentre currently houses one of three screened areas. Its closure will leave two screened areas, located at Bailey Court Jobcentre and Cavendish Court Jobcentre. At present twenty-one claimants from Eastern Avenue are seen in a screened environment, DWP are confident that Cavendish Court Jobcentre will be able to accommodate these claimants.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of potential risks to staff and other customers of the location of screened rooms in Cavendish Court Jobcentre.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
All moves will have been appropriately risk assessed to comply with Health and Safety legislation to ensure the personal safety of staff and customers.