Asked by: Stephen Kinnock (Labour - Aberavon)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the press release entitled Prime Minister announces new funding to stop the boats, published on 20 May 2024, if he will publish the data that supports the statements that the Government has (a) dismantled 82 organised crime groups, (b) seized 352 boats and (c) prevented thousands of migrants from crossing the Channel.
Answered by Michael Tomlinson - Minister of State (Minister for Illegal Migration)
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Stephen Kinnock (Labour - Aberavon)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many investigations have been undertaken by his Department's Professional Standards Unit in each year by (a) immigration, borders and citizenship, (b) policing and (c) counter-terrorism since 2015.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Stephen Kinnock (Labour - Aberavon)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people (a) began and (b) left positions within his Department's Illegal Migration Operations Command in the most recent three-month period for which data is available.
Answered by Michael Tomlinson - Minister of State (Minister for Illegal Migration)
For security reasons, the Home Office does not provide data of staff working within the Illegal Migrations of Operation Command or on its resourcing plans.
The Home Office continues to ensure appropriate staffing levels are maintained. As with all government departments, we remain committed to accessing the best talent and skills into the Civil Service while adhering to headcount caps, maximising efficiency and delivering for the public whilst retaining maximum value for the taxpayer.
Asked by: Stephen Kinnock (Labour - Aberavon)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many vacancies within the Illegal Migration Operations Command were advertised in the most recent three-month period for which data is available.
Answered by Michael Tomlinson - Minister of State (Minister for Illegal Migration)
For security reasons, the Home Office does not provide data of staff working within the Illegal Migrations of Operation Command or on its resourcing plans.
The Home Office continues to ensure appropriate staffing levels are maintained. As with all government departments, we remain committed to accessing the best talent and skills into the Civil Service while adhering to headcount caps, maximising efficiency and delivering for the public whilst retaining maximum value for the taxpayer.
Asked by: Stephen Kinnock (Labour - Aberavon)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the budget allocated to his Department's Illegal Migration Operations Command was for financial year (a) 2023-24 and (b) 2024-25.
Answered by Michael Tomlinson - Minister of State (Minister for Illegal Migration)
For security reasons, the Home Office does not provide data of staff working within the Illegal Migrations of Operation Command or on its resourcing plans.
The Home Office continues to ensure appropriate staffing levels are maintained. As with all government departments, we remain committed to accessing the best talent and skills into the Civil Service while adhering to headcount caps, maximising efficiency and delivering for the public whilst retaining maximum value for the taxpayer.
Asked by: Stephen Kinnock (Labour - Aberavon)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many full-time equivalent members of staff were working in Illegal Migration Operations Command on 1 April 2024.
Answered by Michael Tomlinson - Minister of State (Minister for Illegal Migration)
For security reasons, the Home Office does not provide data of staff working within the Illegal Migrations of Operation Command or on its resourcing plans.
The Home Office continues to ensure appropriate staffing levels are maintained. As with all government departments, we remain committed to accessing the best talent and skills into the Civil Service while adhering to headcount caps, maximising efficiency and delivering for the public whilst retaining maximum value for the taxpayer.
Asked by: Stephen Kinnock (Labour - Aberavon)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many positions within his Department's Illegal Migration Operations Command were vacant on 1 April 2024.
Answered by Michael Tomlinson - Minister of State (Minister for Illegal Migration)
For security reasons, the Home Office does not provide data of staff working within the Illegal Migrations of Operation Command or on its resourcing plans.
The Home Office continues to ensure appropriate staffing levels are maintained. As with all government departments, we remain committed to accessing the best talent and skills into the Civil Service while adhering to headcount caps, maximising efficiency and delivering for the public whilst retaining maximum value for the taxpayer.
Asked by: Stephen Kinnock (Labour - Aberavon)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of people in Aberavon constituency have had personal independence payments overturned as a result of an appeal hearing in each year for which data is available.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Table 1 shows the number and percentage of initial decision awards for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) that were changed after an appeal tribunal hearing, in the Aberavon constituency by the financial year of the initial decision.
Table 1
Financial Year of Initial Decision | Initial Decisions Overturned at Tribunal Hearing | % PIP Initial Decisions Overturned at Tribunal Hearing | All Initial Decisions |
2013/14 | 0 | 4% | 80 |
2014/15 | 110 | 7% | 1,620 |
2015/16 | 130 | 10% | 1,380 |
2016/17 | 350 | 12% | 2,880 |
2017/18 | 100 | 9% | 1,200 |
2018/19 | 80 | 9% | 920 |
2019/20 | 80 | 8% | 1,040 |
2020/21 | 30 | 4% | 820 |
2021/22 | 60 | 6% | 1,090 |
2022/23 | 70 | 5% | 1,440 |
2023/24* | 10 | 1% | 740 |
Table 2 shows the number and percentage of Award Reviews (AR) and Change of Circumstances (CoC) decisions for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) that were changed after an appeal tribunal hearing, in the Aberavon constituency by the financial year of the AR or CoC decision.
Table 2
Financial Year of AR or CoC decision | AR/CoC Decisions Overturned at Tribunal Hearing | % PIP AR/CoC Decisions Overturned at Tribunal Hearing | All AR and CoC Decisions |
2016/17 | 40 | 10% | 370 |
2017/18 | 50 | 8% | 590 |
2018/19 | 80 | 9% | 870 |
2019/20 | 20 | 3% | 690 |
2020/21 | 20 | 2% | 850 |
2021/22 | 10 | 2% | 830 |
2022/23 | 20 | 2% | 920 |
2023/24* | 10 | 1% | 600 |
Please note:
Asked by: Stephen Kinnock (Labour - Aberavon)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much his Department spent on Personal Independence Payment tribunals in each year since 2021.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The full cost of a tribunal cannot be ascertained. This is because appeals are a joint process between DWP and HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS). DWP do not handle tribunals for appeals; the cost of handling appeal tribunals sits with HMCTS and we do not hold their cost information. If this information were required, we would suggest that this element of your request be submitted to HMCTS.
The department holds information relating to the initial PIP appeals process and that can be provided for financial years 2021/22 to 2023/24. The costs of processing the appeals would include expenditure relating to DWP Presenting Officers who attend some Tribunals. The DWP PIP Presenting Officers costs are detailed below:
PIP | 2021-22 (£m) | 2022-23 (£m) | 2023-24 (£m) |
Presenting Officers | £2.6 | £2.5 | £3.6 |
Cost figures are rounded to the nearest £0.1m.
Data Source: ABM
The cost figures quoted are estimated DWP level 1 operating costs, including both direct delivery staff and non-staff costs. Non-staff costs are only those costs incurred in local cost centres, relating to direct delivery staff.
The figures provided are for PIP Presenting Officers only and excludes Admin Support or Decision Making staff dealing with the initial appeals processing work.
Please note that the data supplied is from the Departmental Activity Based Models. This data is derived from unpublished management information, which was collected for internal Departmental use only, and has not been quality assured to National Statistics or Official Statistics publication standards. It should therefore be treated with caution. The Departmental Activity Based staffing models are a snapshot of how many people were identified as undertaking specified activities as assigned by line managers.
The data is frequently revised and changes to definitions / benefits / DWP structure effect comparisons over time. It should therefore be treated with caution and must be seen as an indication of cost, rather than the actual cost.
The 2023/24 model is still in DRAFT and these are not the final approved figures.
Asked by: Stephen Kinnock (Labour - Aberavon)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average cost to his Department was of a Personal Independence Payment mandatory reconsideration in each year since 2021.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The information for the financial years covered by the request are detailed in the tables below:
PIP Unit Costs | 2021-22. | 2022-23. | 2023-24. |
Mandatory Reconsiderations | £113 | £81 | £87 |
Cost figures are rounded to the nearest pound.
Data Source: ABM
The cost figures quoted are estimated DWP level 1 operating costs, including both direct
delivery staff and non-staff costs. Non-staff costs are only those costs incurred in local cost centres, relating to direct delivery staff. They show the average Unit Cost of processing one PIP Mandatory Reconsideration. The reduction in Unit Cost in the latter years follows an
improvement in productivity.
Please note that the data supplied is from the Departmental Activity Based Models. This data is derived from unpublished management information, which was collected for internal
Departmental use only and has not been quality assured to National Statistics or Official
Statistics publication standards. It should therefore be treated with caution. The Departmental Activity Based staffing models are a snapshot of how many people were identified as undertaking specified activities as assigned by line managers.
The 2023/24 model is still in DRAFT and these are not the final approved figures.