Asked by: Alex Chalk (Conservative - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the Government has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing an exemption to the 28-day limit for temporarily ceasing personal independence payments for claimants that are in hospital to aid that patient's treatment and recovery.
Answered by Sarah Newton
Where someone is maintained free of charge while undergoing medical or other treatment as an in-patient in a hospital or similar institution funded by the NHS, payment of (but not entitlement to) Personal Independence Payment (PIP) ceases after 28 days. This is on the basis that the NHS is responsible for the entirety of the person’s disability-related extra costs and to pay PIP in addition would be a duplication of public funds intended for the same purpose. Once someone is discharged from hospital, payment of PIP recommences from the date of discharge.
Asked by: Alex Chalk (Conservative - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that the Health and Safety Executive has the necessary powers to enforce the requirement for landlords to hold a gas safety certificate for the property they are letting.
Answered by Sarah Newton
Health and safety inspectors appointed under section 19 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HSWA) exercise powers under section 20 of HSWA to enforce the requirement for landlords to hold a record of the gas safety check for the property they are letting.
Asked by: Alex Chalk (Conservative - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to (a) promote awareness of the Jobcentre Plus Travel Discount Card among jobseekers and (b) encourage travel companies to promote the scheme as widely as possible.
Answered by Damian Hinds
Jobcentre Plus Travel Discount Card: Jobcentre Plus has administered the current scheme on behalf of Rail Delivery Group (formerly Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) since 2011 in England and 2012 in Scotland.
a) The card is currently issued at work coach discretion subject to current eligibility and is valid for up to 3 months. The Work Coach (WC) is responsible for ensuring that all eligible claimants are aware of the travel discount scheme in England, Wales and Scotland.
Departmental Instructions are available to all work coaches and regular reminders are issued to all Jobcentres to encourage use of the scheme. .
b) The Rail Delivery Group promotes the Travel Discount Card Scheme via their own individual Company websites. DWP encourages all Transport Companies to promote the scheme and works with them to ensure that all eligible claimants can take advantage of discounts on offer to support them into work.
Asked by: Alex Chalk (Conservative - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make it his policy to ensure that people with motor neurone disease are not required to be regularly reassessed for personal independence payments.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave on 23 October 2017 to Question UIN 108380.