Asked by: Alison Thewliss (Scottish National Party - Glasgow Central)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many employers in Glasgow Central constituency have been signed up to the Kickstart scheme as at 27 May 2021.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Delivering the Kickstart Scheme at pace has meant an initial concentration on the production of a limited data set. We are continuing to develop our data, and we aim to be able to publish more localised data (including by Parliamentary constituency) in due course.
Asked by: Alison Thewliss (Scottish National Party - Glasgow Central)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will publish the equality impact assessment relating to the Kickstart scheme.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department for Work and Pensions plans to publish the Equality Impact Assessment on the Kickstart Scheme in due course.
Asked by: Alison Thewliss (Scottish National Party - Glasgow Central)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make it her policy to have a target for a proportion of the proposed additional job coach roles to be held by people with disabilities.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
DWP is a disability confident, inclusive employer welcoming applications from all candidates through a fair and open approach to recruitment. The department operates a guaranteed interview scheme for candidates who have a disability, provided they can demonstrate that they meet the minimum criteria defined for the job. It is also committed to making reasonable adjustments for disabled candidates throughout the selection process.
Asked by: Alison Thewliss (Scottish National Party - Glasgow Central)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether young people not in receipt of universal credit will be eligible to apply to the Kickstart jobs scheme.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The £2 billion Kickstart Scheme is aimed at young people 16-24 on Universal Credit with the highest risk of long-term unemployment. We will not limit our ambitions about the scope for the Kickstart Scheme, and we are open to expand depending on the number of jobs of the right quality that organisations are able to create.
The Government has announced a comprehensive package of support for all young people. Alongside the Kickstart Scheme, we are tripling the number of traineeships for those aged 19 to 24 and doubling the number for those aged 16 to 18, increasing the funding for new apprenticeships for young people and will increase the number of people taking part in sector based work academies.
Asked by: Alison Thewliss (Scottish National Party - Glasgow Central)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people who made a claim under the non-consensual sex exemption to the two child limit for (a) child tax credits and (b) universal credit have subsequently had that entitlement removed.
Answered by Will Quince
There are no circumstances in which a claimant would be refused an exception where they meet the conditions and have provided relevant information to support their request. This includes contacting a suitable third party professional who can confirm that the claimant’s circumstances, as described by them, are consistent with the criteria for the non-consensual conception exception.
The Department recognises the value that third-party professionals, including health care professionals, registered social workers, and relevant specialist charities can provide to claimants experiencing distressing events.
Asked by: Alison Thewliss (Scottish National Party - Glasgow Central)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people who have had a claim under the non-consensual sex exemption to the two child limit have had their claim for (a) child tax credits and (b) universal credit rejected.
Answered by Will Quince
There are no circumstances in which a claimant would be refused an exception where they meet the conditions and have provided relevant information to support their request. This includes contacting a suitable third party professional who can confirm that the claimant’s circumstances, as described by them, are consistent with the criteria for the non-consensual conception exception.
The Department recognises the value that third-party professionals, including health care professionals, registered social workers, and relevant specialist charities can provide to claimants experiencing distressing events.
Asked by: Alison Thewliss (Scottish National Party - Glasgow Central)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the appeals process is for rejected claims under the non-consensual sex exemption to the two child limit for (a) child tax credits and (b) universal credit.
Answered by Will Quince
There are no circumstances in which a claimant would be refused an exception where they meet the conditions and have provided relevant information to support their request. This includes contacting a suitable third party professional who can confirm that the claimant’s circumstances, as described by them, are consistent with the criteria for the non-consensual conception exception.
The Department recognises the value that third-party professionals, including health care professionals, registered social workers, and relevant specialist charities can provide to claimants experiencing distressing events.
Asked by: Alison Thewliss (Scottish National Party - Glasgow Central)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether young people who are medically shielding from covid-19 will be required to take up a place on the Kickstart jobs scheme.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Those who have declared a health condition that restricts their ability to work, including those who are shielding and clinically extremely vulnerable, will not be required to be available for work. Further details about the Kickstart Scheme will be set out in due course.
Asked by: Alison Thewliss (Scottish National Party - Glasgow Central)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what conditions will be placed on employers participating in the Kickstart jobs scheme to protect the employment conditions of workers aged 25 and over.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Kickstart scheme will protect the employment conditions of workers aged 25 and over. Jobs available to young people, aged 16-24, will be new jobs - with the funding conditional on the employer demonstrating these jobs are additional. Further details about the Kickstart Scheme will be set out in due course.
Asked by: Alison Thewliss (Scottish National Party - Glasgow Central)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Jobcentre Plus staff will be recruited in Glasgow in response to the Chancellor’s statement of 8 July 2020; and at which Jobcentres will they be located.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
It is too soon in the recruitment process to be able to identify how many of the new work coaches will be allocated to each city or location. However, Scotland plans to recruit c450 new work coaches between now and the end of October in the first wave of recruitment. Further planned recruitment later in the year will grow these numbers. Recruitment will be targeted based on local demand, plus current available and emerging estate space and Job Centre operating model changes.