Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have migrated to universal credit in Havering in the most recent 12-month period for which data is available.
Answered by Alok Sharma - COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
I refer the hon. Member to my answer to Question 208805 on 23 January.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average length of time is for a claimant to be referred to a work capability assessment by the Romford service centre in the most recent period for which figures are available.
Answered by Sarah Newton
The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
Whether her Department has plans to redesign the reassessment process for benefit recipients with severe mental or physical disabilities.
Answered by Sarah Newton
We are committed to assessing people with health conditions and disabilities fairly and accurately, and helping people to access the right support. We made a clear commitment in Improving Lives: The Future of Work, Health and Disability to reform the Work Capability Assessment (WCA) and recognise the importance of getting this right. We are therefore testing new approaches to build the evidence base for what works, and working with external stakeholders to inform future changes to the WCA.
Over the last year we have introduced new guidance into Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and Universal Credit (UC), as well as updated guidance for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) to improve the service we provide for those with the most severe/lifelong conditions. For ESA/UC since September 2017 we have switched off routine reassessments for those who meet the Severe Conditions criteria, and since August 2018, those receiving the highest level of support in PIP, whose needs are unlikely to change or may get worse, will now receive an ongoing award with a light touch review at the ten year point.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many benefit claimants have been migrated to universal credit since June 2018 in the Havering Borough Council area.
Answered by Alok Sharma - COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
Claimants move from existing benefits to Universal Credit when they experience a significant change in their circumstances that triggers a new claim to benefit. We do not centrally collate the number of claimants that have made a new claim to Universal Credit as a result of such a change in circumstances
As set out in Written Ministerial Statement HCWS1243, moving legacy benefit and tax credit claimants where there is no change of circumstance across to Universal Credit will begin with a pilot in July 2019. This pilot will initially involve no more than 10,000 claimants. Testing the system and our processes will allow us to make sure we can provide the best possible service to those who are moved to Universal Credit. The movement of these legacy benefit and tax credit claimants will be completed, as planned, by the end of 2023.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many cases relating to universal credit have been referred to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman in each of the last three years.
Answered by Alok Sharma - COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman is independent of Government, therefore we do not hold this information.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to improve the safety standard of inflatables at funfairs.
Answered by Sarah Newton
The Health and Safety at Work Act applies to the supply, hire and use of inflatables for commercial purposes. The Act is enforced by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) or by Local Authorities, depending upon where the inflatable is being used.
This legislation is supported by guidance published by HSE (http://www.hse.gov.uk/entertainment/fairgrounds/inflatables.htm) which sets out the steps that should be taken by operators to control the risks of operating and using this equipment; and by an annual inspection scheme for inflatables run by the industry’s two inspection bodies, the Pertexa Inflatable Play Accreditation (PIPA) and the Amusement Device Inspection Procedures Scheme (ADIPS).
Following two recent and tragic incidents in which children died, HSE is reviewing these arrangements to ensure that the high standard of safety for children using bouncy castles and similar play equipment is maintained. This work will encompass small businesses operating inflatables and inflatables used at funfairs.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to ensure that small businesses improve the safety standards of bouncy castles.
Answered by Sarah Newton
The Health and Safety at Work Act applies to the supply, hire and use of inflatables for commercial purposes. The Act is enforced by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) or by Local Authorities, depending upon where the inflatable is being used.
This legislation is supported by guidance published by HSE (http://www.hse.gov.uk/entertainment/fairgrounds/inflatables.htm) which sets out the steps that should be taken by operators to control the risks of operating and using this equipment; and by an annual inspection scheme for inflatables run by the industry’s two inspection bodies, the Pertexa Inflatable Play Accreditation (PIPA) and the Amusement Device Inspection Procedures Scheme (ADIPS).
Following two recent and tragic incidents in which children died, HSE is reviewing these arrangements to ensure that the high standard of safety for children using bouncy castles and similar play equipment is maintained. This work will encompass small businesses operating inflatables and inflatables used at funfairs.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to ensure that assessment criteria for personal independence payments do not prevent people with disabilities from receiving sufficient payments for their needs.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
The purpose of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is to provide a tax-free, cash contribution of up to £141.10 a week towards the additional cost which disabled people face. PIP is a part of the wide range of other financial and practical support that may be available depending on individual circumstances.
To date, there is a higher proportion of people on the top rates of Personal Independence Payment than there were on DLA – 29 per cent vs 15 per cent.
We will continue to closely monitor developments across the health and disability landscape and engage with stakeholders to improve the service we provide. We are committed to ensuring that the PIP reassessment process works effectively across the spectrum of disabilities and health conditions.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what financial support and advice on benefits his Department provides to help parents, children and carers who are affected by autism and Asperger's syndrome.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
The Department provides financial assistance for families affected by autism and Asperger’s syndrome through Personal Independence Payment, Disability Living Allowance, Carer’s Allowance and the disability and carer premiums in the income-related benefits. Information on these benefits is available through www.gov.uk.
In addition, DWP has implemented an autism/hidden impairment action-plan that focuses on three key objectives for improvement: autism and hidden impairment awareness training for Jobcentre Plus staff/managers; promotion of the autism/hidden impairment agenda to DWP Providers (Work Choice and Work Programme) and the promotion of the autism/hidden impairment agenda to employers through Disability Confident.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
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 trends in employment in the construction sector over the next five years.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
The Office for Budget Responsibility produces the official economic forecasts for HM Government.