Asked by: Annette Brooke (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 10 November 2014 to Question 213491, how many representations he has received on the future of the winter fuel allowance claimed by UK citizens living in mainland France on a UK state pension.
Answered by Steve Webb
The Government intends to bring in an eligibility criterion derived from average winter temperatures, with payments going only to eligible people living in EEA countries with cold climates. The regulations establishing Winter Fuel Payments for 2015/16 will include the new eligibility condition. These regulations are made annually under the Social Security Contributions & Benefits Act 1992, and those for winter 2015/16 will be made in the current Parliament.
Since 1 June 2014, we have received two Parliamentary Questions, twenty one items of Ministerial or official correspondence and four Freedom of Information requests relating to the future of Winter Fuel Payments in France. Following the European Court ruling in the Stewart case, Winter Fuel Payments are made to those with a “genuine and sufficient link” to the UK, rather than – as previously – being restricted to those who had previously received a Payment in the UK.
Asked by: Annette Brooke (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 10 November 2014 to Question 213491, when he plans to bring forward legislative proposals on amending the eligibility criterion derived from average winter temperatures.
Answered by Steve Webb
The Government intends to bring in an eligibility criterion derived from average winter temperatures, with payments going only to eligible people living in EEA countries with cold climates. The regulations establishing Winter Fuel Payments for 2015/16 will include the new eligibility condition. These regulations are made annually under the Social Security Contributions & Benefits Act 1992, and those for winter 2015/16 will be made in the current Parliament.
Since 1 June 2014, we have received two Parliamentary Questions, twenty one items of Ministerial or official correspondence and four Freedom of Information requests relating to the future of Winter Fuel Payments in France. Following the European Court ruling in the Stewart case, Winter Fuel Payments are made to those with a “genuine and sufficient link” to the UK, rather than – as previously – being restricted to those who had previously received a Payment in the UK.
Asked by: Annette Brooke (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an assessment of the extent of the use of cold calling in relation to pension fund transfers.
Answered by Steve Webb
The National Crime Agency monitors trends in fraudulent activity, including cold calls, to help target action. Whilst we cannot put a precise figure on transfer-related activity initiated by cold calls it is apparent that cold calling is a route often used by scammers. The public and industry can do their bit to help develop the intelligence picture by reporting concerns to Action Fraud (http://www.actionfraud.police.uk/).
More generally, both the Pensions Regulator and the Financial Conduct Authority are running information campaigns (Scorpion and ScamSmart respectively) as part of Project Bloom to raise the profile of the threat posed by pension and investment scams.
Asked by: Annette Brooke (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what representations he has received on the future of the winter fuel allowance for UK citizens living in mainland France on a state pension; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Steve Webb
We have received correspondence relating to Winter Fuel Payments, to which we have replied.
The Government intends to bring in an eligibility criterion derived from average winter temperatures with payments going only to eligible people living in EEA countries with cold climates. Legislation will need to be passed before any change can be made.
Asked by: Annette Brooke (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he plans to take to ensure that consumers are protected from rogue pension schemes.
Answered by Steve Webb
Under Project Bloom DWP and other agencies are already working together with the pensions industry to crackdown on pensions scams. Actions include:
· A tightening of HMRC’s pension scheme registration, as called for by industry, including the introduction of a fit and proper person test.
· A further wave of the Pensions Regulator’s well-received Scorpion information campaign highlighting the threat posed by pension scams, with further waves happening early next year.
· The launch of the Financial Conduct Authority’s Scamsmart campaign.
· Police raids.
· Closing down websites used to facilitate pension scams.
More generally, the Pensions Regulator and the Financial Conduct Authority work together with trustees and providers to ensure that occupational pension scheme members’ and consumers’ contract based pensions are safe.
Asked by: Annette Brooke (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he will implement the increase in the Pension Protection Fund compensation cap.
Answered by Steve Webb
Before the relevant sections in the Pensions Act 2014 can be brought into force, I will have to lay before Parliament a number of proposed amendments to secondary regulations which need to be drafted and will be subject to consultation. The date these changes can come into force will be a matter for Parliament.
Asked by: Annette Brooke (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 7 July 2014, Official Report, column 112W, on Schools: Asbestos, what system is in place to inspect schools under (a) local authority control and (b) outside local authority control, to assess their standard of asbestos management.
Answered by Mark Harper - Secretary of State for Transport
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has no specific system in place to inspect schools to assess their standard of asbestos management.
HSE's work planning systems focuses its inspection priorities on the major hazard industries and comparatively high risks sectors (such as construction, waste and recycling, and some types of manufacturing), but can also involve targeted initiatives elsewhere. In recent years this approach has resulted in discrete inspection programmes to assess asbestos management by:
Asked by: Annette Brooke (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Answer of 25 November 2013, Official Report, column 126W, on gas masks, what progress he has made on preventing the continued on-line sale of Second World War gas masks containing asbestos.
Answered by Mike Penning
HSE has concluded its sampling exercise with online sellers. A number of the different types of gas mask available were analysed and most found to contain asbestos. The placing on the market, supply and transport of almost all items containing asbestos, including gas masks, is prohibited by the EU Regulation on Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (EU1907/2006) (REACH).
HSE and Trading Standards are working with the platform, which hosted the purchases of the gas masks involved in the study, on a policy to prohibit the sale of items that fall under REACH.
HSE will continue work on a case by case basis with Local Authority Trading Standards, who are responsible for enforcement relating to sale to consumers, to take robust action against those who break the law on asbestos and unnecessarily put themselves and others at risk.
Asked by: Annette Brooke (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to monitor the standards of asbestos management in schools (a) under and (b) outside of local authority control.
Answered by Mike Penning
The Health and Safety Executive continues to be a member of the Asbestos in Schools Steering Group which aim to promote the effective management of asbestos in both local authority and non-local authority controlled schools. The steering group has representatives from the joint Union Asbestos Committee, education trade unions, local authorities and independent schools.
In June 2014, HSE published the results of its latest inspection survey into the management of asbestos in schools covering those outside local authority control. This survey showed improved levels of awareness and a decrease in the level of enforcement action required in comparison with a survey of the same sector in 2010/11. HSE also completed a similar inspection exercise in 2010 on local authority controlled schools.
Asked by: Annette Brooke (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what support is in place to help people with ME or chronic fatigue syndrome who are well enough to consider a return to work.
Answered by Mike Penning
We do not target our employment programmes exclusively at individuals with particular conditions such as M.E. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. The Department's programmes, including its specialist disability employment programmes, aim to identify and meet the needs of the individual, including those with M.E. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
Access to Work provides additional support for individuals whose health or disability affects the way they do their job. It provides individuals and their employers with advice and support with extra costs which may arise because of an individual's needs. Access to Work does not replace the duty an employer has under the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments.
Work Choice is a specialist disability employment programme that provides tailored support to help disabled people who face the most complex barriers to employment, find and stay in work and ultimately help them progress into unsupported employment, where it is appropriate for the individual.
Jobcentre Plus Disability Employment Advisers can provide support and advice for disabled people who need help finding and retaining employment. They can refer individuals to specialist programmes, including Work Choice, and can use the professional expertise of Work Psychologists, who specialise in working with disabled people. Disability Employment Advisers can advocate with employers on the individual's behalf and help employers to explore job solutions such as the restructuring of a job's tasks/environment, or the provision/change of equipment.
The Government published ‘The disability and health employment strategy: the discussion so far' on 17 December 2013. This paper sets out a range of proposals to further improve our employment support for disabled people and those with health conditions.
The Government recognises that getting the right support at the right time is particularly important for disabled people and those with a health condition so as part of our vision for future employment support we are developing a new Employment Gateway. This will be a light-touch process based on an individual's strengths and needs and will direct people to the most appropriate support.
In order to support individuals to stay in work where possible we are putting in place a new Health and Work Service (HWS).The HWS will provide occupational health advice and support for employees, employers and GP's to help individuals with a health condition to stay in or return to work.
The intention is to introduce the service by the end of 2014.