Asked by: Antonia Bance (Labour - Tipton and Wednesbury)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many households with children claiming Universal Credit contain two adults in full-time work in the latest period for which data is available.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Data on two-earner couple households in which both earners are in full-time work is not held.
Asked by: Antonia Bance (Labour - Tipton and Wednesbury)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many supported housing residents have (a) reduced their working hours and (b) left employment due to the interaction of Housing Benefit and Universal Credit rules in the last five years.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The information requested is not held.
Asked by: Antonia Bance (Labour - Tipton and Wednesbury)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of vehicle tax is paid in instalments using direct debit; and what assessment she has made of the potential impact of charging a 5% surcharge when paying vehicle tax by direct debit on lower income motorists.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
While the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency administers and collects vehicle excise duty (VED) on behalf of HM Treasury, decisions on VED, whether structure, rates or alternatives are a matter for the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Paying VED by direct debit allows motorists to spread the cost, helping families and businesses in managing their finances. Those who choose to use direct debit pay a low surcharge of five per cent against the annual rate of duty for the vehicle. Typically, a motorist is better off paying by direct debit instead of buying two six-month vehicle licences which if not purchased by direct debit, carry a surcharge of 10 per cent.
The monthly average of vehicle keepers that choose to pay their VED by direct debit is just over 39 per cent.
Asked by: Antonia Bance (Labour - Tipton and Wednesbury)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what funding is available to support interfaith projects aimed at promoting community cohesion.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Interfaith relations are vital for strong, cohesive communities.
The government has provided funding for this year’s Inter Faith Week in November, which will provide a national platform for fostering positive interfaith relations across our communities and schools. Alongside this, the government supports grassroots interfaith relations via our funding to Near Neighbours and Schools Linking, which promote dialogue, youth engagement, and neighbourhood cohesion across different backgrounds and faiths.
The government has launched the new Common Ground Award to provide direct capital investment to voluntary, community, and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations across England. This funding will support those committed to building meaningful connection across communities, including between faith groups.