Asked by: Christine Jardine (Liberal Democrat - Edinburgh West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when she plans to introduce a funding scheme for disabled candidates, in the context of Disability Action Plan commitments; and what progress she has made on a funding scheme for disabled candidates.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Disability Action Plan was an initiative of the previous administration.
It is this government’s ambition to see more disabled people in public office. We have been clear that we will champion disabled people’s rights and work closely with them so that disabled people’s views and voices are at the heart of decision-making.
On 9 June we announced a new Access to Elected Office Steering Group to support the development of a new fund to help with the disability-related expenses of gaining elected office. Drawing on their lived experience and expertise of disability, accessing funding or standing for elected office, members will work with the Minister for Social Security and Disability to ensure the fund is effective in increasing disability representation in future elections. More information about this work will be shared in due course.
Asked by: Christine Jardine (Liberal Democrat - Edinburgh West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what her planned timeline is for providing a progress update on the implementation of commitments outlined in the Disability Action Plan.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Disability Action Plan was an initiative of the previous administration.This Government is committed to championing the rights of Deaf and disabled people. We will build on the insights shared by disabled people and their representative organisations, working closely with them so that their views and voices are at the heart of everything we do.
We will provide further updates on the Government’s priorities for disability policy in due course.
Asked by: Christine Jardine (Liberal Democrat - Edinburgh West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the report published by the University of York entitled The Impact of Chiropractors on Workplace Productivity in NHS MSK Pathways, published on 12 February 2025.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
No assessment has been made on the potential implications for policies of the report published by the University of York entitled The Impact of Chiropractors on Workplace Productivity in NHS MSK Pathways.
Asked by: Christine Jardine (Liberal Democrat - Edinburgh West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much his Department has spent on head-hunters in each of the last three years.
Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)
The following figures apply to Senior Civil Service Recruitment only, to note, this does not include digital recruitment.
2020/21: £190,627.84
2021/22: £211,054.00
2022/23 YTD: £171,608.46
These figures represent executive search activity spend on SCS (Deputy Director – Director General) recruitment for non-digital roles across these years.
Asked by: Christine Jardine (Liberal Democrat - Edinburgh West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the cost to the public purse has been of Ministerial severance pay in his Department in each year since 1 January 2016.
Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)
Asked by: Christine Jardine (Liberal Democrat - Edinburgh West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
What recent discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the potential merits of introducing a universal basic income.
Answered by Will Quince
The Secretary of State has not had any discussions with the Chancellor on this issue. This government does not believe a Universal Basic Income has merit, as it does not target provision according to people’s needs and circumstances, which would inevitably lead to an inefficient use of public funds.
Asked by: Christine Jardine (Liberal Democrat - Edinburgh West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, on what date people who have not entered the UK on a visa will be able to apply for a national insurance number.
Answered by Guy Opperman
Prior to allocating a National Insurance Number, the applicants identity must be confirmed.
For the majority of applicants, who have already had their identity verified through another government department, primarily the Home Office, they are able to apply for a National Insurance Number. This includes visa holders, EU/EEA nationals who have been granted settled or pre-settled status through the EU Settlement Scheme and UK passport holders.
For applicants who have not had their identity verified, they will still be required to attend a face to face identity check. The reopening of our face to face service is linked to the recent government guidelines on Covid-19 restrictions and we are currently working on plans to reopen the service at the earliest opportunity in line with these guidelines.
Asked by: Christine Jardine (Liberal Democrat - Edinburgh West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, to what extent the covid-19 outbreak is causing delays to personal independence payment renewals; and what steps the Department is taking to reduce the backlog of assessments for those payments.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson
Throughout the Covid-19 outbreak, we have been committed to ensuring that people can access financial support through Personal Independence Payment in a timely manner. We always aim to make an award decision as quickly as possible and are treating as a priority Advance Claims, where a person’s previous Fixed Term Award has ended.
Asked by: Christine Jardine (Liberal Democrat - Edinburgh West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment the Government has made of the adequacy of the covid-19 recovery strategy for supporting disabled people; whether that strategy is aligned with the National Strategy for Disabled People; and whether the National Strategy for Disabled People will be amended to take account of existing inequalities for disabled people that have been exacerbated by the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson
As required under the Equalities Act, the Government has considered the impact of all measures, including those set out in ‘Our plan to rebuild’, on groups with protected characteristics. The Government recognises that disabled people may have been disproportionately impacted by certain restriction measures and will have particular needs that must be accommodated on the road to recovery. These have been considered as part of the Public Sector Equality Duty process.
We will publish the National Strategy for Disabled People taking into account the impacts of the pandemic on disabled people. The Strategy will focus on the issues that disabled people say affect them the most in all aspects and phases of life, including employment, housing, education and transport.
Asked by: Christine Jardine (Liberal Democrat - Edinburgh West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when her Department plans to publish the findings from the review announced in July 2019 on how the welfare system supports the terminally ill.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson
The evaluation remains a priority for the Department. The Department has made good progress and we expect to be able to provide an update on the outcome of the evaluation shortly.