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Written Question
Work Capability Assessment: Dorset
Monday 20th March 2017

Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many work capability assessment appeals have been made by people in Dorset in the last year for which information is available; and what percentage of those appeals have been successful.

Answered by Penny Mordaunt

In the period 1.4.2016 – 28.2.2017, the number of Employment Support Allowance Work Capability Assessment (ESA WCA) appeals that have been made by people in Dorset in the last year is 151.

Information about the outcomes is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Written Question
Universal Credit: Foreign Nationals
Wednesday 9th March 2016

Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have registered for the payment of universal credit who are not UK citizens to date.

Answered by Priti Patel - Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs

The information requested is not currently available. During 2016 we will be publishing further statistics on Universal Credit in accordance with the relevant protocols in the Code of Practice for Official Statistics.

Written Question
Social Security Benefits: Foreign Nationals
Wednesday 9th March 2016

Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what checks his Department carries out to ascertain the (a) immigration status and (b) nationality of benefits claimants.

Answered by Priti Patel - Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs

Access to means-tested benefits is conditional upon satisfying the Habitual Residence Test (HRT) where claimants must provide proof of their nationality and immigration status; their employment (where appropriate) and habitual residence in the UK.

Generally, access to disability benefits is conditional upon satisfying the Past Presence Test (PPT) where claimants must provide proof of their nationality and immigration status; their habitual residence in the UK; and presence in the UK for 2 years out of the last 3 years.

Access to contributions-based benefits is not dependent on a residency test, but the claimant must be present in the UK and they must have made the required number of national insurance contributions.

Written Question
National Insurance: EU Nationals
Tuesday 8th March 2016

Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many of the non-UK EU nationals to whom national insurance number registrations were issued in the year to end of September 2015 were (a) resident in the UK, (b) in employment, (c) self-employed and (d) jobseekers at the time of registration.

Answered by Priti Patel - Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs

The information requested is not available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Speech in Commons Chamber - Fri 05 Feb 2016
Benefit Entitlement (Restriction) Bill

"I beg to move, That the Bill be now read a Second time.

Again, this Bill is a reiteration of one I introduced to the House previously, but that was first brought forward two years ago, rather than one. It sets out clearly what we need to do in relation …..."
Christopher Chope - View Speech

View all Christopher Chope (Con - Christchurch) contributions to the debate on: Benefit Entitlement (Restriction) Bill
Speech in Commons Chamber - Fri 05 Feb 2016
Benefit Entitlement (Restriction) Bill

"I think that the opinion polls tell the story—I am told that another one was published today. I think that the British public are enormously sceptical about the outcome of the renegotiation, and enormously concerned that those aspects that were spelled out precisely in our manifesto have so far not …..."
Christopher Chope - View Speech

View all Christopher Chope (Con - Christchurch) contributions to the debate on: Benefit Entitlement (Restriction) Bill
Speech in Commons Chamber - Fri 05 Feb 2016
Benefit Entitlement (Restriction) Bill

"I am grateful to my hon. Friend for his intervention, but I am not going to go down that route, because my view is that, even if the high watermark of what the Prime Minister said in his recent statement, which is reflected in the documents produced by the European …..."
Christopher Chope - View Speech

View all Christopher Chope (Con - Christchurch) contributions to the debate on: Benefit Entitlement (Restriction) Bill
Speech in Commons Chamber - Fri 05 Feb 2016
Benefit Entitlement (Restriction) Bill

"That is an interesting point. Perhaps the ministerial code will have to be adjusted to take account of the fact that those who remain Ministers while supporting notwithstanding clauses, for example, should have an exemption. However, I am sure that there are more important issues at stake than the ministerial …..."
Christopher Chope - View Speech

View all Christopher Chope (Con - Christchurch) contributions to the debate on: Benefit Entitlement (Restriction) Bill
Speech in Commons Chamber - Fri 05 Feb 2016
Benefit Entitlement (Restriction) Bill

"The people will decide. We trust the people: that is why we are Conservatives. We look forward to the referendum whenever it comes.

I know other hon. Members wish to participate, but before closing let me turn to the issue of declaration of nationality. All the responses from the Government …..."
Christopher Chope - View Speech

View all Christopher Chope (Con - Christchurch) contributions to the debate on: Benefit Entitlement (Restriction) Bill
Speech in Commons Chamber - Fri 05 Feb 2016
Benefit Entitlement (Restriction) Bill

"I welcome the hon. Lady’s desire to have evidence-based policy. Surely she will recognise that it must be the first duty of the Government to let us know how many non-UK nationals are currently accessing these benefits. I have put down parliamentary questions on the issue and received answers to …..."
Christopher Chope - View Speech

View all Christopher Chope (Con - Christchurch) contributions to the debate on: Benefit Entitlement (Restriction) Bill