Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 26 Mar 2018
Oral Answers to Questions
"Does my hon. Friend agree that young people with disabilities should have access to work experience while they are still at school? Will she join me in visiting Walsall College students on supported internships?..."Eddie Hughes - View Speech
View all Eddie Hughes (Con - Walsall North) contributions to the debate on: Oral Answers to Questions
Written Question
Monday 26th March 2018
Asked by:
Eddie Hughes (Conservative - Walsall North)
Question
to the Department for Work and Pensions:
What steps the Government is taking to help young people with disabilities into work.
Answered by Sarah Newton
This Government is committed to enabling young disabled people to fulfil their potential and achieve their aspirations. We provide a range of programmes and initiatives to support them, including:
- Jobcentre support for schools, which targets young people that schools identify as being at risk of becoming NEET (not in employment, education or training), or who may otherwise be disadvantaged in the labour market – for example those with a health or disability issue.
- The Young Person’s Supported Work Experience programme, which offers a personally tailored supported work experience opportunity for young people (aged 18 – 24) to enable them to fully benefit from time in the work place. This proof of concept is being tested in five Jobcentre Plus districts.
- Tri-Work, a supported work experience proof of concept aimed at young people with special educational needs in years 10/11 in schools and special schools. This proof of concept is being tested in three local authorities.
- The Local Supported Employment (LSE) proof of concept ‘place and train’ model, which aims to move disabled people into real jobs, at the going rate of pay, with support for both the individual and employer. This is being tested in nine local authorities.
- Supported Internships, which all qualified post-16 education providers in England have been able to deliver Since September 2013. These are personalised study programmes, based primarily at a prospective employer, for young people with complex learning difficulties and/or disabilities.
- Access to Work, which already offers support to disabled people undertaking a number of opportunities that help them to prepare for paid employment, including work experience, apprenticeships, supported internships and traineeships.
Written Question
Tuesday 27th February 2018
Asked by:
Eddie Hughes (Conservative - Walsall North)
Question
to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the potential benefits of using blockchain for the the welfare and benefits system; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
We are committed to harnessing the potential of new technologies in making a positive difference to our customers’ lives. In 2016, we ran a pilot to explore whether a product by GovCoin (now DISC) could help some Universal Credit customers budget. The product utilised blockchain technology.
The pilot that ended in early 2017, provided valuable insight into customer needs, and this was used to inform the decision to develop a future method of payment strategy that outlines DWP’s commitment to improving the methods available to make payments to customers.
We continue to explore payment innovations, including distributed ledger and blockchain technologies and their potential to securely deliver services that our customers rely on.
Written Question
Friday 9th February 2018
Asked by:
Eddie Hughes (Conservative - Walsall North)
Question
to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of the GovCoin trial; and what plans her Department has for the future use of that technology.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
A small proof-of-concept trial was undertaken in 2016. The trial was led by Universal Credit officials who worked with DISC Holdings (formerly Govcoin) to trial an app on a mobile phone that customers could use to receive and manage benefit payments.
The trial provided valuable insight into customer needs, and this was used to inform the decision to develop a future method of payment strategy that outlines DWP’s commitment to improving the methods available to make payments to customers. The Department is currently working with industry to identify new and emerging payment opportunities that suit the needs of DWP and its customers, in support of the future strategy.
Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 22 Jan 2018
Financial Guidance and Claims Bill [Lords]
"I believe protocol dictates that I should say that it is a pleasure to follow the hon. Member for Crewe and Nantwich (Laura Smith), but anyway...."Eddie Hughes - View Speech
View all Eddie Hughes (Con - Walsall North) contributions to the debate on: Financial Guidance and Claims Bill [Lords]
Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 22 Jan 2018
Financial Guidance and Claims Bill [Lords]
"And I have certainly not witnessed any—nothing but good grace from my hon. Friend in the past.
I want to touch briefly on the name of the single financial guidance body, when we get it. The hon. Member for Airdrie and Shotts (Neil Gray) was right to highlight this point, …..."Eddie Hughes - View Speech
View all Eddie Hughes (Con - Walsall North) contributions to the debate on: Financial Guidance and Claims Bill [Lords]
Speech in Commons Chamber - Thu 23 Nov 2017
Universal Credit
"I chair the board of a housing association that has 20,000 homes, operating across 18 local authorities. I do not want those residents unnecessarily disturbed by the scare- mongering from Opposition Members. Will the Secretary of State therefore confirm that those claimants can get an emergency payment of up to …..."Eddie Hughes - View Speech
View all Eddie Hughes (Con - Walsall North) contributions to the debate on: Universal Credit
Written Question
Monday 20th November 2017
Asked by:
Eddie Hughes (Conservative - Walsall North)
Question
to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans he has to review the operation of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998.
Answered by Sarah Newton
The Health and Safety Executive conducted an external consultation, between November 2016 and January 2017, on proposals to review aspects of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 (GSIUR) whilst maintaining high gas safety standards.
Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 25 Oct 2017
Supported Housing
"I want briefly to introduce a tone of optimism and positivity to the debate, although before I do so I need to refer people to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests, which says that I chair the board of a 20,000-house housing association across 18 separate authorities. …..."Eddie Hughes - View Speech
View all Eddie Hughes (Con - Walsall North) contributions to the debate on: Supported Housing
Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 25 Oct 2017
Supported Housing
"I am nearly finished. Trust me, I will be quick.
Organisations battle on regardless of what Governments of any persuasion do and they continue to offer excellent work. Occasionally, and fortunately, they are subsidised and supported by an excellent Conservative Government. The YMCA has produced hundreds of thousands of pounds …..."Eddie Hughes - View Speech
View all Eddie Hughes (Con - Walsall North) contributions to the debate on: Supported Housing