Asked by: John Robertson (Labour - Glasgow North West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many former refineries that have been converted to import and distribution terminals are currently under review by the Health and Safety Executive to meet post-Buncefield compliance regulations.
Answered by Mark Harper
Since 2005 two refineries have indicated a transition to fuel import and distribution operations. One refinery conversion is nearing completion, and the other is at the planning stage.
All new and substantially modified fuel storage sites storing large quantities of gasoline (petrol) should meet the standards set out in the Process Safety Leadership Group (PSLG) Final Report published in 2009 before operations commence.
None of the former refineries are currently under review by HSE. They are subject to routine regulatory scrutiny under the Control of Major Accident Hazards Regulations 1999 (COMAH) by the COMAH Competent Authority.
Asked by: John Robertson (Labour - Glasgow North West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the difference between changes in (a) carers' benefits, (b) disability benefits and (c) older people's benefits and the rate of inflation in each of the last three years.
Answered by Steve Webb
Carers’ and disability benefits, and the additional State pension, must by statute be up-rated in line with prices. So the increase in those benefits over the last three years has reflected the increase in the Consumer Price Index.
The basic State pension has been increased with the triple lock (by the highest of average earnings, CPI or 2.5%), and the Standard Minimum Guarantee in Pension Credit has been up-rated in line with the cash increase in the basic State pension. In each of the last three years, this means that the Standard Minimum Guarantee has increased by more than the minimum requirement of the increase in average earnings. The resulting over-indexation of the Standard Minimum Guarantee has been funded through an increase in the savings credit threshold and the associated reduction in the Savings Credit maximum.
The table indicates the percentage increases in CPI; basic State Pension; average earnings; and the Standard Minimum Guarantee in each of the past three years.
| 2012/13 | 2013/14 | 2014/15 |
CPI | 5.2% | 2.2% | 2.7% |
Basic State pension | 5.2% | 2.5% | 2.7% |
Average earnings | 2.8% | 1.6% | 1.2% |
Pension Credit Standard Minimum Guarantee | 3.9% | 1.9% | 2.0% |
Asked by: John Robertson (Labour - Glasgow North West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of information available to carers about (a) the existence of carer's allowance and (b) the rules on who is able to claim it.
Answered by Mark Harper
Information and advice about entitlement to Carer's Allowance is available from a range of outlets including Jobcentre Plus offices, the Government website (www.gov.uk), local authorities, Citizens Advice, public libraries, health clinics, doctors' surgeries and health visitors. Advice can also be sought from voluntary organisations such as Carers UK. In addition to this the Carer’s Allowance Unit have a regular out reach programme for the caring community.
Asked by: John Robertson (Labour - Glasgow North West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the average amount of time it takes for terminally ill people to receive a decision on their benefits claim.
Answered by Mark Harper
We have taken your question to refer to Personal Independence Payment. Statistics on clearance times for Personal Independence Payment are intended for future publication and the Department's analysts are currently considering what information will be included in the release.
Asked by: John Robertson (Labour - Glasgow North West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his policy is on fast-tracking benefits for terminally ill people.
Answered by Mark Harper
I refer the Hon.Member to the written answer that the previous Minister for Disabled People gave on 14 July 2014, Official Report, column 589w, to the Hon. Member for East Lothian, Fiona O’Donnell.
Previous answer:
Fiona O'Donnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will classify motor neurone disease as a terminal illness which qualifies for a fast-track assessment for welfare claims. [204826]
Mike Penning: Claims to attendance allowance, disability living allowance, employment and support allowance, incapacity benefit and personal independence payment from people who are terminally ill, as defined in law, are fast tracked. Claimants are considered to be terminally ill if they have a progressive disease as a result of which they are not expected to live longer than six months. Motor neurone disease is considered to be a progressive disease.
Asked by: John Robertson (Labour - Glasgow North West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department has taken to ensure that former oil refineries being converted to bulk storage and distribution terminals meet post-Buncefield health and safety requirements.
Answered by Mike Penning
The COMAH Competent Authority (CA), comprising HSE and the environment agencies, is responsible for ensuring that oil refineries and fuel storage and distribution terminals meet new safety and environmental standards introduced in 2009 following the Buncefield fire and explosion. The standards were developed jointly by industry and the CA and published by the Process Safety Leadership Group (PSLG).
Refineries were required to produce risk-based action plans to implement the PSLG safety standards at their existing fuel storage facilities. HSE led the assessment of these plans during 2011 and has been inspecting sites to ensure the planned improvements are made. The timings of upgrades to containment standards at refineries' existing fuel storage facilities is based on risk and will vary for each site. Agreed improvements are embedded in environment inspection plans for each site and followed up to ensure measures are implemented on time.
The CA is working with refineries undergoing conversion to fuel storage and distribution terminals to ensure the PSLG standards are applied in full to their new facilities.
Asked by: John Robertson (Labour - Glasgow North West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what deadline has been set by his Department for former oil refineries being converted to bulk storage and distribution terminals to make the necessary upgrades to meet post-Buncefield standards; and how rigorously such standards are being enforced by the Environment Agency.
Answered by Mike Penning
The COMAH Competent Authority (CA), comprising HSE and the environment agencies, is responsible for ensuring that oil refineries and fuel storage and distribution terminals meet new safety and environmental standards introduced in 2009 following the Buncefield fire and explosion. The standards were developed jointly by industry and the CA and published by the Process Safety Leadership Group (PSLG).
Refineries were required to produce risk-based action plans to implement the PSLG safety standards at their existing fuel storage facilities. HSE led the assessment of these plans during 2011 and has been inspecting sites to ensure the planned improvements are made. The timings of upgrades to containment standards at refineries' existing fuel storage facilities is based on risk and will vary for each site. Agreed improvements are embedded in environment inspection plans for each site and followed up to ensure measures are implemented on time.
The CA is working with refineries undergoing conversion to fuel storage and distribution terminals to ensure the PSLG standards are applied in full to their new facilities.
Asked by: John Robertson (Labour - Glasgow North West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent discussions he has had with Glasgow City Council on the Glasgow Guarantee.
Answered by Esther McVey
The Secretary of State has not had recent discussions with Glasgow City Council on the Glasgow Guarantee.
Asked by: John Robertson (Labour - Glasgow North West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to publicise information on changes to child maintenance.
Answered by Steve Webb
Since the Child Maintenance Service launched in December 2012 we have been talking to clients (via caseworkers and through our Child Maintenance Options service) about the planned introduction of charging, and letters to Child Maintenance Service clients have made reference to the charges.
More widely we have engaged with stakeholders, partners, MP caseworkers and intermediaries to share information about the reforms to the child maintenance system.
Ahead of existing Child Support Agency cases closing, a regional media trial is currently running in the Manchester area. The media activity includes digital, radio and press advertising to let parents know that the Child Support Agency is changing and to reassure them that they don't need to take any action until they receive a letter. We will evaluate the results of this media activity before confirming plans to run this campaign nationally later this year.
Asked by: John Robertson (Labour - Glasgow North West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of children in poverty in (a) Glasgow North West constituency, (b) Glasgow, (c) Scotland and (d) the UK in each year until 2020.
Answered by Esther McVey
The Government does not produce forecasts of the number of children living in income poverty either locally or nationally. The number of children in poverty is dependent on a number of factors which cannot be reliably predicted, including the median income.
The Government does not believe it is possible to accurately project child poverty to 2020. Poverty projections are rarely accurate. For example, IFS projections in October 2011 suggested the number of children in relative poverty would fall by 100,000 in 2010/11, whereas in fact it fell by 300,000.