Asked by: Karin Smyth (Labour - Bristol South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he plans to take steps to help ensure that the treatment of payments made under the Republic of Ireland’s Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme to those living in the UK do not discriminate against those in receipt of means-tested benefits.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Means-tested benefits have no specific disregard of payments made by the Republic of Ireland’s Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme to those living in Great Britain and DWP currently has no plans to change this policy.
Asked by: Karin Smyth (Labour - Bristol South)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what estimate he has made of the number of people living in the United Kingdom who will be eligible for the Republic of Ireland's Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Government has not made any estimate of the number of people living in the United Kingdom who will be eligible for the scheme. Eligibility is ultimately a matter for the Irish Government.
Asked by: Karin Smyth (Labour - Bristol South)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether he has had discussions with the Government of the Republic of Ireland on the impact of the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme on those eligible living in the UK.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
I have not had any discussions with the Irish Government on this topic. Details of the scheme are ultimately a matter for the Irish Government.
Asked by: Karin Smyth (Labour - Bristol South)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on the potential merits of introducing a disregard for recipients of the Republic of Ireland’s Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme compensation.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
I have not had any discussions with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on this topic. Details of the scheme are a matter for the Irish Government.