Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department holds data on the number of (a) starts, (b) completions and (c) licences obtained from the HGV providers (i) System Group and (ii) Qube.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The government carries out assurance and financial reconciliation exercises of Skills Bootcamps across all sectors, including the HGV sector.
The department publishes data on Skills Bootcamps starts, completions and outcomes by sector. This can be found here; Skills bootcamps starts, completions and outcomes, Financial year 2023-24 - Explore education statistics - GOV.UK. The department does not publish this information by provider.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has conducted a formal audit of funding for the HGV driving bootcamp.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The government carries out assurance and financial reconciliation exercises of Skills Bootcamps across all sectors, including the HGV sector.
The department publishes data on Skills Bootcamps starts, completions and outcomes by sector. This can be found here; Skills bootcamps starts, completions and outcomes, Financial year 2023-24 - Explore education statistics - GOV.UK. The department does not publish this information by provider.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
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 adequacy of the investigation of the pensions regulator into NHSBSA.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Pensions Regulator (TPR) is an independent body responsible for the regulation of work-based pension schemes in the UK. TPR conducts its supervisory and investigatory functions independently of the Government. As such, it would not be appropriate for the Government to comment on an ongoing investigation being undertaken by the Regulator.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she plans to launch a campaign to increase pension credit uptake before winter 2025-2026.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government wants all pensioners to get the support to which they are entitled. That is why since Autumn 2024 we have been running the biggest ever Pension Credit take-up campaign.
The Department’s campaign to raise awareness of Pension Credit has continued in numerous stages between January and July 2025 and has included radio, print and social media adverts as well as continuing work with stakeholders. We plan to continue promotional activity from Autumn through to the end of the financial year with the campaign aimed at eligible pensioners who are not yet claiming, and their friends and family, as we work to increase the take up of Pension Credit.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions she has had with (a) the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology and (b) local authorities on ensuring that people who do not have digital connectivity can access (i) the Jobs and Careers Services online portals and (ii) alternative provision.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
As set out in the Get Britain Working White Paper, we are reforming Jobcentre Plus and creating a new service across Great Britain which will include a modern, joined up and enhanced digital offer where people can access support through the channels that best meet their needs. This reconfigured service will be accessible to everyone; it will use data intelligently to join up government and personalise support.
The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and officials have been in regular engagement with the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology and with local areas as we develop our plans for a new Jobs and Careers Service. This builds on the vision as laid out in ‘A blueprint for modern digital government’ published in January. The new service will be digital where possible, and human when needed. A large number of those seeking employment support or careers advice will be best served digitally, however we recognise this will not be appropriate for everyone and other channels of support will be available.
The department also continues to work closely with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and other government departments to deliver on the Digital Inclusion Action Plan. Its first steps were published on 29 February 2025 and outline the government’s initial actions and long-term goals to tackle digital exclusion in the UK.
As we set out in the Get Britain Working White Paper, we are exploring the use of digital employment support for customers and testing how to enhance collaboration between Jobcentre Plus and the National Careers Service. This will be key to understanding how we can better integrate employment support and careers advice in England.
As part of our plans to develop the new Jobs and Careers Service, Ministers and officials are working in collaboration with West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Wakefield Local Authority to design and deliver tests within our first Pathfinder that will inform the design of the new service.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions the Health and Safety Executive has had with representatives of the hairdressing and beauty industry on ensuring that health and safety practices are followed when using hair dye.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Businesses in the hairdressing and beauty sector, which includes barber shops, hairdressers and beauty salons are required to comply with the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and associated regulations, which place duties on businesses to assess the risk of infection for employees and others affected by their work including members of the public.
While Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has the policy lead for the hair and beauty sector, responsibility for enforcing health and safety legislation at individual businesses rests with the local authority where the premises are located. HSE is not currently engaged in discussions with the industry about the use of hair dye, however it’s use and the precautions necessary when using it are captured by the requirements of the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (as amended).
Where there is evidence that risks are not being properly managed, local authorities are able to intervene and take appropriate enforcement action to ensure that employees and customers are protected.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on best practice in joined up systems supporting people with long term health issues to (a) find work and (b) achieve long term employment.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Regular cross government collaboration takes place at both Ministerial and official level. Examples of this can be seen through the publication of the Get Britain Working White Paper and the Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits, Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper, the Industrial strategy, the Joint Health and Work Directorate and the Make work pay legislation.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to monitor outputs arising from the £1bn for guaranteed personalised employment support to help people get back to work.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
We anticipate that we will assess effectiveness of Pathways to Work measures in the usual way, including through evaluation of their implementation and the impacts that they have on employment, incomes, benefit receipt and other indicators. We will publish more information on our evaluation strategy in due course.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 11 March 2025 to Question 35774 on Pension Credit: Staff, if she will make an estimate of the cost to the public purse of using (a) external providers and (b) external recruitment to process pension credit applications during Winter 2024-25.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
My previous response (UIN 35775) advised we had deployed over 500 additional staff through a combination of internal redeployments, use of external providers and external recruitment.
The 24/25 forecast cost of (a) external providers is £1.9 million, and (b) external recruitment is £2.2 million.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 11 March 2025 to Question 35774 on Pension Credit: Staff, what steps she is taking to ensure that the work previously undertaken by internal redeployed staff is continued.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
My previous response reference 36448, advised redeployed colleagues to support Pension Credit were from Child Maintenance Service and Counter Fraud, Compliance and Debt. Since the redeployment, both services have continued with no deterioration in service or performance.
Further to this, the Autumn Statement includes additional investment in Fraud and Error, which means we can increase our resourcing levels. We will also be increasing Child Maintenance Service resources as demand for that service continues to grow. In the meantime, we are continuing to transform Child Maintenance Service with our 24/7 online service and also with further automation, reducing the need for human intervention.