Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of devolving employment support services to (a) London boroughs and (b) the Mayor of London.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
As part of the English Devolution Trailblazer deeper devolution deals, the Department of Work and Pensions have agreed with Greater Manchester and West Midlands Combined Authorities to test a new approach to design of future Contracted Employment Programmes including co-design and a delegated delivery model, aligned with the Combined Authorities geographical footprint.
We will evaluate the impacts and outcomes of this new approach to further understand the opportunities and risks involved, before considering the Department’s approach to future contracted employment programmes.
Full details of the ‘Trailblazer’ deals can be found here:
Greater Manchester Combined Authority Trailblazer deeper devolution deal - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
West Midlands Combined Authority: “Trailblazer” deeper devolution deal - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to recommendation 90(a) of the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities' Report on follow-up to the inquiry concerning the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, advance unedited version published on 22 March 2024, whether he is taking steps with Cabinet colleagues to (a) consult (i) disabled people and (ii) representative organisations on the national disability strategy and (b) otherwise involve those stakeholders with the strategy.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The National Disability Strategy (NDS) was published in 2021, bringing together an ambitious and comprehensive set of commitments across Government and setting out the long term vision to improve disabled people’s daily lives.
The Cabinet Office Disability Unit (DU) continues to engage with disabled people and their representative organisations to deliver the outstanding commitments in the NDS and now also the Actions in the Disability Action Plan, via its systematic stakeholder engagement framework. The framework has been designed to ensure that voices across the disability sector (disabled people and their communities, disabled people-led organisations, charities, and business leaders working on accessibility and inclusion) are meaningfully considered throughout the development, implementation and evaluation of the DU’s work, from the earliest possible opportunity.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of trends in the level of youth unemployment (a) in London and (b) per London borough in each of the last 12 months.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The information requested on youth unemployment is published and available here.
The small sample sizes of the boroughs means that the latest survey-based trends in youth ILO unemployment across the year are not robust. However, Claimant Count administrative data for 16-24 year olds for London and all the boroughs for the last twelve months is available.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of PIP to cover the extra costs incurred by people with a disability.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on the 14th of May to PQ24769.
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is designed to help with the extra costs arising from long-term ill health and disability and is paid regardless of income and irrespective of whether someone is in work. PIP can also be paid in addition to other benefits the individual may receive, for example Universal Credit or Employment and Support Allowance, and can provide a passport to additional support through premiums or additional amounts.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure accurate understanding among (a) claimants and (b) benefits advisers of Personal Independence Payment in relation to being a benefit linked with the extra costs of disability not employment status.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
DWP raise awareness and understanding of Personal Independence Payment (PIP), for those who may be entitled, using a variety of methods:
Comprehensive information is provided on Gov.UK, and it is made clear that you can claim PIP even if you’re working, have savings or are getting most other benefits.
Meetings take place with various Disability Groups and external stakeholders where PIP is often a topic for discussion. Any presentations or Q&A sessions make it clear that PIP is there to support anyone who may be impacted by a disability or health condition and is not restricted by employment status.
We have also produced a series of useful video guides on PIP, hosted on YouTube. Links to the videos can also be accessed via Gov.UK.
The department has taken steps to raise awareness of PIP amongst Work Coaches, who frequently interact with claimants who have health conditions and disabilities. As part of their routine induction and training Work Coaches are provided with an overview of PIP. They are encouraged to signpost potential applicants to information on Gov.UK rather than discuss eligibility criteria.
For DWP colleagues working on other benefits the approach is the same. If anyone enquires about PIP they are signposted to information on Gov.UK.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to support (a) young disabled Londoners and (b) young black Londoners into employment.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Disabled people and people with health conditions are a diverse group so access to the right work and health support, in the right place, at the right time, is key.
The Government therefore has an ambitious programme of initiatives to support disabled people and people with health to start, stay and succeed in work. These include: Employment Advisors in NHS Talking Therapies; the Work and Health Programme; Access to Work grants; Disability Confident; a digital information service for employers; Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentres; increasing Work Coach support in Jobcentres; increasing access to Occupational Health; and expanding the Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care programme.
Building on this, we announced significant additional investment during the 2023 fiscal events. Alongside the delivery of our existing initiatives, we are now focused on delivering this package which includes: introducing Employment Advisors into MSK services; a new voluntary employment programme called Universal Support (US) which will provide wraparound support to 100,000 people a year once fully rolled out; WorkWell in approximately 15 pilot areas to provide light touch work and health support; exploring new ways of providing individuals receiving a fit note with timely access to support through our call for evidence launched on 19 April 2024; and establishing an expert group to advise on a voluntary national baseline for Occupational Health provision.
The Department for Work and Pensions Jobcentre youth offer provides a range of options to those seeking employment, including young Black Londoners. Additionally, we are taking targeted action where there is a high ethnic minority employment gap. The DWP Youth Offer provides individually tailored work coach support to young people aged 16 to 24 who are in the Universal Credit Intensive Work Search group. This includes the Youth Employment Programme, Youth Employability Coaches for young people with additional barriers to finding work, and Youth Hubs across Great Britain.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many pieces of pre-action correspondence relating to his Department have been (a) received by the Treasury Solicitor and (b) responded to since 1 January 2024.
Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department responds to a range of correspondence badged by the sender as “pre-action”, sent into a variety of offices across DWP. These are handled on a case-by-case basis. It does not currently collect data that can answer the question asked, and nor is there a requirement for it to do so.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of people receiving the personal independence payment are in paid employment.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on the 2nd of May to PQ 24056.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average time is between pre-action correspondence relating to his Department being (a) received by the Treasury Solicitor and (b) responded to in the latest period for which data is available.
Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department responds to a range of correspondence badged by the sender as “pre-action”, sent into a variety of offices across DWP. These are handled on a case-by-case basis. It does not currently collect data that can answer the question asked, and nor is there a requirement for it to do so.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reason the address to which to submit pre-action correspondence to his Department changed from DWP Legal Advisers to the Treasury Solicitor in January 2024.
Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The relevant pre-action protocol continues to require, as it did before 1st January 2024, that pre-action correspondence be sent to the place where the decision was made, i.e. to the address on the letter notifying the decision. Once a claim is issued, service should be on the Treasury Solicitor.