Asked by: Matthew Pennycook (Labour - Greenwich and Woolwich)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he plans to respond to the letter of 9 May 2023 from the hon. Member for Greenwich and Woolwich on his constituent's case, reference MC2022/102475.
Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)
A reply to the correspondence from the hon. Member was sent by the relevant Minister on 16 June 2023.
Asked by: Matthew Pennycook (Labour - Greenwich and Woolwich)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he plans to respond to the letter of 22 December 2022 from the hon. Member for Greenwich and Woolwich on a constituent’s PIP claim payments.
Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)
A reply was sent to the hon. Member for Greenwich and Woolwich by the Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work, on behalf of the Secretary of State, on 23 January 2023.
Asked by: Matthew Pennycook (Labour - Greenwich and Woolwich)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of the number of people who have been affected by the underpayment of benefits after transitioning from incapacity benefit to employment and support allowance in Greenwich and Woolwich constituency.
Answered by Chloe Smith
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 19th January to question number 104377.
Asked by: Matthew Pennycook (Labour - Greenwich and Woolwich)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 28 October 2019 to Question 3824, what roles are being performed by the 13 departmental staff who are paid below the London Living Wage.
Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)
DWP has 13 individuals paid below the London Living Wage out of a total of 11293 employed within the London pay zones. However, these 13 individuals are paid the National Living Wage. They are all employed in administrative grades; 11 are Administrative Assistants and 2 are Administrative Officers. These grades carry out administrative functions in various job roles across the department.
Asked by: Matthew Pennycook (Labour - Greenwich and Woolwich)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with what companies does his Department hold contracts for (a) catering and (b) cleaning within its London-based estate.
Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)
Catering and cleaning on the whole DWP estate (including London) are delivered as part of a Total Facilities Management contract with Interserve Facilities Management. Catering is delivered by Compass as a sub-contractor to Interserve.
Asked by: Matthew Pennycook (Labour - Greenwich and Woolwich)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many staff in her Department are paid less than the London Living Wage; and what requirements her Department places on contractors to pay the London Living Wage to London-based staff.
Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)
The total number of civil servants in Department for Work and Pensions earning below the London Living Wage rate of £10.55 per hour was 13 as at 25/10/2019.
This government is committed to paying people a decent living wage, which is being addressed through the statutory National Living Wage. In April 2019, the National Living Wage increased to £8.21 per hour, handing a full-time worker a further £690 annual pay rise. By 2024 the National Living Wage will rise to £10.50 per hour, reaching 66% of median UK earnings. The scope will be expanded to everyone aged 21 and over and is expected to benefit over 4 million low paid workers.
The Government will always award contracts on the basis of the best value for money for the taxpayer.
Asked by: Matthew Pennycook (Labour - Greenwich and Woolwich)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment she has made of the effect of the implementation of EU Directive 2004/37/EC on the funeral sector.
Answered by Sarah Newton
The Government is aware of the concerns that the funeral sector has raised about a new occupational exposure limit value for Formaldehyde in the latest proposed amendment to EU Directive 2004/37/EC. Officials have liaised with representatives of the sector to gather information to inform the continuing negotiations at EU level. The UK will continue to represent the concerns of the funeral sector as part of those negotiations.