Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 17 Jan 2017
DWP Policies and Low-income Households
"claimed to move the closure (Standing Order No. 36).
Question put forthwith, That the Question be now put.
Question agreed to.
Question put accordingly (Standing Order No. 31(2)), That the original words stand part of the Question...."Mike Weir - View Speech
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Fri 02 Dec 2016
Benefit Claimants Sanctions (Required Assessment) Bill
"rose—..."Mike Weir - View Speech
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Fri 02 Dec 2016
Benefit Claimants Sanctions (Required Assessment) Bill
"I normally say that I am very pleased to take part in a debate, but, unfortunately, I am not very pleased to do so today because we are having to discuss a terrible subject. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Paisley and Renfrewshire South (Mhairi Black) on the …..."Mike Weir - View Speech
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Fri 02 Dec 2016
Benefit Claimants Sanctions (Required Assessment) Bill
"We are not discussing the principle of sanctions today. We are discussing a Bill that sensibly seeks to mitigate the current system. Whether there should be sanctions at all is another debate for another day, but it is not what we are debating today. Many Government Members have spoken about …..."Mike Weir - View Speech
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Fri 02 Dec 2016
Benefit Claimants Sanctions (Required Assessment) Bill
"When my hon. Friend has been here as long as I have, she will realise that a political month can go on for a very, very long time.
The point is that many of the people who are subject to sanctions are vulnerable or, frankly, leading chaotic lifestyles because of …..."Mike Weir - View Speech
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Fri 02 Dec 2016
Benefit Claimants Sanctions (Required Assessment) Bill
"It is absolutely incredible that such a thing could happen, which just goes to show the difficulties in the system as it works at the moment.
Many Government Members have claimed that international evidence clearly shows that benefit regimes supported by conditionality reduce unemployment and that the regime in the …..."Mike Weir - View Speech
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Fri 02 Dec 2016
Benefit Claimants Sanctions (Required Assessment) Bill
"My hon. Friend makes an excellent point that again illustrates the complete illogicality of the system.
Research has linked sanctioning to food insecurity, demand for food banks and destitution. According to the Trussell Trust’s figures, benefit sanctions are a major contributor to its delivering more emergency food parcels in 2016 …..."Mike Weir - View Speech
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 30 Nov 2016
State Pension Age: Women
"claimed to move the closure (Standing Order No. 36).
Question put forthwith, That the Question be now put.
Question agreed to.
Question put accordingly (Standing Order No. 31(2)), That the original words stand part of the Question...."Mike Weir - View Speech
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Written Question
Wednesday 4th May 2016
Asked by:
Mike Weir (Scottish National Party - Angus)
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 efficiency of the pension schemes of abolished non-departmental public bodies in (a) identifying pensioners as they become eligible for payments and (b) ensuring that payments are processed and triggered for payment on the due date.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson
Departmental preparations for the reform of non-departmental public bodies take account of the Checklist for Departments published by the Cabinet Office, which includes advice on pensions.
In the past five years, the Department has reformed three bodies which employed staff.
In two cases, staff pensions were provided by the Civil Service Pension Scheme, which has established procedures in place for identifying pensioners as they become eligible, and ensuring that payments are processed on time:
The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission was abolished on 31 July 2012 and employed 7,652 full time equivalent staff, all of whom were civil servants;
The Independent Living Fund legally closed on 30 June 2015, however a small residual team of 15 staff was retained until 30 September to deal with any residual closure issues. It had previously employed 99.5 full time equivalent staff.
In April 2015, the Remploy business was sold to a new company outside Government control. The majority of its employees transferred to that company and left the Remploy Pension Scheme at the time. The pension scheme continues to be managed by its trustees and the scheme administrators, who remain responsible for identifying pensioners and ensuring they are paid appropriately once they become eligible. At 1 January 2016, the Remploy Pension Scheme had approximately 18,000 members, of whom over 9,500 were deferred members and thus potential future pensioners. From 1 April 2016, my Department is now the Principal Employer for this scheme.
Written Question
Wednesday 4th May 2016
Asked by:
Mike Weir (Scottish National Party - Angus)
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 future pensioners who will be eligible for payments by the pension schemes of abolished non-departmental public bodies.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson
Departmental preparations for the reform of non-departmental public bodies take account of the Checklist for Departments published by the Cabinet Office, which includes advice on pensions.
In the past five years, the Department has reformed three bodies which employed staff.
In two cases, staff pensions were provided by the Civil Service Pension Scheme, which has established procedures in place for identifying pensioners as they become eligible, and ensuring that payments are processed on time:
The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission was abolished on 31 July 2012 and employed 7,652 full time equivalent staff, all of whom were civil servants;
The Independent Living Fund legally closed on 30 June 2015, however a small residual team of 15 staff was retained until 30 September to deal with any residual closure issues. It had previously employed 99.5 full time equivalent staff.
In April 2015, the Remploy business was sold to a new company outside Government control. The majority of its employees transferred to that company and left the Remploy Pension Scheme at the time. The pension scheme continues to be managed by its trustees and the scheme administrators, who remain responsible for identifying pensioners and ensuring they are paid appropriately once they become eligible. At 1 January 2016, the Remploy Pension Scheme had approximately 18,000 members, of whom over 9,500 were deferred members and thus potential future pensioners. From 1 April 2016, my Department is now the Principal Employer for this scheme.