Asked by: Paul Blomfield (Labour - Sheffield Central)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many requests were made for legal assistance by asylum applicants for their initial asylum application in 2022.
Answered by Mike Freer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
Information about the total number of requests for this type of legal assistance is not held. Such assistance, where provided by legal aid, is funded under the ‘Legal Help’ scheme. Decisions about eligibility for this form of services are delegated to legal aid providers. As such, applications are not made directly to the Legal Aid Agency (LAA). Consequently, the LAA does not hold data regarding overall volumes of requests for assistance or the number of requests for assistance that are refused.
Asked by: Paul Blomfield (Labour - Sheffield Central)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the letter of 26 January 2023 sent by the Office for Students to accountable officers at registered higher education providers, which states that £10 million which had been set aside for preparation for the Lifelong Loan Entitlement is no longer needed for the purpose originally identified, what progress has been made on implementing the Lifelong Loan Entitlement.
Answered by Robert Halfon
The Lifelong Loan Entitlement (LLE) will be introduced from 2025. The government has already introduced key legislation as part of the Skills and Post-16 Education Act 2022.Building on these measures, on 1 February 2023 the government introduced the Lifelong Learning (Higher Education Fee Limits) Bill as a further step towards delivery of the LLE from 2025.
As part of the pathway towards the LLE, we will stimulate the provision of high-quality higher technical education (Levels 4 and 5) and have introduced pilots to inform future flexible and modular provision. As of the start of the 2022/23 academic year, we are trialling loan-funded access to tuition fees for over 100 short courses at Levels 4 to 6 at 22 providers across England. This will help us build and test towards the LLE, and will allow students to study and build up the skills they need more flexibly.
On 6 May 2022, the department concluded its consultation on the LLE, as part of the planned pathway to delivery from 2025. This consultation and other ongoing sector engagement is a critical part of delivering a transformation of student finance. We are carefully considering the contributions and will publish our response in due course.
Asked by: Paul Blomfield (Labour - Sheffield Central)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Answer of 5 January 2022 to Question 93755 on Work Capability Assessment, how many and what proportion of work capability assessments were (a) carried out by telephone, (b) paper-based, (c) video-based and (d) face-to-face in each of the last 12 months.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
The number and proportion of Work Capability Assessments (WCA) that have been carried out by (a) telephone, (b) paper-based, (c) video-based and (d) face-to-face in each of the last 12 months, can be found in the tables below.
Number of WCA per channel | (a) Telephone | (b) Paper-based | (c) Video | (d) Face-to-Face |
Nov-21 | 33,390 | 7,690 | 3,450 | 5,810 |
Dec-21 | 29,830 | 6,090 | 2,860 | 5,320 |
Jan-22 | 43,070 | 6,560 | 4,000 | 220 |
Feb-22 | 37,890 | 7,540 | 4,170 | 3,590 |
Mar-22 | 37,540 | 7,510 | 4,670 | 8,070 |
Apr-22 | 30,610 | 6,630 | 3,560 | 7,170 |
May-22 | 35,190 | 7,150 | 3,810 | 8,960 |
Jun-22 | 31,350 | 6,130 | 3,540 | 7,380 |
Jul-22 | 31,420 | 6,430 | 3,240 | 7,380 |
Aug-22 | 32,630 | 6,680 | 3,840 | 8,160 |
Sep-22 | 31,890 | 6,480 | 3,760 | 7,420 |
Oct-22 | 35,240 | 6,310 | 3,500 | 7,910 |
With channel proportion as:
Proportion of WCA per channel | (a) Telephone | (b) Paper-based | (c) Video | (d) Face-to-Face |
Nov-21 | 66% | 15% | 7% | 12% |
Dec-21 | 68% | 14% | 6% | 12% |
Jan-22 | 80% | 12% | 7% | 0% |
Feb-22 | 71% | 14% | 8% | 7% |
Mar-22 | 65% | 13% | 8% | 14% |
Apr-22 | 64% | 14% | 7% | 15% |
May-22 | 64% | 13% | 7% | 16% |
Jun-22 | 65% | 13% | 7% | 15% |
Jul-22 | 65% | 13% | 7% | 15% |
Aug-22 | 64% | 13% | 7% | 16% |
Sep-22 | 64% | 13% | 8% | 15% |
Oct-22 | 67% | 12% | 7% | 15% |
Please note:
Asked by: Paul Blomfield (Labour - Sheffield Central)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps the Government is taking to support people who are unable to access the DBS Update Service for the purposes of their employment.
Answered by Sarah Dines
Due to IT capabilities related to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) ability to process Police National Computer (PNC) information, there are a very small percentage of standard and enhanced checks that currently cannot be fully automated on the DBS system (approximately 0.5% of the 4.5 million standard and enhanced checks expected to be issued this year). In these instances, it is necessary for DBS to produce manual certificates which cannot be linked to the Update Service. Manual certificates are legitimate and valid certificates and should be accepted by organisations in exactly the same way as automated certificates.
The DBS is working on a full technical solution to this issue as a priority and expects it to be implemented by October 2023. This solution will ensure that DBS does not have to rely on manual certificates in the future and will enable the small percentage of individuals that are currently affected by this issue to obtain system-generated certificates and access the Update Service.
The DBS recognises that affected individuals unable utilise the Update Service may be financially disadvantaged.. To mitigate this impact, DBS is providing redress upon request for those individuals’ second and subsequent DBS application fees to put them back into a broadly equal financial position to those who can subscribe to the Update Service.
Asked by: Paul Blomfield (Labour - Sheffield Central)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made for the implications of her policies of the proposals outlined in the British Mountaineering Council's open letter entitled the Outdoors for All.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
The Government agrees with the three proposals set out in British Mountaineering Council’s open letter specifically that there should be fair access to the outdoors for everyone, better opportunities for young people to access the outdoors, and that we should invest in the health and well-being benefits of spending time in nature. We are working across departments developing a number of policies to open up access; for example, through active travel, nature-rich school grounds, more urban parks and green social prescribing.
To support fair access for all, for example:
To support opportunities for young people to connect with nature we are, for example:
To support the health and wellbeing benefits of spending time in nature, we are, for example:
Asked by: Paul Blomfield (Labour - Sheffield Central)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 7 November 2022 to Question 76003 on China: Police Stations, what steps her Department is taking to protect the welfare of the Chinese and Hong Kong diaspora in the UK.
Answered by Tom Tugendhat - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security)
As I stated to the House on 1 November, the Home Office works closely with Departments across Whitehall and with devolved Administrations to ensure that our national security is protected and that, in particular, those who have chosen to settle here are free to engage in our democratic society without fear of the regimes that they have tried to leave behind.
Through our excellent police forces and the agencies that work with them, we take a proactive approach to protecting individuals and communities from all manner of threats. Where we identify individuals who may be at heightened risk, we are front-footed in deploying protective security guidance and other measures where necessary.
The upcoming National Security Bill will strengthen our legal powers to deal with transnational repression. Coercion, harassment or intimidation linked to a foreign power that interfere with the freedoms of individuals will be criminalised under the new foreign interference offence in the Bill.
As I stated to the House on 1 November, I have asked officials to step up the work to ensure that our approach to transnational repression is robust, and I have asked our Department to review our approach to transnational repression as a matter of urgency. I will provide an update on that work to the House in due course.
Asked by: Paul Blomfield (Labour - Sheffield Central)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many EU Settlement Scheme applications are awaiting a decision.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
The Home Office publishes data on the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) in the ‘EU Settlement Scheme statistics - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)’.
The latest published information on EUSS applications received and concluded to 30 June 2022, can be found in the quarterly summary data at EU Settlement Scheme quarterly statistics, June 2022 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
The published statistics include those applicants who are seeking to upgrade their status from pre-settled to settled status, repeat applicants, joining family members, and also those who have submitted late applications.
Please note there has been a change in the frequency of the statistical information regarding the EU Settlement Scheme; moving from monthly to quarterly publication. The quarterly statistics will continue to provide updated information on the scheme, including monthly breakdowns of applications and conclusions. The latest quarterly release up to 30 June 2022 was published on 27 September.
Asked by: Paul Blomfield (Labour - Sheffield Central)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether the (a) Scoping Group and (b) Sounding Board to the review of the research, development and innovation landscape will approve the recommendations of the Review.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
In leading his independent Review of the Research, Development and Innovation Organisational Landscape, Sir Paul Nurse has gathered input from members of the Review’s Scoping Group and Sounding Board, alongside hundreds of organisations in the UK’s RDI landscape. Work is underway to consider and finalise the Review’s recommendations, which will consider input from those group members, ahead of the Review’s publication in the coming months.
Asked by: Paul Blomfield (Labour - Sheffield Central)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when he plans to publish the independent review of the research, development and innovation landscape.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
In leading his independent Review of the Research, Development and Innovation Organisational Landscape, Sir Paul Nurse has gathered input from members of the Review’s Scoping Group and Sounding Board, alongside hundreds of organisations in the UK’s RDI landscape. Work is underway to consider and finalise the Review’s recommendations, which will consider input from those group members, ahead of the Review’s publication in the coming months.
Asked by: Paul Blomfield (Labour - Sheffield Central)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what her Department's waiting time targets are for answering calls to the helpline for benefits claimants; and what the average waiting time was in each of the last 52 weeks.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
Waiting time targets:
DWP reviews forecasted telephony demand and plans resourcing accordingly to keep wait times down, wait time performance is frequently reviewed, and where DWP’s telephony is delivered by an outsourced provider we use the Key Performance Indicator of percentage of calls answered. All DWP customer telephone lines are Freephone numbers.
Average waiting time/Average Speed of Answer (ASA)
The ASA for all service lines in Retirement Services, Universal Credit, Child Maintenance Group, Disability Services and Working Age for each of the last Fifty-Two weeks was as follows:
Week Commencing | Retirement Provision | Universal Credit | CMG | Disability | Working Age |
06/09/2021 | 00:12:06 | 00:08:15 | 00:20:52 | 00:18:55 | 00:16:47 |
13/09/2021 | 00:10:12 | 00:12:30 | 00:22:15 | 00:17:58 | 00:15:03 |
20/09/2021 | 00:09:02 | 00:15:48 | 00:18:13 | 00:18:34 | 00:11:08 |
27/09/2021 | 00:10:34 | 00:13:09 | 00:22:38 | 00:19:08 | 00:10:06 |
04/10/2021 | 00:10:24 | 00:07:34 | 00:19:07 | 00:21:04 | 00:11:45 |
11/10/2021 | 00:10:14 | 00:03:17 | 00:18:55 | 00:22:17 | 00:11:01 |
18/10/2021 | 00:09:49 | 00:03:42 | 00:19:05 | 00:19:56 | 00:14:02 |
25/10/2021 | 00:10:54 | 00:03:45 | 00:20:30 | 00:18:37 | 00:17:09 |
01/11/2021 | 00:09:31 | 00:03:00 | 00:21:05 | 00:19:19 | 00:13:59 |
08/11/2021 | 00:09:22 | 00:03:38 | 00:17:10 | 00:17:29 | 00:13:46 |
15/11/2021 | 00:09:13 | 00:02:30 | 00:13:43 | 00:16:57 | 00:14:45 |
22/11/2021 | 00:08:21 | 00:03:08 | 00:14:42 | 00:17:26 | 00:18:19 |
29/11/2021 | 00:08:22 | 00:03:41 | 00:19:00 | 00:17:07 | 00:24:07 |
06/12/2021 | 00:08:27 | 00:02:09 | 00:14:37 | 00:18:18 | 00:22:52 |
13/12/2021 | 00:06:29 | 00:01:50 | 00:10:00 | 00:15:10 | 00:11:46 |
20/12/2021 | 00:04:55 | 00:00:22 | 00:15:40 | 00:12:18 | 00:07:13 |
27/12/2021 | 00:09:20 | 00:01:05 | 00:23:59 | 00:20:50 | 00:18:04 |
03/01/2022 | 00:09:53 | 00:01:12 | 00:18:23 | 00:16:45 | 00:11:20 |
10/01/2022 | 00:09:35 | 00:00:24 | 00:14:30 | 00:17:12 | 00:08:13 |
17/01/2022 | 00:10:40 | 00:00:21 | 00:15:22 | 00:13:33 | 00:08:22 |
24/01/2022 | 00:10:32 | 00:00:18 | 00:17:01 | 00:14:56 | 00:09:23 |
31/01/2022 | 00:10:01 | 00:00:53 | 00:14:57 | 00:13:48 | 00:11:49 |
07/02/2022 | 00:09:29 | 00:02:57 | 00:13:05 | 00:15:41 | 00:12:30 |
14/02/2022 | 00:09:29 | 00:01:08 | 00:14:10 | 00:16:24 | 00:17:05 |
21/02/2022 | 00:09:42 | 00:01:16 | 00:15:00 | 00:18:44 | 00:17:20 |
28/02/2022 | 00:08:44 | 00:02:26 | 00:18:20 | 00:15:44 | 00:20:05 |
07/03/2022 | 00:07:44 | 00:01:36 | 00:14:47 | 00:16:35 | 00:19:02 |
14/03/2022 | 00:06:04 | 00:02:00 | 00:12:55 | 00:17:55 | 00:21:41 |
21/03/2022 | 00:06:59 | 00:02:24 | 00:12:50 | 00:15:37 | 00:20:50 |
28/03/2022 | 00:09:03 | 00:02:18 | 00:13:13 | 00:16:46 | 00:16:13 |
04/04/2022 | 00:07:59 | 00:04:10 | 00:12:43 | 00:18:03 | 00:10:54 |
11/04/2022 | 00:06:35 | 00:02:57 | 00:09:38 | 00:18:06 | 00:14:41 |
18/04/2022 | 00:08:04 | 00:03:48 | 00:15:53 | 00:16:45 | 00:19:26 |
25/04/2022 | 00:07:03 | 00:02:31 | 00:13:24 | 00:16:35 | 00:16:21 |
02/05/2022 | 00:09:26 | 00:04:12 | 00:14:35 | 00:18:27 | 00:18:17 |
09/05/2022 | 00:08:09 | 00:02:56 | 00:14:20 | 00:14:32 | 00:19:27 |
16/05/2022 | 00:07:12 | 00:04:41 | 00:17:52 | 00:18:07 | 00:16:28 |
23/05/2022 | 00:06:58 | 00:02:56 | 00:23:56 | 00:14:16 | 00:13:23 |
30/05/2022 | 00:06:54 | 00:07:37 | 00:30:45 | 00:13:22 | 00:15:54 |
06/06/2022 | 00:08:26 | 00:04:15 | 00:29:17 | 00:19:23 | 00:15:49 |
13/06/2022 | 00:08:38 | 00:03:21 | 00:29:46 | 00:16:35 | 00:07:10 |
20/06/2022 | 00:06:12 | 00:03:26 | 00:32:13 | 00:14:20 | 00:09:11 |
27/06/2022 | 00:06:15 | 00:03:35 | 00:23:22 | 00:16:48 | 00:10:08 |
04/07/2022 | 00:06:07 | 00:03:24 | 00:19:27 | 00:17:32 | 00:11:32 |
11/07/2022 | 00:06:41 | 00:04:09 | 00:18:17 | 00:18:20 | 00:14:42 |
18/07/2022 | 00:06:14 | 00:02:06 | 00:14:08 | 00:16:21 | 00:12:02 |
25/07/2022 | 00:06:44 | 00:01:35 | 00:15:30 | 00:16:01 | 00:13:28 |
01/08/2022 | 00:08:49 | 00:02:48 | 00:14:59 | 00:17:09 | 00:16:46 |
08/08/2022 | 00:08:30 | 00:02:48 | 00:17:11 | 00:16:48 | 00:14:39 |
15/08/2022 | 00:08:14 | 00:04:55 | 00:16:59 | 00:18:05 | 00:16:10 |
22/08/2022 | 00:07:01 | 00:04:22 | 00:15:16 | 00:18:43 | 00:16:25 |
29/08/2022 | 00:07:44 | 00:03:52 | 00:17:21 | 00:19:13 | 00:19:54 |
hh:mm:ss
Average Speed of Answer measures the average customer wait time from the point of entering a queue to connection to an agent. This excludes any time spent in pre-queue messaging and any wait time for calls ultimately abandoned by callers.
Please note this information is derived from the Department’s management information designed solely for the purpose of helping the Department to manage its business. As such, it has not been subjected to the rigorous quality assurance checks applied to our published official statistics. As DWP holds the information internally, we have released it. However, it is possible information held by DWP may change due to operational reasons and we recommend that caution be applied when using it.