Asked by: Peter Grant (Scottish National Party - Glenrothes)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of cases in which domestic abuse was disclosed were referred by the Child Maintenance Service to an Advanced Customer Support Senior Leader in (a) 2021, (b) 2022 and (c) 2023.
Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) takes the issue of domestic abuse extremely seriously and recognises that domestic abuse often continues and can worsen after separation, which can have detrimental impacts on the welfare of children. CMS therefore continues to evolve and make positive changes to the way we deliver our service and to support our case workers.
We have measures in place to ensure victims and survivors of domestic abuse can access and use our services safely.
Of 29,000 new applications to the CMS in the quarter ending December 2023, 56% of applications were exempt from the application fee, largely on the grounds of domestic abuse.
The Department publishes quarterly statistics for the CMS. Latest statistics are available up to December 2023. Table 2 of the of the National tables provides the volume of applications and volume of those with an exemption due to domestic abuse for the period 2021-2023.
Quarter of Application | Application Fee Exemptions due to Domestic Abuse | Total Application Fee Exemptions | Percentage of Applications with an Exemption |
[note 1] | |||
Jan to Mar 2021 | 10,500 | 10,600 | 58% |
Apr to Jun 2021 | 11,800 | 11,900 | 60% |
Jul to Sep 2021 | 12,400 | 12,500 | 59% |
Oct to Dec 2021 | 11,600 | 11,600 | 60% |
Jan to Mar 2022 | 15,100 | 15,200 | 57% |
Apr to Jun 2022 | 17,300 | 17,500 | 55% |
Jul to Sep 2022 | 17,600 | 17,900 | 53% |
Oct to Dec 2022 | 14,700 | 14,900 | 55% |
Jan to Mar 2023 | 17,600 | 17,800 | 55% |
Apr to Jun 2023 | 17,800 | 18,100 | 56% |
Jul to Sep 2023 | 18,500 | 18,800 | 54% |
Furthermore, in October 2023 the CMS introduced regulations to completely remove the application fee for all families, this came into force on the 26 February 2024.
We are also trialling the use of a single, named case worker team to help ensure victims of domestic abuse are appropriately supported. Evaluation of the trial will inform the future service we offer to survivors of domestic abuse.
CMS have procedures to prevent unwanted contact between parents and provide advice on bank accounts with a centralised sort code so their location cannot be traced. Additionally, CMS can act as an intermediary in Direct Pay cases to facilitate the exchange of bank details, which helps to ensure no personal information is shared between parents.
Further changes, The Child Support Collection (Domestic Abuse) Act 2023 received Royal Assent on 28 June 2023. On 8 May 2024, the Department published a public consultation, Improving the Collection and Transfer of Payments, which follows the Child Support Collection (Domestic Abuse) Act 2023. The consultation proposes to remove the Direct Pay service completely, which will go further than the measures set out in the Act and provide the same level of protection for all parents. The consultation closes 31st July 2024. The Government will then carefully consider the feedback and a response will be published. To find out more information go to: Child Maintenance: Improving the collection and transfer of payments - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
We support our case workers to deliver our service by ensuring they receive appropriate training and have access to signposting and support that could be utilised to assist survivors of domestic abuse.
Through extensive Stakeholder engagement CMS reviewed their domestic abuse training in 2021. Training was delivered to all case workers to ensure they are equipped to recognise coercive and controlling behaviour and appropriately signpost parents in vulnerable situations. All caseworkers have access to the District Provision Toolkit which contains the most up to date information for signposting to help and support for domestic abuse across England, Scotland, and Wales.
A Domestic Abuse Plan was developed which outlines key steps for caseworkers to follow to ensure victims of domestic abuse are supported. This includes advice on contacting the police if the parent is in immediate danger or calling the police on behalf of the parent if requested to do so. Additionally, the plan directs case workers to consider a referral to an Advanced Customer Support Senior Leader if a customer requires further support.
The number of ACSSL cases that have been referred by CMS colleagues, where the referral has been categorised as ‘domestic abuse’ are as follows:
| 2021 | 2022 | 2023* |
ACSSL Referrals from CMS colleagues categorised as domestic abuse | 3 | 3 | 1 |
It should be noted that disclosure of domestic abuse does not automatically require an Advanced Customer Support Senior Leader (ACSSL) to become involved in supporting a case. Additionally domestic abuse may be reported at any stage of case, we do not gather data on all cases therefore the information requested on the proportion of referrals is not held, however given ACSSL referrals are very low this is also likely to be very low.
Asked by: Peter Grant (Scottish National Party - Glenrothes)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of housing benefit in the context of average rents in Scotland.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates are reviewed annually by the Secretary of State. The review includes consideration of current rents, as well as the broader fiscal context. Rent Service Scotland have responsibility for collecting the private rental data that is used to help calculate LHA rates in Scotland.
From April this year the Government is investing £1.2 billion increasing LHA rates to the 30th percentile of local market rents in Great Britain. This significant investment ensures 1.6 million private renters in receipt of Housing Benefit or Universal Credit will gain on average, nearly £800 in additional help towards their rental costs in 2024/25. This includes around 85k private renters in Scotland who currently receive LHA.
LHA provides a reasonable level of housing support towards rental costs in the private rented sector. LHA rates are not intended to cover all rents in all areas.
For those who face a shortfall in meeting their housing costs and need further support Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) are available from local authorities. Since April 2017, DHPs have been fully devolved to Scotland who are responsible for the allocation and payment to Scottish local authorities.
Asked by: Peter Grant (Scottish National Party - Glenrothes)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when she plans to respond to Questions 17752 and 17753 on Hydrogen: Heating, tabled on 8 March 2024 by the Hon. Member for Glenrothes.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
I replied to the Hon Member on Friday 15 March.
Asked by: Peter Grant (Scottish National Party - Glenrothes)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when she plans to provide a substantive answer to Question 16155 on Blood: Contamination, tabled on 28 February 2024 by the Hon. Member for Glenrothes.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to Question 16155 on 18 March 2024.
Asked by: Peter Grant (Scottish National Party - Glenrothes)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what psychological support is available for people (a) infected and (b) affected by contaminated blood and blood products in Glenrothes constituency.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
Health services in Scotland are the responsibility of the Scottish Government.
Anyone living in Scotland who has been infected or affected by infected blood or blood products has access to specialist psychological support services. There are two such services established by the Scottish Government and managed by NHS Lothian: the Inherited Bleeding Disorders Psychological Support Service, which is available for any patients with a bleeding disorder or their family, and the Scottish Infected Blood Psychological Service. Both services can see patients from across Scotland by means of outreach services, virtually using the NHS Near Me service, or by telephone.
Asked by: Peter Grant (Scottish National Party - Glenrothes)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when she plans to make an announcement on the funding applications from the four Gas Distribution Networks for the Hydrogen Heating Town pilot.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government received applications from each of the four Gas Distribution Networks for funding to develop outline plans for how a roll out of hydrogen heating might start in each of their network areas, starting with a potential hydrogen town
The Government decided in December 2023 not to proceed with a hydrogen village trial in Redcar as the main source of hydrogen would not be available. The Government is assessing the implications of that decision for our policy on planning for a hydrogen town pilot and will provide an update on this work in due course.
Asked by: Peter Grant (Scottish National Party - Glenrothes)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent progress her Department has made on the roll out of the Hydrogen Heating Town pilot.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government received applications from each of the four Gas Distribution Networks for funding to develop outline plans for how a roll out of hydrogen heating might start in each of their network areas, starting with a potential hydrogen town
The Government decided in December 2023 not to proceed with a hydrogen village trial in Redcar as the main source of hydrogen would not be available. The Government is assessing the implications of that decision for our policy on planning for a hydrogen town pilot and will provide an update on this work in due course.
Asked by: Peter Grant (Scottish National Party - Glenrothes)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether funding will be made available through the Green Industries Growth Accelerator for the manufacture of wind turbine jackets.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Government has committed £1.1 billion to the Green Industries Growth Accelerator to support the expansion of domestic green manufacturing capacity and strengthen clean energy supply chains. At Spring Budget, government announced provisional allocations of up to £390 million for offshore wind and networks, up to £390 million for carbon capture, utilisation and storage and hydrogen and up to £300m to support domestic production of high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) for nuclear fuel.
Government is conducting engagement with industry on the design of the Accelerator and more detail on eligibility and how to apply for funding will be shared in due course.
Asked by: Peter Grant (Scottish National Party - Glenrothes)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make an estimate of how many people would be eligible for compensation under the terms of the recommendations of the second interim report of Infected Blood Inquiry, published on 5 April 2023, in Glenrothes constituency.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Statistical Expert Group, established by the Infected Blood Inquiry, has provided valuable insight into the numbers of infections from blood and blood products in the UK between 1970 and 1991 and subsequent survival rates. Since October 2022, the Government has paid over £400 million in interim compensation payments to those infected or bereaved partners registered with the UK Infected Blood Support Schemes, totalling over 4,000 individuals. However, the requested information is not available by Parliamentary constituency. There is also considerable uncertainty over the number of people, especially those affected, who might be eligible under Sir Brian Langstaff’s recommendations. Therefore I am not able to provide a substantive response to the Honourable Member’s questions on his constituency.
Asked by: Peter Grant (Scottish National Party - Glenrothes)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people have received interim compensation payments as a result of (a) their infection and (b) their family member’s infection resulting from contaminated blood or blood products in Glenrothes constituency.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Statistical Expert Group, established by the Infected Blood Inquiry, has provided valuable insight into the numbers of infections from blood and blood products in the UK between 1970 and 1991 and subsequent survival rates. Since October 2022, the Government has paid over £400 million in interim compensation payments to those infected or bereaved partners registered with the UK Infected Blood Support Schemes, totalling over 4,000 individuals. However, the requested information is not available by Parliamentary constituency. There is also considerable uncertainty over the number of people, especially those affected, who might be eligible under Sir Brian Langstaff’s recommendations. Therefore I am not able to provide a substantive response to the Honourable Member’s questions on his constituency.