Asked by: Philip Boswell (Scottish National Party - Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether people in the Work Programme are protected by the same employment rights as permanent full-time employees.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
Providers must comply with their Duty of Care under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Act’s associated regulations for all Work Programme participants in the same way as they would for any other member of their workforce whether they are paid by them or not.
Asked by: Philip Boswell (Scottish National Party - Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what key performance indicators are used to measure the performance of the Work Programme.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
The Department uses two main measures to monitor performance on the Work Programme. The main Departmental indicator is the proportion of claimants for whom providers have achieved a Job Outcome payment within 12 and 24 months of joining the Work Programme (endorsed by the UK Statistics Authority as the most appropriate measure to gauge Work Programme performance).
Asked by: Philip Boswell (Scottish National Party - Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what maximum amount of time an individual can participate in the Work Programme.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
Participants are supported by their Work Programme provider for up to 2 years.
Asked by: Philip Boswell (Scottish National Party - Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what provisions are in place to monitor the progress of individual participants in the Work Programme.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
Providers have the freedom to develop their own processes to support participants, plan activity, manage and monitor their experience whilst on the Work Programme in line with their delivery model, contract terms and conditions and the provider’s minimum service standards.
Asked by: Philip Boswell (Scottish National Party - Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has put in place any provisions to ensure that participants in the Work Programme have sufficient time to continue their search for permanent employment.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
Work Programme providers must ensure that any activities agreed do not prevent participants from being able to satisfy the conditions for receiving benefit, for example actively seeking work. Before starting a work placement providers are required to discuss with the participant arrangements for continuing their job search efforts.
Asked by: Philip Boswell (Scottish National Party - Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many individuals (a) below and (b) above the age of 25 took part in the Work Programme in each year since 2011.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
The information available for the number of Work Programme referrals, attachments and job outcomes, including by age, is published at:
https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/:
Guidance on how to extract the information required can be found at:
https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html
Asked by: Philip Boswell (Scottish National Party - Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many participants in the Work Programme were taken on by businesses in the retail sector as part of the Programme in each year since 2011.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
Information regarding numbers of participants starting work experience within the Work Programme is not held centrally. To collate this information would exceed the disproportionate costs limit placed on parliamentary questions.
Asked by: Philip Boswell (Scottish National Party - Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many hours on average are worked each week by participants taking part in the Work Programme.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
Work Programme participants do not undertake work unless they are on a work experience placement. Work experience will be over a short period, with restricted hours in recognition of the participant’s limited capability for work. To collate information on average hours worked whilst on a placement would exceed the disproportionate costs limit placed on parliamentary questions.
Asked by: Philip Boswell (Scottish National Party - Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether participants in the Work Programme are required to attend meetings at jobcentres during their work placement.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
Throughout a participant’s time with their Work Programme provider, Jobcentre Plus will continue to see them to check they are meeting their conditions for claiming benefits, if applicable. It is the provider’s responsibility to ensure that nothing they require of participants prevents them from attending these appointments.
Asked by: Philip Boswell (Scottish National Party - Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans his Department has to reduce the number of personal independence payment mandatory reconsiderations.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
As part of on-going review and improvement analysis of PIP, we are continuing to make efforts to ensure that our initial decisions are as well informed as they can be and of the highest standard. For example, the department is running a series of trials which looks at the end to end PIP decision making process with a particular focus on MR and explores the different ways we can improve the quality of our decision making.
However, it is important that claimants can request a Mandatory Reconsideration if they are unhappy with the initial decision. Moreover, a request for a Mandatory Reconsideration does not mean the initial decision was not right. Claimants often provide new, relevant evidence at the tribunal stage.