Asked by: Roger Gale (Conservative - Herne Bay and Sandwich)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, on what basis the French Southern and Antarctic Lands, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Saint Barthélemy, French Polynesia, Wallis and Futuna and New Caledonia are excluded from his calculations for the purposes of establishing the average mean winter temperature for France in connection with winter fuel payments.
Answered by Steve Webb
The French Government and European Union law makes a distinction between the pays et territoires d’outre-mer (PTOM) and the départements d’outre mer (DOMs). The PTOM include Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, Saint Barthélémy, French Polynesia, Wallis and Futuna and New Caledonia. These territories benefit from association with the EU but community law does not generally apply. With the exception of Saint- Barthélémy they have their own social protection schemes and are legally and financially autonomous. UK Winter Fuel Payments are not paid to residents in the PTOMs.
The French Government treats its DOMs as integral parts of the French State and they are subject to the application of EU social security co-ordination regulations. Winter Fuel Payments are payable to residents in the DOMs, however this will end from September 2015.
Asked by: Roger Gale (Conservative - Herne Bay and Sandwich)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether a conclusion has been reached on infringement proceedings generated by the European Commission against the Government of the United Kingdom, with regard to the application of the 'Past Presence' test for disability benefit purposes as it affects ex-patriate citizens of the United Kingdom now resident in other EU member states; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Lord Harper
There has been no formal conclusion to the infringement proceedings brought by the European Commission against the Government of the UK with regard to the application of the ‘Past Presence Test’ for certain disability benefits.
Asked by: Roger Gale (Conservative - Herne Bay and Sandwich)
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 cases awaiting individual assessments by Atos; what estimate he has made of the waiting time between personal independence payment (PIP) claims, assessment and awards being made; and what estimate he has made of the amount due in PIP awards that is outstanding.
Answered by Lord Harper
Information on the number of cases awaiting individual assessments is not routinely supplied and is not published data.
Departmental statisticians are continuing to develop measures around clearance times and waiting times to ensure they provide a rounded and representative picture of Personal Independence Payment system performance, improvement activity and the claimants’ experience. These statistics will be published as soon as they are ready, with the release pre-announced in line with United Kingdom Statistics Authority release protocols
No estimate has been made of the amount due in PIP awards that is outstanding as each claim must be individually assessed before entitlement can be determined.