To match an exact phrase, use quotation marks around the search term. eg. "Parliamentary Estate". Use "OR" or "AND" as link words to form more complex queries.


Keep yourself up-to-date with the latest developments by exploring our subscription options to receive notifications direct to your inbox

Written Question
Universal Credit: South Glamorgan
Tuesday 11th December 2018

Asked by: Stephen Doughty (Labour (Co-op) - Cardiff South and Penarth)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in (a) Cardiff and (b) Vale of Glamorgan have made successful claims for underpayments of universal credit since the beginning of the roll-out; and what the average value is of each such claim.

Answered by Lord Sharma

DWP only holds this data at a national level for estimated underpayments, which can be accessed at:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/762141/fraud-and-error-stats-release-2017-2018-final-estimates.pdf


Written Question
Sign Language
Tuesday 11th December 2018

Asked by: Stephen Doughty (Labour (Co-op) - Cardiff South and Penarth)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to her Department's response to the consultation entitled, Market review of British Sign Language and communications provision for people who are deaf or have hearing loss, published in July 2017, what steps her Department has taken to increase the number of fully qualified and registered British Sign Language interpreters.

Answered by Sarah Newton

The ‘Market review of British Sign Language and communications provision for people who are deaf or have hearing loss’ was a review of the present state of the market for support that facilitates communication for people who are deaf, deaf-blind or have hearing loss and those that need to engage with them.

DWP worked with a wide range of stakeholders to develop the review’s parameters and criteria. These partners included other government departments; organisations that work for and with people who are deaf, Deafblind or have a hearing loss; and individuals from the communication and language professions. However, as was stated in the Report, it was not within the scope of the review to make policy recommendations based on the evidence received.

The review aimed to look at provision in the UK as a whole, covering all forms of language and communication support. Interested organisations and individuals were publically invited to make a submission to the review. As was explained in the report, DWP did not undertake field research during the course of this work and the accuracy of information submitted during the review has therefore not been further assured by the department.

This report published in July 2017 was a summary of the responses received. The report highlights current available evidence relating to the areas under review, including relevant published statistical data, and summarises common themes that were evident in the wide range of submissions that were received.

The review was designed to be a useful information resource, which would allow commissioners across both the public and private sector to make more informed decisions. The review is also a resource for policymakers. We have not assessed its impact across the public sector, but we can say that findings from the review informed DWP’s decision to increase the Access to Work Cap from £43,100 p.a. to £57,200 p.a. with effect from April 2018. Access to Work is also increasingly supporting the use of video relay services to complement support from face-to-face BSL Interpreters and allow for greater flexibility.

Recruitment levels among British Sign Language interpreters are influenced by a range of market factors, including demand for their services in social and personal situations, which DWP does not directly influence. However, DWP works closely and on an ongoing basis with people who are deaf of or have hearing loss, as well as relevant stakeholder groups, to ensure their needs are understood and that initiatives like Access to Work help to meet those needs.


Written Question
Sign Language: Public Sector
Tuesday 11th December 2018

Asked by: Stephen Doughty (Labour (Co-op) - Cardiff South and Penarth)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to her Department's response to the consultation entitled, Market review of British Sign Language and communications provision for people who are deaf or have hearing loss, published in July 2017, what steps her Department has taken to improve the commissioning of British Sign Language interpretation by the public sector.

Answered by Sarah Newton

The ‘Market review of British Sign Language and communications provision for people who are deaf or have hearing loss’ was a review of the present state of the market for support that facilitates communication for people who are deaf, deaf-blind or have hearing loss and those that need to engage with them.

DWP worked with a wide range of stakeholders to develop the review’s parameters and criteria. These partners included other government departments; organisations that work for and with people who are deaf, Deafblind or have a hearing loss; and individuals from the communication and language professions. However, as was stated in the Report, it was not within the scope of the review to make policy recommendations based on the evidence received.

The review aimed to look at provision in the UK as a whole, covering all forms of language and communication support. Interested organisations and individuals were publically invited to make a submission to the review. As was explained in the report, DWP did not undertake field research during the course of this work and the accuracy of information submitted during the review has therefore not been further assured by the department.

This report published in July 2017 was a summary of the responses received. The report highlights current available evidence relating to the areas under review, including relevant published statistical data, and summarises common themes that were evident in the wide range of submissions that were received.

The review was designed to be a useful information resource, which would allow commissioners across both the public and private sector to make more informed decisions. The review is also a resource for policymakers. We have not assessed its impact across the public sector, but we can say that findings from the review informed DWP’s decision to increase the Access to Work Cap from £43,100 p.a. to £57,200 p.a. with effect from April 2018. Access to Work is also increasingly supporting the use of video relay services to complement support from face-to-face BSL Interpreters and allow for greater flexibility.

Recruitment levels among British Sign Language interpreters are influenced by a range of market factors, including demand for their services in social and personal situations, which DWP does not directly influence. However, DWP works closely and on an ongoing basis with people who are deaf of or have hearing loss, as well as relevant stakeholder groups, to ensure their needs are understood and that initiatives like Access to Work help to meet those needs.


Written Question
Sign Language
Tuesday 11th December 2018

Asked by: Stephen Doughty (Labour (Co-op) - Cardiff South and Penarth)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to her Department's response to the consultation entitled, Market review of British Sign Language and communications provision for people who are deaf or have hearing loss, published in July 2017, what steps her Department has taken to fill the evidence gaps identified by respondents.

Answered by Sarah Newton

The ‘Market review of British Sign Language and communications provision for people who are deaf or have hearing loss’ was a review of the present state of the market for support that facilitates communication for people who are deaf, deaf-blind or have hearing loss and those that need to engage with them.

DWP worked with a wide range of stakeholders to develop the review’s parameters and criteria. These partners included other government departments; organisations that work for and with people who are deaf, Deafblind or have a hearing loss; and individuals from the communication and language professions. However, as was stated in the Report, it was not within the scope of the review to make policy recommendations based on the evidence received.

The review aimed to look at provision in the UK as a whole, covering all forms of language and communication support. Interested organisations and individuals were publically invited to make a submission to the review. As was explained in the report, DWP did not undertake field research during the course of this work and the accuracy of information submitted during the review has therefore not been further assured by the department.

This report published in July 2017 was a summary of the responses received. The report highlights current available evidence relating to the areas under review, including relevant published statistical data, and summarises common themes that were evident in the wide range of submissions that were received.

The review was designed to be a useful information resource, which would allow commissioners across both the public and private sector to make more informed decisions. The review is also a resource for policymakers. We have not assessed its impact across the public sector, but we can say that findings from the review informed DWP’s decision to increase the Access to Work Cap from £43,100 p.a. to £57,200 p.a. with effect from April 2018. Access to Work is also increasingly supporting the use of video relay services to complement support from face-to-face BSL Interpreters and allow for greater flexibility.

Recruitment levels among British Sign Language interpreters are influenced by a range of market factors, including demand for their services in social and personal situations, which DWP does not directly influence. However, DWP works closely and on an ongoing basis with people who are deaf of or have hearing loss, as well as relevant stakeholder groups, to ensure their needs are understood and that initiatives like Access to Work help to meet those needs.


Written Question
Universal Credit
Thursday 29th November 2018

Asked by: Stephen Doughty (Labour (Co-op) - Cardiff South and Penarth)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the cost to the public purse has been of correcting underpayments for universal credit to date; and what proportion of the Government’s total expenditure on universal credit has been spent on meeting that cost since the roll out of universal credit.

Answered by Lord Sharma

The information requested is not held by the Department.

The staff cost of correcting can not be disaggregated from other activity.


Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 05 Nov 2018
Universal Credit

"The reason why we have these concerns is because of cases like this: a constituent of mine—a single mother of a terminally ill child aged 2—had her application for income support lost by the DWP, was then forced to claim UC, and while that was being considered all her benefits …..."
Stephen Doughty - View Speech

View all Stephen Doughty (LAB - Cardiff South and Penarth) contributions to the debate on: Universal Credit

Speech in Commons Chamber - Thu 18 Oct 2018
Employment and Support Allowance Underpayments

"I am afraid that the Minister coming to the Chamber and praising the Department for good housekeeping is extremely ill-judged and inappropriate in such a serious situation. Of course, this is just the top of the hill. I have had vulnerable constituents waiting for up to a year, and receiving …..."
Stephen Doughty - View Speech

View all Stephen Doughty (LAB - Cardiff South and Penarth) contributions to the debate on: Employment and Support Allowance Underpayments

Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 17 Oct 2018
Universal Credit

"My hon. Friend is absolutely right to start with the issue on how universal credit is impacting on those with disabilities, the vulnerable and the unwell. I have a constituent who is caring for her disabled daughter and who has her own mental health problems. She was given the wrong …..."
Stephen Doughty - View Speech

View all Stephen Doughty (LAB - Cardiff South and Penarth) contributions to the debate on: Universal Credit

Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 02 Jul 2018
Oral Answers to Questions

"18. How many appeals have been granted against initial personal independence payment assessment decisions in the last 12 months. ..."
Stephen Doughty - View Speech

View all Stephen Doughty (LAB - Cardiff South and Penarth) contributions to the debate on: Oral Answers to Questions

Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 02 Jul 2018
Oral Answers to Questions

"Far too many of my constituents face exactly the same situation, and far too many have found they get no points in their assessment despite being severely disabled and having previously been awarded for conditions such as multiple sclerosis, post-traumatic stress disorder and severe anxiety. Does the Minister agree with …..."
Stephen Doughty - View Speech

View all Stephen Doughty (LAB - Cardiff South and Penarth) contributions to the debate on: Oral Answers to Questions