Asked by: Stephen Timms (Labour - East Ham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what information was included in his Department’s foodbank signposting slips in February (a) 2023 and (b) 2024.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
On 19 February we introduced a new food charity signposting slip to replace the one previously used.
This does not change DWP signposting policy but improves the signposting slip to comply with our obligations under GDPR.
Our Jobcentres continue to provide customers with guidance to find additional support, including signposting to emergency food support when appropriate.
The new slip does not include any personal data. It also now provides claimants with information on where they might access emergency food locally, and wider sources of support.
Asked by: Stephen Timms (Labour - East Ham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reason his Department has changed the information provided on foodbank signposting slips.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
On 19 February we introduced a new food charity signposting slip to replace the one previously used.
This does not change DWP signposting policy but improves the signposting slip to comply with our obligations under GDPR.
Our Jobcentres continue to provide customers with guidance to find additional support, including signposting to emergency food support when appropriate.
The new slip does not include any personal data. It also now provides claimants with information on where they might access emergency food locally, and wider sources of support.
Asked by: Stephen Timms (Labour - East Ham)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, pursuant to the Answer of 29 February 2024 to Question 15545 on Muslim Council of Britain, when a MCB leader most recently took a position that contradicts the UK's fundamental values.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer I gave to Question UIN 15545 on 29 February 2024.
Asked by: Stephen Timms (Labour - East Ham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 26 February 2024 to Question 13206 on Migrants: Health Services, whether applicants who applied for entry clearance under paragraph 319X of the Immigration Rules before 12 April 2023 pay the Immigration Health Surcharge if their application is processed after that date.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
Appendix Child Joining a Non-Parent Relative, also known as Appendix CNP, allows for extended family with protection status in the UK to sponsor children to join them where there are serious and compelling circumstances. This can be in situations where a child has no parents or relatives to care for them, or where the parents or relatives in their own country cannot safely care for the child.
Simplification of the Immigration Rules, by inserting Appendix CNP on 12 April 2023, did not impose different Immigration Health Surcharge requirements, but replicated the existing provisions contained under paragraph 319X.
There were no policy changes made to the requirements of this route and it was solely formatting changes in line with the wider simplification format. Decision makers have been instructed to consider all applications made before and after 12 April 2023 under Appendix CNP. This means that all applications submitted prior to, and after, 12 April 2023 must pay the Immigration Health Surcharge. The requirement to do so may be waived where the sponsor is determined to be destitute, but it is in the best interests of the child to come to the UK.
Asked by: Stephen Timms (Labour - East Ham)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to the oral contribution of 27 February 2024 by the Minister for Housing, Planning and Building Safety, Official Report, column 237, which party the asbestos duty holder will be following enfranchisement.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
When enfranchisement happens a new dutyholder takes over the ‘duty to manage’ under Regulation 4 the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 for the communal areas. Further to regulation 4(1), the new dutyholder will be whoever is responsible for the communal areas as a result of the terms of the enfranchisement.
I have asked departmental officials to contact the Rt Hon Gentleman to discuss the issue he has raised in further detail.
Asked by: Stephen Timms (Labour - East Ham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate his Department has made of the number of employees eligible to receive Statutory Sick Pay from more than one employer.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Statutory Sick Pay is administered and paid by employers. Since 2014, employers are not required to report information on Statutory Sick Pay payments therefore this information is not available.
Asked by: Stephen Timms (Labour - East Ham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate his Department has made of the number of employees that (a) have two or more jobs and (b) earn less than the Lower Earnings Limit in each job.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department does not hold the information requested.
Asked by: Stephen Timms (Labour - East Ham)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with which organisations, other than the Muslim Council of Britain, the Government has a policy of non-engagement.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
The Government, under successive administrations, has a long-standing policy of non-engagement with the Muslim Council of Britain. Previous MCB leaders have taken positions that contradict our fundamental values and these have not been explicitly retracted.
The Government is committed to engaging with a broad range of leaders and organisations across many different communities and civil society groups. Engagement with communities can strengthen our democracy, our policymaking and our society.
However, as highlighted in the Independent Review of Prevent, where best practice is not followed engagement can create risks. It may inadvertently provide a platform or legitimacy for groups or individuals who oppose our shared democratic values and institutions, and allow them to gain greater influence, including in the eyes of those communities to whom they aim to promote their narratives.
In its response to the Independent Review of Prevent, the Government committed to ensuring it neither funds, works or consults with extremism-linked groups or individuals. DLUHC is working closely with the Home Office and key cross-government partners, including the Commission for Countering Extremism, to implement this recommendation.
Asked by: Stephen Timms (Labour - East Ham)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what the basis for his policy of non-engagement with the Muslim Council of Britain is.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
The Government, under successive administrations, has a long-standing policy of non-engagement with the Muslim Council of Britain. Previous MCB leaders have taken positions that contradict our fundamental values and these have not been explicitly retracted.
The Government is committed to engaging with a broad range of leaders and organisations across many different communities and civil society groups. Engagement with communities can strengthen our democracy, our policymaking and our society.
However, as highlighted in the Independent Review of Prevent, where best practice is not followed engagement can create risks. It may inadvertently provide a platform or legitimacy for groups or individuals who oppose our shared democratic values and institutions, and allow them to gain greater influence, including in the eyes of those communities to whom they aim to promote their narratives.
In its response to the Independent Review of Prevent, the Government committed to ensuring it neither funds, works or consults with extremism-linked groups or individuals. DLUHC is working closely with the Home Office and key cross-government partners, including the Commission for Countering Extremism, to implement this recommendation.
Asked by: Stephen Timms (Labour - East Ham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many real time information disputes were raised by Universal Credit claimants in the most recent twelve month period for which data is available.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.