Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the announcement by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 2 March concerning the requirement by 2027 for pension funds to disclose how much they invest in British businesses, what steps they are taking to assess the potential consequences on overall competitiveness and attractiveness of the UK as an investment destination.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Chancellor announced at Spring Budget that the government will introduce new requirements for Defined Contribution pension funds to disclose publicly their level of UK equity investments, working closely with the Financial Conduct Authority (the FCA) who share responsibility for setting requirements for the market. The FCA will consult in the Spring. The government will introduce equivalent requirements for Local Government Pension Scheme funds in England & Wales. The government will review what further action should be taken if the data does not demonstrate that UK equity allocations are increasing.
This complements the wider reforms that the Government and regulators are already undertaking to boost UK markets.
Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what his Department's expected timeline is to publish its response to the consultation entitled Local Government Pension Scheme (England and Wales): Governance and reporting of climate change risks.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
The Government wrote to the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) Advisory Board on 15 June confirming the proposed requirements will not be implemented relating to the governance or disclosure of climate-related financial risks for the financial year 2023/24. The Government will respond to the consultation in due course.
As set out in The Local Government Pension Scheme (Management and Investment of Funds) Regulations 2016, the term “proper advice” means the advice of a person whom the authority reasonably considers to be qualified by their ability in and practical experience of financial matters.
Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what is meant by proper advice in the Local Government Pension Scheme’s proposed responsibilities on climate risk.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
The Government wrote to the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) Advisory Board on 15 June confirming the proposed requirements will not be implemented relating to the governance or disclosure of climate-related financial risks for the financial year 2023/24. The Government will respond to the consultation in due course.
As set out in The Local Government Pension Scheme (Management and Investment of Funds) Regulations 2016, the term “proper advice” means the advice of a person whom the authority reasonably considers to be qualified by their ability in and practical experience of financial matters.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Durham (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Stedman-Scott on 8 November (HL2809), what support is available to individuals subject to No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) conditions as part of their total cost of living package of £37 billion this year, but excluding the Energy Bills Support Scheme.
Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott
In addition to the Government supporting those in receipt of public fund benefits with cost-of-living payments, the package also includes a range of measures that those with no recourse to public funds could also benefit from, if they meet the eligibility criteria.
This would include an increase to the National Living Wage (NLW) by 9.7% to £10.42 an hour for workers aged 23 and over, from 1 April 2023 for those individuals who have a right to work. In addition, the Government’s commitment to the triple lock will see an increase from April 2023 of 10.1% to their State Pension.
For those who require extra support, the government is providing an additional £1bn to help with the cost of household essentials, for the 2023-24 financial year, on top of what we have already provided since October 2021, bringing total funding for this support to £2.5 billion.
In England this includes an extension to the Household Support Fund backed by £842m, running from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024. Guidance and individual Local Authority indicative allocations for this further extension will be announced in due course. Devolved administrations will receive £158 million through the Barnett formula.
Local Authorities can provide a basic safety net support to an individual, regardless of their immigration status, if there is a genuine care need that does not arise solely from destitution, for example if:
Local Authorities must use their judgement to decide what legal powers and funding can be used to support individuals who are ineligible for public funds or statutory housing assistance.
Asked by: Kate Osamor (Independent - Edmonton)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that families subject to the No Recourse to Public Funds condition receive adequate support in the context of the rise in the cost of living.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Access to DWP benefits flows from an individual’s immigration status. DWP has no powers to award public funds benefits to an individual whose Home Office immigration status specifies no recourse to public funds (NRPF) including Universal Credit. Those on certain visa routes, including the family and human rights routes, can apply, for free, to have their NRPF condition lifted by making a ‘change of condition’ application if they are destitute or at risk of destitution, if the welfare of their child is at risk due to their low income, or where there are other exceptional financial circumstances.
Those with an immigration status with a NRPFs condition can access contributions-based benefits and the State Pension providing they meet the eligibility criteria; in addition, they can also access Local Authority support.
Local Authorities can provide a safety net of support to an individual, regardless of their immigration status, if there is a genuine care need that does not arise solely from destitution, for example if there are community care needs, they have serious health problems or there is a risk to a child’s wellbeing. Section 17 of the Children Act 1989 imposes a general duty on local authorities to safeguard and promote the welfare of “children in need” in their area. Support provided to a child by local authorities under Section 17 of the Children Act 1989 is not dependent on the immigration status of the child or their parent(s). In addition, individuals with no recourse to public funds can also benefit from the Household Support Fund and may be able to receive support in limited circumstances, as determined by Local Authorities. See the link with further guidance on this.
Advice on alternative support available for those who are not eligible for Universal Credit can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/universal-credit/other-financial-support
Asked by: Kirsten Oswald (Scottish National Party - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will hold discussions with Cabinet colleagues on amending the immigration regulations governing No Recourse to Public Funds to enable emergency access to Universal Credit for parents who become unable to work due to (a) ill-health or (b) caring responsibilities.
Answered by Kevin Foster
The Home Office is committed to further exploring data availability on No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) and migrant poverty, including children in poverty, while recognising the challenges posed in identifying and gathering the relevant data.
Published correspondence between the Home Office and UK Statistics Authority sets out our proposals for further work to investigate data on migrant poverty:
There are no plans to amend the regulations governing NRPF to enable emergency access to Universal Credit for parents who become unable to work due to ill-health or caring responsibilities.
Temporary immigration status holders are generally required to support themselves and any accompanying family members, including children, in the UK without recourse to public funds. This is a well-established principle which prevents access to taxpayer-funded public services from being the basis of migration to this country. The general expectation is temporary immigration status holders who can no longer financially support themselves and their families in the UK will return to their home country.
Safeguards exist to ensure people receive support where they are destitute, at risk of destitution, or have community care needs, including issues relating to human rights or the wellbeing of children. For example, people with leave under the family and human rights routes, and those who have been granted leave on the Hong Kong British National (Overseas) visa route as a British National (Overseas) status holder or a family member of a British National (Overseas) status holder, can apply, for free, to have their NRPF condition lifted by making a ‘change of condition’ application if they are destitute or at risk of destitution, if the welfare of their child is at risk due to their low income, or where there are other exceptional financial circumstances. Local authorities may also provide basic safety net support, regardless of immigration status, if it is established there is a genuine care need that does not arise solely from destitution.
People who have made the necessary national insurance contributions can also claim contributory benefits such as contribution-based Jobseekers Allowance, statutory sick pay and state pension.
Asked by: Kirsten Oswald (Scottish National Party - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent estimate she has made of the number of children living in poverty in the UK with parents who are subject to No Recourse to Public Funds.
Answered by Kevin Foster
The Home Office is committed to further exploring data availability on No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) and migrant poverty, including children in poverty, while recognising the challenges posed in identifying and gathering the relevant data.
Published correspondence between the Home Office and UK Statistics Authority sets out our proposals for further work to investigate data on migrant poverty:
There are no plans to amend the regulations governing NRPF to enable emergency access to Universal Credit for parents who become unable to work due to ill-health or caring responsibilities.
Temporary immigration status holders are generally required to support themselves and any accompanying family members, including children, in the UK without recourse to public funds. This is a well-established principle which prevents access to taxpayer-funded public services from being the basis of migration to this country. The general expectation is temporary immigration status holders who can no longer financially support themselves and their families in the UK will return to their home country.
Safeguards exist to ensure people receive support where they are destitute, at risk of destitution, or have community care needs, including issues relating to human rights or the wellbeing of children. For example, people with leave under the family and human rights routes, and those who have been granted leave on the Hong Kong British National (Overseas) visa route as a British National (Overseas) status holder or a family member of a British National (Overseas) status holder, can apply, for free, to have their NRPF condition lifted by making a ‘change of condition’ application if they are destitute or at risk of destitution, if the welfare of their child is at risk due to their low income, or where there are other exceptional financial circumstances. Local authorities may also provide basic safety net support, regardless of immigration status, if it is established there is a genuine care need that does not arise solely from destitution.
People who have made the necessary national insurance contributions can also claim contributory benefits such as contribution-based Jobseekers Allowance, statutory sick pay and state pension.
Asked by: Daniel Kawczynski (Conservative - Shrewsbury and Atcham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the level of funding was per pupil in Shropshire in (a) 2018, (b) 2019 and (c) 2020.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Department is increasing core schools funding nationally by £2.6 billion this year, £4.8 billion and £7.1 billion by the 2021-22 and 2022-23 financial years respectively, compared to 2019-20.
The national funding formula continues to distribute funding fairly to schools, based on the needs of the schools and their pupil cohorts, levelling up school funding and delivering resources where they are needed most. This year, every primary school will receive at least £4,000 per pupil, and every secondary school at least £5,150 per pupil, delivering on the Government’s pledge to level up the lowest funded schools. On top of that, all schools will receive additional funds to cover additional teachers’ pay and pension costs. This adds a further £180 and £265 respectively to the minimum per pupil amounts.
The table below sets out the per pupil levels of funding for 5-16 schools in Shropshire local authority over the past four financial years.
Financial year | Per pupil funding |
2021-22 | £5,036 |
2020-21 | £4,652 |
2019-20 | £4,467 |
2018-19 | £4,454* |
*This includes funding for growth (ie, to support schools facing significant growth in their number of pupils), which is not included in figures from 2019-20 because from that point, growth funding was allocated separately.
Asked by: Lord Kennedy of Southwark (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on those who are unbanked.
Answered by Lord Agnew of Oulton
The Government is committed to supporting all groups in society, including the most vulnerable, with the challenges caused by Covid-19. The Government has boosted the generosity of the welfare system by £7.4bn in 2020-21 including through a temporary £20 a week increase in Universal Credit (UC) standard allowance and Working Tax Credit basic element, an increase in Local Housing Allowance rates and relaxation of UC minimum income floor for self-employed claimants. The Department for Work and Pensions offers HMG Payment Exception Service that allows customers access to funds via PayPoint outlets, for individuals who cannot access a bank account.
However, the Government recognises the importance of having a bank account, as it provides a way of receiving income, whether that be salary, pension, benefits or tax credit and opens up opportunities to access other financial products such as savings accounts, credit, insurance and mortgages. Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, HM Treasury and the financial regulators have worked closely with banks, building societies and credit unions to maintain branch access for essential services, including for the purposes of opening a bank account.
The Treasury does not make assessments of the number of people who do not have a bank account. However, in 2017, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) published the results of the Financial Lives Survey which found that 1.3 million UK adults do not hold an account they can use for day-to-day payments and transactions.
The 9 largest personal current account providers in the UK are legally required to offer fee-free basic bank accounts to customers who do not have a bank account in the UK or who are ineligible for a bank’s standard current account. The Treasury publishes data on basic bank accounts annually. The December 2019 publication shows that in total there are nearly 7.5 million basic bank accounts open in the UK. More information can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/basic-bank-accounts
Asked by: Stephanie Peacock (Labour - Barnsley East)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many people are members of the Local Government Pension Scheme in (a) Barnsley, (b) South Yorkshire and (c) Yorkshire and Humber.
Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)
In the Yorkshire and Humber area, the Local Government Pension Scheme is split into four funds - the North Yorkshire Pension Fund (administered by North Yorkshire County Council), the West Yorkshire Pension Fund (administered by the City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council), the East Riding Pension Fund (administered by East Riding of Yorkshire Council) and the South Yorkshire Pension Fund (administered by the South Yorkshire Pensions Authority). According to data submitted to the Department for the 2017/18 scheme year, membership records for each are as follows:
North Yorkshire Pension fund
Active members (those in employment actively contributing to the scheme) – 31,194
Pensioner members (those members receiving a pension from the scheme) – 20,476
Deferred members (those members who are no longer active but are not yet receiving a pension) – 35,813
Total membership – 87,483
West Yorkshire Pension Fund
Active members – 101,794
Pensioner members – 84,833
Deferred members – 97,583
Total membership – 284,210
East Riding Pension Fund
Active members – 40,051
Pensioner members – 29,650
Deferred members – 43,228
Total membership – 112,929
South Yorkshire Pension Fund
Active members - 52,412
Pensioner members - 51,041
Deferred members - 53, 428
Total membership – 156,881
Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council (MBC) is a participating employer in the South Yorkshire Pension Fund and its membership numbers will be included in the above figures. However, pension fund data submitted to the Department is not broken down by individual participating employers and we therefore do not hold membership data for Barnsley MBC itself.