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To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make it his policy, in respect of past interim maintenance assessments, that only that proportion of resultant child maintenance arrears which is deemed to be collectable will be transferred to the Child Maintenance Service.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make it his policy, in respect of past interim maintenance assessments, that only that proportion of resultant child maintenance arrears which is deemed to be collectable will be transferred to the Child Maintenance Service.
The Department is currently defining its detailed policy and processes for validating historic arrears, including those accrued from an Interim Maintenance Assessments (IMA). The intention is that IMA debt will be addressed in order to reduce the amount that will be managed by the Child Maintenance Service. Our detailed approach is under consideration.
That this House is appalled to learn that the number of wet wipes found as part of the Marine Conservation Society's Beach Clean increased by 50 per cent in a year; understands that wet wipes do not break down like toilet tissue due to their tougher, sometimes plastic, fibres; further understands that water companies estimate that about 70 per cent of blockages are avoidable if wipes and other materials are disposed of properly; supports the 3p's campaign of nothing but pee, poo or paper; and calls on the Government to do more to promote the campaign and encourage manufacturers to raise awareness of correct disposal methods.
That this House is appalled to learn that the number of wet wipes found as part of the Marine Conservation Society's Beach Clean increased by 50 per cent in a year; understands that wet wipes do not break down like toilet tissue due to their tougher, sometimes plastic, fibres; further...
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to his Department's 2013 Impact Assessment No. DWP0031, if he will provide a detailed breakdown of the (a) £123 million estimated cost of caseworker activity related to Child Support Agency (CSA) case arrears as part of the CSA...
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to his Department's 2013 Impact Assessment No. DWP0031, if he will provide a detailed breakdown of the (a) £123 million estimated cost of caseworker activity related to Child Support Agency (CSA) case arrears as part of the CSA...
The impact assessment (para 93) included high level estimates of (a) the costs (around £103m) of caseworker activity to review and update estimates of arrears on the existing systems for the circa 1.2m cases expected to have arrears when CSA liability ends and (b) the costs (around £20m) to set up arrears on the new child maintenance system. These estimates were based on broad assumptions about the volume and timings of relevant activities and before the detailed business processes and IT involved had been designed or developed.
That this House believes that the Retail Price Index (RPI) remains the most accurate measure of the rise in the cost of living faced by UK workers; notes that over many decades the majority of pay bargaining in the UK has traditionally taken the RPI as its main reference point but that the Johnson Review poses a major threat to the continued publication of the RPI; further believes that given the alternative Consumer Prices Index (CPI) and CPIH measures run around one per cent lower than the RPI, this would deal further blows to the pay packets of workers who have been experiencing years of deep declines in the value of their wages; further notes that a rigorous study of inflation by Dr Mark Courtney which sets out why the coverage of the RPI is most relevant to the costs faced by workers; and further believes that the importance of accurate measurement is central to recent proposals calling for the introduction of an independent Living Standards Index to measure the success of Government in dealing with the cost of living.
That this House believes that the Retail Price Index (RPI) remains the most accurate measure of the rise in the cost of living faced by UK workers; notes that over many decades the majority of pay bargaining in the UK has traditionally taken the RPI as its main reference point...
That this House notes with concern that the NHS is still included in the scope of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) despite the risk of this leading to a privatised, fragmented service that is run for private profit rather than public wellbeing; recognises that only a complete and explicit exemption of the NHS from TTIP will protect the UK's health service from inclusion in the treaty; reminds the Government that the risks of not ensuring that the NHS is excluded from TTIP include increasing deaths from tobacco and higher costs for vital medicines; observes that the TTIP investor-state dispute settlement provision would allow companies to sue governments which bring in legislation to protect public health for billions of taxpayers' money as lost future profits; further notes with concern that this is already happening around the world under existing trade deals; further observes that allowing greater competition into the NHS would lead to further fragmentation and cherry-picking of profitable services, damaging the quality of healthcare available to citizens; further observes that the primary function of governments is to protect citizens' rights and wellbeing, including where necessary by defending them from the greed of global corporations; further notes that the Prime Minister has the right to insist that the UK's NHS is explicitly excluded from TTIP; and calls on him to use this right to protect the health and wellbeing of the citizens he was elected to serve, rather than the profits of private healthcare companies and their shareholders.
That this House notes with concern that the NHS is still included in the scope of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) despite the risk of this leading to a privatised, fragmented service that is run for private profit rather than public wellbeing; recognises that only a complete and...
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the arrears validation element of the Child Support Agency case closure programme, by what processes will the Agency review cases where arrears recovery had been temporarily suspended, to ascertain whether the reasons for temporary suspension remain valid.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the arrears validation element of the Child Support Agency case closure programme, by what processes will the Agency review cases where arrears recovery had been temporarily suspended, to ascertain whether the reasons for temporary suspension remain valid.
Under current plans for ending liability in 1993 and 2003 scheme cases, the Department will validate all CSA arrears, including arrears accrued from Interim Maintenance Assessments and those which have been suspended. The approach was set out in both “Preparing for the future, tackling the past: Child Maintenance – Arrears and Compliance Strategy 2012-2017 and Command Paper Cm8399 “Supporting separated families; securing children’s futures”. The validation process will include caseworkers resolving discrepancies on cases and completing outstanding tasks.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department plans to examine the arrears balances of individual Child Support Agency cases subject to case closure to re-value arrears arising from interim maintenance assessment.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department plans to examine the arrears balances of individual Child Support Agency cases subject to case closure to re-value arrears arising from interim maintenance assessment.
Under current plans for ending liability in 1993 and 2003 scheme cases, the Department will validate all CSA arrears, including arrears accrued from Interim Maintenance Assessments and those which have been suspended. The approach was set out in both “Preparing for the future, tackling the past: Child Maintenance – Arrears and Compliance Strategy 2012-2017 and Command Paper Cm8399 “Supporting separated families; securing children’s futures”. The validation process will include caseworkers resolving discrepancies on cases and completing outstanding tasks.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what arrangements are in place to ensure that parents with care responsibilities whose Child Support Agency (CSA) cases are subject to case closure and who are owed child maintenance arrears are fully informed about (a) the process and likely timescale...
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what arrangements are in place to ensure that parents with care responsibilities whose Child Support Agency (CSA) cases are subject to case closure and who are owed child maintenance arrears are fully informed about (a) the process and likely timescale...
All letters sent to parents regarding the end of their CSA arrangement, make clear that arrears remain due or owed, even after liability ends.
After arrears have been validated, parents are advised, in writing, of the balance. The parent with care can speak to the CSA if they want to discuss how the figure has been arrived at in further detail. We cannot advise parents of the exact length or detail of the validation process, as it will depend on the circumstances of individual cases.
Both parties are advised to contact Child Maintenance Options for further information about the collection of their arrears. However, after validation, parents with care will be asked whether or not they wish their arrears to be collected.
What are the Government doing to encourage the offshore sector to co-operate and to have common standards as a better way of reducing costs in the supply chain than laying off the very people we will need when, I hope, things in the North sea begin to pick up again?
What are the Government doing to encourage the offshore sector to co-operate and to have common standards as a better way of reducing costs in the supply chain than laying off the very people we will need when, I hope, things in the North sea begin to pick up again?
The hon. Lady makes an important point about co-operation in the industry. It is precisely such co-operation that has led the Wood review to recommend and the Government to create the Oil and Gas Authority. We find that particularly in respect of the sensible and low-cost use of infrastructure in the North sea, where greater co-operation between fields and so on will help to reduce costs. That is one of the early challenges that Andy Samuel is getting to grips with at the Oil and Gas Authority, and I think he has the support of the whole House in doing so.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of people in receipt of pension credit whose income from their state pension and pension credit was (a) less in the 2014-15 financial year than it was in the previous financial year,...
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of people in receipt of pension credit whose income from their state pension and pension credit was (a) less in the 2014-15 financial year than it was in the previous financial year,...
The overall impact of benefit up-rating on a customer’s income depends on a wide variety of factors (including for example any changes to their non state pensions that occur around the same time) which means we cannot accurately measure these impacts. However, the increases in the basic State Pension under the terms of the triple lock, have been more significant than the reductions in the savings credit. Overall it is unlikely that any Pension Credit customer should be worse off, in cash terms, as a result of the uprating decisions made over the last three years.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of people for whom the freezing of the savings element of pensions credit and increases in the basic state pension has had a net negative effect on their income in each of...
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of people for whom the freezing of the savings element of pensions credit and increases in the basic state pension has had a net negative effect on their income in each of...
The overall impact of benefit up-rating on a customer’s income depends on a wide variety of factors (including for example any changes to their non state pensions that occur around the same time) which means we cannot accurately measure these impacts. However, the increases in the basic State Pension under the terms of the triple lock, have been more significant than the reductions in the savings credit. Overall it is unlikely that any Pension Credit customer should be worse off, in cash terms, as a result of the uprating decisions made over the last three years.
The roll-out so far has been to specific groups of people with particular characteristics. That is partly because, to put it uncharitably, the original IT system does not work. If I were being charitable, I would say that it worked but with greatly reduced functionality compared with what was originally planned. However, the Department is piloting a digital solution in Sutton, Surrey, and I wonder whether the Secretary of State could tell us how that is going. When are we likely to get the results of that pilot? Can he tell us when the digital solution is going to be rolled out, given that it was meant to be the great white hope for saving universal credit?
The roll-out so far has been to specific groups of people with particular characteristics. That is partly because, to put it uncharitably, the original IT system does not work. If I were being charitable, I would say that it worked but with greatly reduced functionality compared with what was originally planned. However, the Department is piloting a digital solution in Sutton, Surrey, and I wonder whether the Secretary of State could tell us how that is going. When are we likely to get the results of that pilot? Can he tell us when the digital solution is going to be rolled out, given that it was meant to be the great white hope for saving universal credit?
The IT system is exactly the same system, and it works in all categories. The difference is that we have rightly decided, in accordance with the Public Accounts Committee’s request, to roll this out stage by stage—we have been told that this is the correct way to do it—rather than trying to rush it, as was done with the tax credit system, which crashed. The hon. Lady mentioned the digital solution. Digital development and the online service are merging together, because the live service has many elements that will be used by the digital service anyway. This is a merging of the two services, and we will be reporting on that as we go along. It is successfully rolling out at the moment and expanding at the same time. I would be very happy if the hon. Lady wanted to go and visit it.
That this House notes with concern the situation faced by 550,000 British pensioners living overseas, primarily in Commonwealth countries, who are currently deprived of annual state pension uprating adjustments by the Government's frozen pension policy; believes that there is a positive incremental solution of partial uprating, involving introducing annual uprating to all currently frozen pensions going forward, but from their current rate only; further notes that partial uprating would cost just £37 million and carry no legal risks of historic back payment claims; further notes that partial uprating would benefit all currently frozen pensioners immediately by ending the real terms year-on-year decline of their state pensions; further notes that partial uprating would remove the frozen pension problem completely for future retirees; further notes that this would remove a significant current barrier to pensioner emigration from the UK, offering significant consequential savings that would more than cover the upfront costs, even in year one; and calls on the Government to implement partial uprating as an affordable and practical means to offer dignity in retirement to all British pensioners, based on their historic contributions, not place of residence.
That this House notes with concern the situation faced by 550,000 British pensioners living overseas, primarily in Commonwealth countries, who are currently deprived of annual state pension uprating adjustments by the Government's frozen pension policy; believes that there is a positive incremental solution of partial uprating, involving introducing annual uprating...
I shall continue the theme of housing: we have had a statement and a ten-minute rule Bill on housing, and this debate is about the Work and Pensions Select Committee’s report on support for housing costs in the reformed welfare system. There are two important debates scheduled for this afternoon,...
I shall continue the theme of housing: we have had a statement and a ten-minute rule Bill on housing, and this debate is about the Work and Pensions Select Committee’s report on support for housing costs in the reformed welfare system. There are two important debates scheduled for this afternoon,...
Actually, there is a need to ensure that people are appropriately housed and that they move, but very little of that responsibility lies with local authorities. The wrong way to go about it is just to take money from people who are over-occupying and would love to move but are...
Actually, there is a need to ensure that people are appropriately housed and that they move, but very little of that responsibility lies with local authorities. The wrong way to go about it is just to take money from people who are over-occupying and would love to move but are...
While I can appreciate there may be problems on the bedroom tax, would it be possible for the Government to publish a partial response to our proposals, addressing all the other points on which there presumably is agreement across Government? Our Committee had a lot of very interesting things to...
While I can appreciate there may be problems on the bedroom tax, would it be possible for the Government to publish a partial response to our proposals, addressing all the other points on which there presumably is agreement across Government? Our Committee had a lot of very interesting things to...
Supplementary estimates 2014-15. Third estimates day (part one). Motion, that for the year ending with 31 March 2015, for expenditure by the Department for Work and Pensions: (1) further resources, not exceeding £910,407,000 be authorised for use for current purposes as set out in HC 1019, (2) the resources authorised for use for capital purposes be reduced by £6,689,000 as so set out, and (3) a further sum, not exceeding £2,183,111,000 be granted to Her Majesty to be issued by the Treasury out of the Consolidated Fund and applied for expenditure on the use of resources authorised by Parliament. Question deferred. Resolved.
Supplementary estimates 2014-15. Third estimates day (part one). Motion, that for the year ending with 31 March 2015, for expenditure by the Department for Work and Pensions: (1) further resources, not exceeding £910,407,000 be authorised for use for current purposes as set out in HC 1019, (2) the resources authorised...
That this House agrees with the United Nations Secretary-General that there is a dire humanitarian situation in Gaza; fears the outbreak of further hostilities unless the situation improves dramatically; notes the considerable amount of British and other international aid required to keep Gaza from deteriorating further and to assist in the reconstruction of infrastructure and homes; regrets that the Israeli authorities continue to refuse access to British elected representatives to visit Gaza via Erez checkpoint; further notes that, given the dangerous security situation in the Sinai, the Israeli-controlled Erez crossing is the only viable entry point; and asks the Government to do everything in its power to persuade the Israeli authorities to permit parliamentary access into Gaza to assess the situation, the needs of the population and how British funds are being spent.
That this House agrees with the United Nations Secretary-General that there is a dire humanitarian situation in Gaza; fears the outbreak of further hostilities unless the situation improves dramatically; notes the considerable amount of British and other international aid required to keep Gaza from deteriorating further and to assist in...
The BBC is different, and that is why it should be funded differently, as I think most people accept. It has always stuck me that there are actually more negatives than positives to going down the subscription route, compared with the present licence fee arrangements. Did the Committee find that?...
The BBC is different, and that is why it should be funded differently, as I think most people accept. It has always stuck me that there are actually more negatives than positives to going down the subscription route, compared with the present licence fee arrangements. Did the Committee find that?...
Does the hon. Gentleman agree that expectations have been raised and promises have been made? All that these people did was to invest in what they thought was a trusted company. They have done nothing wrong and they cannot for the life of them understand why it is taking so...
Does the hon. Gentleman agree that expectations have been raised and promises have been made? All that these people did was to invest in what they thought was a trusted company. They have done nothing wrong and they cannot for the life of them understand why it is taking so...