Asked by: Allan Dorans (Scottish National Party - Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what criteria were used to determine where Temporary Job Centres were commissioned during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Answered by Paul Maynard
The Department anticipated, and then saw, an increase in demand for its services as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. It responded by rapidly expanding the space available, on a temporary basis, predominantly in major conurbations. The focus was on areas with good transport links and in buildings that were accessible for both colleagues and customers.
This enabled the Department to provide a workplace that was safe for claimants and colleagues and ensured we could adhere to the Government guidance in place at the time. To ensure flexibility, premises were acquired on short-term, flexible lease arrangements to ensure we could reduce the size of the estate at the appropriate time.
Asked by: Allan Dorans (Scottish National Party - Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock)
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 introduce a secure electronic system that will enable British citizens living overseas to submit documentary evidence as proof of entitlement particularly in relation to pensions.
Answered by Guy Opperman
DWP already uses a secure electronic system to allow customers to upload certain categories of evidence to the department.
We have been carrying out extensive research to expand this capability to cover other services such as pensions. Our expectation is that this capability will possibly be available towards the end of the next financial year 2022/3.
Asked by: Allan Dorans (Scottish National Party - Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
What recent discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the potential merits of introducing a universal basic income in response to the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Will Quince
I have not had these conversations with the Chancellor because a Universal Basic Income is not targeted at the poorest in society and is not an appropriate way for the Government to distribute money.
This Government set out a substantial package of targeted measures to provide support to people affected by coronavirus, which can be delivered quickly and effectively through existing systems.