Asked by: Amy Callaghan (Scottish National Party - East Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the financial settlement for Scotland.
Answered by John Lamont
Despite what we hear from the SNP, the Scottish Government is well-funded.
As a consequence of the decisions made by this UK Government, the Block Grant is now at record levels, with an additional £2.4 billion across three fiscal events.
Scotland receives around 25% more per person than equivalent UK Government spending in other parts of the United Kingdom.
That translates into around £8.5 billion more per year on average.
Asked by: Amy Callaghan (Scottish National Party - East Dunbartonshire)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps the Government is taking to support disabled people in the workplace.
Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister for Women and Equalities
The Government has a range of initiatives to support disabled people and people with health conditions to start, stay and succeed in work, which was recently expanded at Autumn Statement.
This includes Universal Support, WorkWell pilots, Disability Confident, Disability Employment advisors, reforming the fit note process, and establishing an expert group on Occupational Health.
Asked by: Amy Callaghan (Scottish National Party - East Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of civil servants on temporary contracts in his Department are women.
Answered by Will Quince
As of 30 September 2023, 62% of the Department’s workforce on temporary contracts were women.
Asked by: Amy Callaghan (Scottish National Party - East Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of civil servants (a) at grade senior civil servant 2 and (b) on full-time equivalent contracts in his Department are women.
Answered by Will Quince
The following table shows the gender split of senior civil servant (SCS) 2 civil servants within the Department as of 30 September 2023. 47% of our SCS 2 cadre are female. Of that 47% that are female, 43% are full-time.
SCS 2 | Male | Female | Grand Total |
Full-time | 45% | 43% | 88% |
Part-time | 8% | 4% | 12% |
Grand Total | 53% | 47% | 100% |
Asked by: Amy Callaghan (Scottish National Party - East Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many women applied for the two-child limit exemption in East Dunbartonshire constituency.
Answered by Guy Opperman
The requested information is only available at household level and are not broken down by gender.
Asked by: Amy Callaghan (Scottish National Party - East Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what training Child Maintenance Service caseworkers receive.
Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister for Women and Equalities
All Child Maintenance Caseworkers receive 5 days of Child Maintenance Service (CMS) Gateway learning in the classroom, regardless of which part of the business they will be working in. This includes core digital skills, management of customers security, management of unacceptable customer behaviour and how to recognise and respond appropriately to domestic abuse.
CMS colleagues then receive up to 15 days of technical learning in the classroom, dependant on the role they will undertake. This includes management of customer information and queries on the telephone, in writing and digitally. Learning is also provided to recognise, manage and signpost customers with complex needs, for example living costs or threats of suicide or self-harm.
In addition, learners receive workplace support to embed learning. This is interspersed with the classroom learning and is completed by dedicated coaches who use live work to enhance the classroom theory. The ratio is 1 day classroom learning to 3 days workplace support.
Both classroom learning and workplace support can be flexible and extra time or support can be provided if learners have any additional needs. Classroom learning is normally completed in a ratio of 1 learning delivery officer to 12 learners. Workplace support is a ratio of 1 workplace support coach to 6 learners.
Learners also undertake the DWP Fundamental Learning Journey (FLJ) which is a standardised approach to learning that ensures you have the right level of skills and knowledge to deliver excellent service regardless of your role within DWP Service Delivery. The journey emphasises skills alongside technical knowledge required, making our service more consistent for customers. All the learning in the FLJ is expected to be completed within 26 weeks of the start date. The learning is flexible, to fit around any technical learning that is undertaken.
Asked by: Amy Callaghan (Scottish National Party - East Dunbartonshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to review the level of VAT charged on sunscreen products.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Under the current VAT rules, sun protection products are subject to the standard rate of VAT. High-factor sunscreen is on the NHS prescription list for certain conditions and therefore is provided VAT free when dispensed by a pharmacist.
While we keep all taxes under review there are no plans to make changes. Representations on changes to the VAT system will be considered through the normal fiscal event process.
Asked by: Amy Callaghan (Scottish National Party - East Dunbartonshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of removing VAT from sunscreen on the level of incidences of (a) melanoma and (b) non-melanoma skin cancer.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Under the current VAT rules, sun protection products are subject to the standard rate of VAT. High-factor sunscreen is on the NHS prescription list for certain conditions and therefore is provided VAT free when dispensed by a pharmacist.
While we keep all taxes under review there are no plans to make changes. Representations on changes to the VAT system will be considered through the normal fiscal event process.
Asked by: Amy Callaghan (Scottish National Party - East Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of reviewing the level at which Universal Credit is set with reference to the prices of essential items.
Answered by Guy Opperman
There is no objective way of deciding what an adequate level of benefit should be as every person has different requirements. Income-related benefit rates are not made up of separate amounts for specific items of expenditure such as food or fuel charges, and beneficiaries are free to spend their benefit as they see fit, in the light of their individual commitments, needs and preferences.
The Government is increasing support for low income and vulnerable households with welfare expenditure forecast to rise from £275.6 billion in 2022/23 to £289.4 billion in 2023/24. The Spring Statement made clear, the focus is supporting workforce participation, helping people move into work and higher earnings.
Asked by: Amy Callaghan (Scottish National Party - East Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the level of Universal Credit to enable claimants to meet the cost of essential items.
Answered by Guy Opperman
There is no objective way of deciding what an adequate level of benefit should be as every person has different requirements. Income-related benefit rates are not made up of separate amounts for specific items of expenditure such as food or fuel charges, and beneficiaries are free to spend their benefit as they see fit, in the light of their individual commitments, needs and preferences.
The Government is increasing support for low income and vulnerable households with welfare expenditure forecast to rise from £275.6 billion in 2022/23 to £289.4 billion in 2023/24. The Spring Statement made clear, the focus is supporting workforce participation, helping people move into work and higher earnings.