Question to the Wales Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what steps he is taking to improve take-up of Pension Credit and Housing Benefit among eligible pensioners in Wales; and what discussions he has had with the Welsh Government and local authorities on coordinating efforts to increase take-up of those benefits and Council Tax Reduction.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Secretary of State for Wales

Maximising Pension Credit take-up is a key Government priority. The Government has been running its biggest ever Pension Credit take-up campaign across Great Britain, encouraging pensioners and their families to check their eligibility and make a claim.

This has been reinforced through the autumn campaign and Pension Credit Week of Action from 12 October, including advertising across television, radio, print and social media, supported by media partnerships and social media influencers.

Around 660,000 leaflets are also being distributed to selected households across Great Britain, and DWP continues to work closely with partners and local authorities to support the campaign.

DWP is also bringing together the administration of pensioner Housing Benefit and Pension Credit to deliver a more joined-up service, improve access to financial support and help ensure that more pensioners receive all the benefits to which they are entitled. Council Tax Reduction is devolved in Wales.

My department continues to engage with the Welsh Government and relevant partners to ensure that reserved and devolved support works effectively for people in Wales.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps her Department is taking to help protect pensioners from financial exploitation by people acting under a power of attorney; and what measures are in place to identify, investigate and prevent the misuse of those powers.

Answered by Jake Richards - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

Lasting powers of attorney (LPAs) are private legal arrangements which allow a person to choose who they trust to make decisions on their behalf should they lose capacity. Under the Mental Capacity Act 2005, a donor must have capacity when making an LPA and is entitled to make their own decisions about who they trust to act on their behalf. The LPA framework therefore reflects the importance of donor choice and autonomy. There are statutory eligibility requirements and safeguards which mean some people cannot be appointed as attorneys.

The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) can and does investigate concerns raised about an attorney's conduct and, where appropriate, apply to the Court of Protection to remove attorneys who are not meeting their duties under the Mental Capacity Act 2005. Anyone can report a concern if they are worried about the behaviour of an attorney, including family members or friends, professionals, or members of the public.

In addition, OPG works closely with the financial services sector, including through its engagement with UK Finance, to ensure financial institutions understand when and how to report suspected fraud, financial abuse and other safeguarding concerns involving attorneys and deputies. Financial institutions are able to raise concerns with OPG through established reporting routes, so that concerns about an attorney's conduct can be investigated.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans her Department has to use former military sites for asylum accommodation; and whether any sites in or near Wrexham are being considered for that purpose.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister of State (Home Office)

We agree with the public that all asylum hotels need to close. However, the Home Office must ensure that we have enough secure, safe and sustainable accommodation so that we can continue to meet our obligation in a fair and equitable manner.

Accommodation on former military sites is designed to be largely self‑sufficient, with essential services being provided on site to minimise impacts on the local community and upon local services and offer better longer-term value for money. They reduce pressure on communities whilst also giving us greater oversight and control at critical points in the asylum decision making process.

The Home Office is not currently considering any ex-military sites in the Wrexham area for the purpose of asylum accommodation.

Sir Patrick Stewart

Fur Belongs to Animals campaign