Asked by: Carol Monaghan (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people using the Anniesland Jobcentre have been informed in writing of the potential closure of that jobcentre.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
It is important to remember that the announcements in Glasgow are just proposals at this stage and not final decisions. Posters are prominently displayed at Anniesland Jobcentre and customers are being made aware when attending the office.
Jobcentre staff will offer advice to customers on the options available in terms of alternative offices, should it be necessary to do so and after a decision has been made.
Asked by: Carol Monaghan (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether a person starting their own business is required to stay on the Work Programme in order to continue to receive related benefits.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
Once referred, a claimant will stay on the Work Programme for two years, as long as they continue to claim out of work benefits.
Asked by: Carol Monaghan (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department plans to carry out impact assessments in the areas where jobcentre closures are proposed.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
We will be undertaking an equality analysis as part of the detailed planning for service reconfiguration. This will include feedback from public consultation in those locations where this applies. A decision regarding publication of the equality analysis will be made at that time
Asked by: Carol Monaghan (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many jobcentre offices in the UK are subject to live planning applications that would change the use of those premises.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
It is not known precisely how many Jobcentres are subject to planning applications across our entire estate at this time. This is because any party can make a planning application for a change of use for a building without the involvement of either the landlord or current tenants.
DWP will identify this information as part of conveyancing activity on buildings it is planning to retain or acquire.
Asked by: Carol Monaghan (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much his Department has spent on companies that provide Work Programme services in each of the last three years.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
The Department spent the following amounts on providers of the Work Programme.
Year | £million |
2013-14 | 635.9 |
2014-15 | 573.6 |
2015-16 | 416.4 |
Asked by: Carol Monaghan (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what small business start-up grants are available to people on the Work Programme.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
Although financial support under the New Enterprise Allowance (NEA) scheme is not available to Work Programme participants, Work Programme providers are free to support participants to set up a business.
A core principle of the Work Programme is that providers are free to offer the interventions they feel are right for the individual, at the right time. This includes providing support and advice on self employment where it is the right option for the individual.
Asked by: Carol Monaghan (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make it his policy to amend the three month rule for the habitual residence test to allow access to income based jobseeker's allowance for UK nationals returning to the UK after a period away who have retained financial commitments at home.
Answered by Priti Patel
It has always been the case that any UK national who returns to this country after an extended period must demonstrate they are habitually resident to be eligible for income-related benefits. Since 1 January 2014, most jobseekers must also have been living in the UK for three months before any consideration can be given to whether they are habitually resident to be eligible to receive income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance.
Regulations were amended from 9 November 2014 to exempt from the three month residence requirement members of the Armed Forces and Crown servants who were serving abroad and others who had paid certain types of UK national insurance contributions during their absence abroad. We have no plans to introduce further exemptions from the three month requirement.
Asked by: Carol Monaghan (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make it his policy not to require those undergoing radiotherapy to undertake fit-for-work assessments.
Answered by Priti Patel
People claiming Employment and Support Allowance whose capacity to work is identified as being significantly limited by cancer treatment, including radiotherapy, are already placed in the Support Group without the need for the whole of the claimant questionnaire to be completed, and without the need for a face-to-face assessment.