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Written Question
State Retirement Pensions: Women
Monday 22nd July 2024

Asked by: David Mundell (Conservative - Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when she plans to respond to the report by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman entitled Women’s State Pension age: our findings on injustice and associated issues, published on 21 March 2024.

Answered by Emma Reynolds - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

As a newly formed Government we will need time to review and consider the Ombudsman’s report along with the evidence provided during the investigation.

This Government respects the work of the Ombudsman. Now the election has concluded we need to consider the views that have been expressed on all sides.

The issues outlined in the report are significant and complex, as such they require serious deliberation. Once this work has been undertaken, the Government/we will be in a position to outline its approach.

Written Question
Employment and Support Allowance: Coronavirus
Thursday 28th January 2021

Asked by: David Mundell (Conservative - Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of extending the 365 payment period for people affected by covid-19 and claiming new style or contributions based employment and support allowance and who have not had a decision made on their capability for work in that time.

Answered by Justin Tomlinson

The Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) temporary Coronavirus regulations mean that everyone infected with covid-19, or who is required to self-isolate in line with Government guidelines, will be treated as having Limited Capability for Work in ESA without the requirement for fit notes or a Work Capability Assessment (WCA). These measures also apply to clinically extremely vulnerable people who are unable to work from home and have been advised to shield in line with the relevant public health advice in England, Wales and Scotland.

There are no plans to extend the time limit for people claiming contributory ESA who are affected by covid-19, and reach their 365-day limit. The majority of the covid-19 related claims will not reach this limit as they are for short periods.

Where an individual requires further financial support, they may be able to claim Universal Credit, depending on their personal circumstances.

Written Question
Industrial Health and Safety: Coronavirus
Monday 4th May 2020

Asked by: David Mundell (Conservative - Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance she has issued to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) on the discharge of HSE's responsibilities during the covid-19 outbreak.

Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister for Women and Equalities

The Secretary of State and I have had regular meetings with senior officials from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in order to assess in what ways the Department can support HSE on the work it is doing to support the Government during the COVID-19 outbreak. Since the COVID–19 outbreak started the Department has received a weekly written update on the work HSE is doing, this includes:

  • maintaining its wide ranging regulatory functions, in particular continuing to investigate work related fatalities and the most serious major injuries, dealing with reported concerns and regulating major hazard industries. Undertaking regulatory activities that do not require site visits such as approvals and permissioning work. Whilst some of HSE’s regulatory intervention work can be done remotely, where it is necessary to provide public assurance that hazards are being effectively managed and to secure compliance with the law, site visits are being made;

  • working with Public Health England (PHE), other Government departments and Devolved Administrations to ensure the country is geared up to treat people in Great Britain diagnosed with the COVID-19. HSE continues to offer information and advice on workplace and workforce issues to support the government’s response, including technical advice on personal protection equipment to ensure that healthcare workers and others are adequately protected;

  • working closely with stakeholder groups including trade unions to develop practical guidance to support businesses to continue to operate and, where currently closed, to return to operation whilst ensuring the safety of workers; and

  • where it comes to HSE’s attention that employers are found not to be complying with PHE’s guidelines taking appropriate action, ranging from specific advice through to serving enforcement notices, so as to ensure that practicable measures are implemented to protect workers and others.