Oral Answers to Questions
Debate between Diana Johnson and Esther McVey(10 years, 7 months ago)
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Diana Johnson (Kingston upon Hull North) (Lab)
10. What assessment he has made of the effectiveness of (a) the Work programme and (b) Universal Jobmatch.
The Minister of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Esther McVey)
The Work programme is a success, and industry figures show it has moved half a million people into work. Universal Jobmatch revolutionises the way jobseekers look for work and it has already helped many jobseekers find the jobs they want through the millions of vacancies posted since 2012.
Diana Johnson
We recently heard that 60% of jobs on the failing Universal Jobmatch programme are bogus, such as the one for an MI6 “target elimination specialist”, and many of my constituents have been ripped off by criminal scams. With the Jobmatch programme set to be axed, will MPs now get the monthly constituency figures on the number of jobseekers chasing each job, which was removed in 2013, or will that information still be withheld?
Esther McVey
Opposition Members just love to run everything down despite the fact that all these things we have put in place have helped a record number of people into work. We introduced a brand-new scheme that was in addition to what people could already do to look for work. More than half a million companies have opened up a scheme within Universal Jobmatch, which is helping millions of people to find work. Whenever we find any businesses that are not correctly adhering to terms and conditions—it is a tiny number—they are removed, but I have to say that this is a terrific addition to help people look for work. Shame on you!
Parliamentary Written Answer (Correction)
Debate between Diana Johnson and Esther McVey(10 years, 10 months ago)
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The Minister of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Esther McVey)
I wish to inform the House that an error has been identified in the written answer given to the hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull North (Diana Johnson) on 21 November 2013, Official Report, column 1023W—written answers and statements. The information included within the table in the answer to PQ 176414 contained some incorrect figures and these have now been amended. I apologise to the House for this error.
The full answer given was:
Diana Johnson
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many jobseeker’s allowance claimants in Hull have been sanctioned since 22 October 2012; how many such sanctions have been subsequently overturned; how many such claimants had previously been asked to undertake a literacy course by a jobcentre; and how many claimants were previously claiming employment support allowance. [176414].
Esther McVey
The information is tabled as follows:
Number of jobseeker’s allowance (JSA) claimants with an adverse JSA sanction decision, and of these, the number overturned upon reconsideration or appeal in Kingston upon Hull local authority, 22 October 2012 to 30 June 2013 | |
Number | |
Total number of jobseeker's allowance (JSA) claimants with an adverse JSA sanction decision | 6,540 |
Of Which: | |
Decision overturned: Total | 1,140 |
Decision overturned: Following reconsideration | 1,050 |
Decision overturned: Following appeal | 90 |
Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Totals will count individuals who have had both a sanction overturned upon reconsideration and also upon appeal. Source: DWP Information, Governance and Security Directorate: JSA Sanctions and Disallowance Decisions Statistics Database. |
The information requested how many such claimants had previously been asked to undertake a literacy course or how many claimants were previously claiming employment and support allowance (ESA) is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
The revised answer is as follows:
Diana Johnson
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many jobseeker’s allowance claimants in Hull have been sanctioned since 22 October 2012; how many such sanctions have been subsequently overturned; how many such claimants had previously been asked to undertake a literacy course by a jobcentre; and how many claimants were previously claiming employment support allowance. [176414].
Esther McVey
The information is tabled as follows:
Number of individuals with a jobseeker's allowance (JSA) sanction by decision in Kingston upon Hull local authority, 22 October 2012 to 30 June 2013. | |
Number | |
Sanction applied | 4,330 |
Overturned following reconsideration | 880 |
Overturned following appeal | 80 |
Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Data are to the 30 June 2013 which is the latest available information. 3. Sanction applied: New sanctions rules came into force for JSA from 22 October 2012. The number of sanctions applied is the number of low, intermediate and high-level referrals where the decision was found against the claimant. Further information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/jobseekers-allowane-overview-of-sanctions-rules. 4. The decision to apply a sanction can be overturned following reconsideration or appeal. 5. All figures may include individuals who have had more than one sanction decision e.g. if an individual has a sanction applied and another sanction overturned following an appeal then they will appear twice. Source: DWP Information, Governance and Security Directorate: JSA Sanctions and Disallowance Decisions Statistics Database. |
The information requested how many such claimants had previously been asked to undertake a literacy course or how many claimants were previously claiming employment and support allowance (ESA) is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Oral Answers to Questions
Debate between Diana Johnson and Esther McVey(11 years, 1 month ago)
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Diana Johnson (Kingston upon Hull North) (Lab)
T8. Given the woeful performance of the Work programme in Hull and local job losses, does the Secretary of State agree with The Economist that Hull’s long-term jobseekers should give up looking for jobs in Hull and travel elsewhere in the country?
Esther McVey
I would never put out a message that people should not look for work, because work is vital to self-esteem, motivation and supporting one’s family, so I totally disagree with that statement.
Remploy
Debate between Diana Johnson and Esther McVey(11 years, 4 months ago)
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Esther McVey
I will indeed come back to the House to speak about our national employment strategy; that is only fair and correct. We have been working on it for some time. We have been analysing the Work Choice and Work programme figures and looking at other social support, such as job clubs, and we have developed for the first time ever this community support fund and opened 32 different sites across the country helping almost 750 disabled people.
Diana Johnson (Kingston upon Hull North) (Lab)
The disabilities Minister has talked a lot about opportunities and moving forward, so is she satisfied that in Hull in the first year of the Work programme only 10 people with disabilities were found work? Is that acceptable?
Esther McVey
As the hon. Lady says, we are working on the Work programme and taking huge strides forward, and I am looking at the specialist disability support such as Work Choice and how to reshape it to make it even better.
Personal Independence Payments
Debate between Diana Johnson and Esther McVey(11 years, 11 months ago)
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Esther McVey
Let me reiterate once again that this is a totally different system to ESA. It is a totally different benefit altogether. In fact, we inherited ESA from the previous Government. It was wrong in 2009 and we have put in place many steps to improve the system, including putting it through three reviews. I assure my hon. Friend that we have listened to the various disability groups and organisations, and that we will get this right.
Diana Johnson (Kingston upon Hull North) (Lab)
We have put men on the moon, so I do not understand it when the Minister says that it is impossible to do a cumulative impact assessment. Surely that is not beyond the wit of the hundreds of civil servants sitting in her Department.