Asked by: Gerald Jones (Labour - Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the suitability of the application process for personal independence payments for applicants with agoraphobia.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Claimants with a severe mental health or behavioural condition, learning disability, developmental disorder or cognitive problems can be provided with additional support during the claims process. This support can include help filling in the form or the questionnaire and additional protections for failing to return the questionnaire or for failing to attend a face-to-face assessment.
Before attending a face-to-face consultation, claimants will be given the opportunity to alert their assessment provider of any additional requirements they may have, and the providers will meet any such reasonable requests. Claimants identified as being vulnerable (i.e. having mental health or learning disabilities) can access additional support at any point in the claim or assessment process.
Asked by: Gerald Jones (Labour - Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans she has to help ensure that there are adequate (a) parking facilities and (b) public transport connections for staff working in her Department's offices in Merthyr Tydfil when that office is moved to the hub north of Cardiff.
Answered by Will Quince
We plan to move the back of house staff based in Merthyr Tydfil Ty Bethesda into the new office in Treforest between 2021 and 2023.
Building work on the new Treforest site began in January 2019 and the building is currently on track and due for completion in the last quarter of 2020. There are plans for 444 car parking spaces, along with space for motorcycle and cycle storage at this site.
The development of the South Wales Metro continues and discussions are ongoing between DWP and Transport for Wales around the relocation of Trefforest Estate station closer to the new office.
Before any moves take place, staff will have the opportunity for a formal one-to-one discussion with their line managers about how the move will impact them. This helps to assess any travel impacts of the change of location. We anticipate that these formal discussions will take place approximately nine months in advance of any moves.
Asked by: Gerald Jones (Labour - Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans she has to carry out an impact assessment of the effect on (a) staff and (b) customers of the proposed move of staff from Merthyr Tydfil to a new hub north of Cardiff.
Answered by Will Quince
We plan to move the staff based in Merthyr Tydfil Ty Bethesda into Treforest between 2021 and 2023.
Before any moves take place, staff will have the opportunity for a formal one-to-one discussion with their line managers about how the move will impact them. This helps to assess any equality impacts of the change of location.
We anticipate that these formal discussions will take place approximately nine months in advance of any moves.
Merthyr Tydfil Ty Bethesda is a processing site with no direct face-to-face customer interaction and an impact assessment on the effect on customers as a result of the move is not required.
Asked by: Gerald Jones (Labour - Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will provide an update on plans to relocate jobs in her Department from Merthyr Tydfil to a new hub north of Cardiff.
Answered by Will Quince
In 2017 we announced plans to create a new hub in Treforest, north of Cardiff.
Building work on the new hub began in January 2019 and the 133,000 sq ft Treforest building is currently on track and due for completion in the last quarter of 2020.
We plan to move staff based in Merthyr Tydfil Ty Bethesda into Treforest between 2021 and 2023.
Asked by: Gerald Jones (Labour - Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the potential effect on the economy of Merthyr Tydfil town centre of the proposal to move 250 jobs in her Department from Merthyr Tydfil to a new hub north of Cardiff.
Answered by Will Quince
As a large employer, the Department understands the potential impact that a closure or relocation of an office may have. However, the economic impact of employment is dispersed beyond the specific location of a workplace because people also spend their money where they live.
Where the Department does move staff to a new place of work, it is unlikely that a significant proportion of them would also move their place of residence and so will still continue to contribute to the economy of their home base.
Additionally, as Merthyr Tydfil Ty Bethesda is a leased building the landlord may offer the premises to a new tenant.
Asked by: Gerald Jones (Labour - Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent estimate she has made of the average time between mandatory reconsideration and appeal for personal independence payment claimants.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to Question 234691.