Asked by: Gordon Henderson (Conservative - Sittingbourne and Sheppey)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether letters of support from Members of Parliament (a) are considered for and (b) have an effect on decisions on a claimant's (i) mandatory reconsideration and (ii) tribunal appeal for (A) employment support allowance and (B) personal independence payment.
Answered by Sarah Newton
At mandatory reconsideration all evidence that had been considered at the initial decision stage is reviewed and, crucially, the claimant is prompted to provide any further evidence that the initial decision maker had not considered. If a claimant remains dissatisfied with the decision on their claim following mandatory reconsideration and proceeds to appeal, all previously submitted evidence will be reviewed, as will any evidence that is subsequently submitted and passed on to the Department.
It is important to note that decisions on benefit entitlement are made in accordance with the relevant legislative provisions and the decision maker’s consideration of the available evidence. A letter of support from a Member of Parliament would be considered on its own merits alongside any other available evidence.
Asked by: Gordon Henderson (Conservative - Sittingbourne and Sheppey)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
What steps his Department is taking to reduce the time taken to build new homes.
Answered by Heather Wheeler
New homes should be built out as soon as possible once planning permission is granted. Under this Government, new house building starts are at their highest levels for nine years – we are building on progress by revising the National Planning Policy Framework, diversifying the market to increase the pace of development, and have commissioned my Rt Hon Friend, the member for West Dorset, to lead a review of build out rates.
Asked by: Gordon Henderson (Conservative - Sittingbourne and Sheppey)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, at what age a person with dementia is eligible for benefit entitlement as a result of that condition.
Answered by Sarah Newton
Entitlement to benefit is not dependent on a specific diagnosis, meaning that claimants may apply at any age above the minimum age requirement specific to each individual benefit claimed.
For those diagnosed with dementia, once the impact is such that a person has care or mobility needs which may give rise to additional costs, they may apply for a disability benefit.
Asked by: Gordon Henderson (Conservative - Sittingbourne and Sheppey)
Question to the Department for Education:
What steps his Department is taking to improve support for children with special educational needs and disabilities.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
We have been strengthening the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities system through the biggest programme of reforms in a generation. We have legislated to improve the system and have invested £341 million since 2014 to help ensure the reforms make a real difference. We will continue to build on this, so that every child has the chance to fulfil their potential.
Asked by: Gordon Henderson (Conservative - Sittingbourne and Sheppey)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
Whether universal credit claimants will lose money if they receive a disability premium in addition to income-based benefits.
Answered by Sarah Newton
We simplified and rationised the various, complex disability premiums that exist in the legacy system and anyone in the Support Group who only qualifies for the Enhanced Disability Premium, will be better off in Universal Credit by over £90 per month.
Asked by: Gordon Henderson (Conservative - Sittingbourne and Sheppey)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners in England and Wales were prosecuted for possession of a weapon while in prison in (a) 2014, (b) 2015, c) 2016 and (d) 2017 to date.
Answered by Sam Gyimah
The Serious Crime Act 2015 introduced an offence of unauthorised possession in prison of a knife or offensive weapon. Data on proceedings in 2015 and 2016 is available on the gov.uk website.
Data on proceedings in 2017 is not yet available.
Asked by: Gordon Henderson (Conservative - Sittingbourne and Sheppey)
Question to the Home Office:
What steps she is taking to ensure that businesses have access to temporary non-UK EU workers after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by Brandon Lewis
The Government is considering options for our future immigration system very carefully. Our decisions will be based on evidence and engagement with stakeholders. After we leave the EU, we will want to control immigration from the EU whilst continuing to attract the brightest and best to work or study in Britain. We will ensure that businesses and communities have the opportunity to contribute their views before any final decisions are made.
Asked by: Gordon Henderson (Conservative - Sittingbourne and Sheppey)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will take steps to ban the public sale of fireworks that are not silent.
Answered by Margot James
There are no plans to ban the sale of fireworks that are not silent. The Government is aware of the impact of exceedingly loud fireworks which is why there is already a noise limit in place on consumer fireworks. Under the 2015 Pyrotechnic Articles (Safety) Regulations the maximum noise level of fireworks, for sale to the public, must not exceed 120dB.
Asked by: Gordon Henderson (Conservative - Sittingbourne and Sheppey)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to identify children with familial hypercholesterolemia.
Answered by Steve Brine
Public Health England, NHS England, the British Heart Foundation, HEART UK and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) are working in partnership to aid the implementation of recently updated NICE guidance on familial hypercholesterolemia (FH).
A cholesterol test is included as part of an NHS Health Check. This provides a key opportunity to identify the first case of FH within a family and, in line with NICE guidance, the subsequent testing of family members including children.
The United Kingdom National Screening Committee (UK NSC) recommended against a population screening programme in 2016. The UK NSC will review the evidence for FH again in 2018/19 as part of its three-yearly cycle.
Asked by: Gordon Henderson (Conservative - Sittingbourne and Sheppey)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to his Department's call for evidence on protecting consumers in the letting and managing agent market, published in October 2017, for what reasons extending rights to freeholders was not included in that publication.
Answered by Alok Sharma - COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
My Department's consultation ‘Tackling unfair practices in the leasehold market’, which closed on 19 September, sought views on whether the Government should promote solutions to provide freeholders equivalent rights to leaseholders, to challenge the suitability of service charges for the maintenance of communal areas and facilities on a private estate. The Government will respond in due course.