Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds South)
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 potential merits of changing her Department's policy so that people over the age of 65 who have motor neurone disease can apply for personal independence payment and be eligible for a motability car; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Sarah Newton
The aim of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is to focus additional help with the extra costs of disability on people who become severely disabled earlier in life and who, as a consequence, face limited opportunities to work, earn and save compared with other people. Once PIP has been awarded, and subject to the conditions of entitlement continuing to be met, it can continue in payment after age 65. The upper age limit for PIP is currently aligned with State Pension age and will be rising in line with increases to it beginning from later this year.
For people who become disabled after reaching pension age Attendance Allowance (AA) can provide help with the extra costs of disability, and helps them maintain their independence. AA is a tax-free, non-contributory benefit which can be used flexibly to help meet extra needs, including those associated with limited mobility, and is currently worth up to £85.60 a week.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the proportion of mandatory reconsiderations for (a) PIP and (b) ESA applications which changed the original assessment in each of the last 12 months.
Answered by Sarah Newton
The department constantly monitors its performance in relation to Mandatory Reconsideration, making improvements as necessary, in order to ensure that the highest standards of decision making are maintained. The links below include the most recently published MR outcomes fro PIP and ESA.
The number of Personal Independent Payment (PIP) mandatory reconsiderations (MRs) cleared, by decision type, can be found in the official published statistics: “Data tables: Personal Independence Payment: Official Statistics to January 2017”. The relevant data can be found in Table 7b.
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/personal-independence-payment-april-2013-to-january-2018
The number of MRs for Employment Support Allowance (ESA), by decision type, can be found in the official published statistics: “ESA: outcomes of Work Capability Assessments including mandatory reconsiderations and appeals: March 2018”. The relevant data can be found in Table 14.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many UK nationals in each other EU member state have received a state pension in each of the last five years.
Answered by Lord Harrington of Watford
No information is available concerning the number of UK nationals who are in receipt of a UK State Pension. This is because the UK State Pension is a contributory based pension, where nationality or citizenship do not form part of the eligibility criteria.
The table below shows how many individuals, regardless of nationality, living in each other EU member state, received the State Pension as at May each year.
COUNTRY | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 |
Austria | 5,370 | 5,380 | 5,410 | 5,420 | 5,390 |
Belgium | 4,980 | 5,110 | 5,200 | 5,320 | 5,430 |
Bulgaria | 690 | 810 | 910 | 1,010 | 1,150 |
Croatia | 480 | 530 | 540 | 560 | 590 |
Cyprus | 18,040 | 18,380 | 18,580 | 18,700 | 18,840 |
Denmark | 2,760 | 2,940 | 3,140 | 3,280 | 3,400 |
Estonia | 50 | 60 | 70 | 90 | 90 |
Finland | 1,140 | 1,240 | 1,380 | 1,460 | 1,570 |
France | 57,630 | 60,350 | 62,840 | 64,350 | 66,100 |
Germany | 39,080 | 40,330 | 41,330 | 42,020 | 42,820 |
Greece | 5,500 | 5,650 | 5,810 | 5,960 | 5,970 |
Hungary | 800 | 820 | 860 | 870 | 880 |
Italy | 37,980 | 38,170 | 38,260 | 37,440 | 37,340 |
Latvia | 130 | 150 | 180 | 220 | 250 |
Lithuania | 180 | 230 | 310 | 390 | 460 |
Luxembourg | 460 | 500 | 540 | 570 | 600 |
Malta | 5,500 | 5,800 | 6,070 | 6,250 | 6,420 |
Poland | 1,600 | 1,810 | 2,060 | 2,390 | 2,790 |
Portugal | 9,380 | 9,780 | 10,070 | 10,180 | 10,580 |
Republic of Ireland | 127,050 | 130,190 | 133,050 | 133,970 | 135,080 |
Romania | 90 | 110 | 130 | 150 | 170 |
Slovakia | 100 | 150 | 210 | 280 | 350 |
Slovenia | 230 | 260 | 270 | 300 | 300 |
Spain | 104,680 | 106,850 | 107,360 | 107,980 | 108,310 |
Sweden | 4,350 | 4,750 | 5,120 | 5,390 | 5,660 |
The Czech Republic | 420 | 480 | 550 | 590 | 660 |
The Netherlands | 10,920 | 11,600 | 12,140 | 12,620 | 12,920 |
Source: DWP Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study.
Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to ensures that in cases where jobseeker's allowance claimants are sanctioned, local authorities suspend housing benefit only in cases where it is appropriate to do so.
Answered by Esther McVey
I refer the Hon. member to the reply given to the Rt Hon. Member for East Ham on 5 January 2015.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in (a) Leeds and (b) Leeds Central constituency are claiming incapacity benefit because of a mental health problem.
Answered by Lord Harper
The information requested for Leeds local authority and Leeds Central constituency is published and can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/dwp-statistics-tabulation-tool
Guidance for users is available at:-
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dwp-tabulation-tool-guidance
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the most recent average waiting time is for (a) an assessment and (b) a decision on applications for personal independence payments.
Answered by Lord Harper
Departmental statisticians are continuing to develop measures around clearance times and waiting times to ensure they provide a rounded and representative picture of Personal Independence Payment system performance, improvement activity and the claimants’ experience. These statistics will be published when they are ready, with the release pre-announced in line with United Kingdom Statistics Authority release protocols.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of named day written questions were answered by his Department within the prescribed period in the (a) 2012-13 session, (b) 2013-14 session and (c) 2014-15 session to date.
Answered by Steve Webb
In the 2014-15 session, as at the end of August 2014, the department had answered 89% of named day questions on the named day
Departmental performance information, for ordinary and named day Parliamentary Questions, is collated by the Office of the Leader of the House of Commons and submitted to the Procedure Committee. This is published on a sessional basis by the committee, and includes evidence regarding departmental performance. The monitoring report relating to the 2012-13 session was published on 13 February 2014 as HC1046. The report covering statistics relating to performance during the 2013-14 session will be published very shortly by the Procedure Committee.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what training (a) Atos staff and (b) staff of his Department are given in mental health for the purposes of assessing whether claimants are fit for work.
Answered by Mike Penning
All healthcare professionals receive training in mental health issues as part of their induction training, are required to engage in a programme of continuing medical education which includes modules on mental health issues, and have access to Mental Function Champions.
Atos training and guidance materials are regularly reviewed and external experts including the Royal College of Psychiatrists are involved in quality assurance.
All healthcare professionals are monitored to ensure that their work meets the required quality standards. If a problem is identified, the healthcare professional may be required to undertake tailored training, which may involve training in mental health issues if required.
DWP staff receive training in respect of decisions concerning medical or disability issues, including mental health. Specifically learning is provided on:
Within the learning emphasis is placed on the on-going support available to Decision Makers from Atos Healthcare to interpret and understand medical information.
In the Independent Review of the Work Capability Assessment published in December 2013, Doctor Litchfield made a number of recommendations related to training in mental health which have been accepted subject to further scoping work.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the current average waiting time is for personal independence payment assessments to be completed and a decision made in (a) England and (b) Leeds.
Answered by Mike Penning
The information you have requested is not currently available.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the empty property business rates for the vacant properties recorded on the e-PIMS database owned by (a) his Department and (b) any executive agencies or non-departmental public bodies of his Department in the current financial year.
Answered by Mike Penning
The Department does not own any buildings. The DWP estate was sold (freehold, feuhold and long leasehold interests) or transferred (short leasehold interests) to Telereal Trillium under a 20 year PFI contract known as “PRIME” in 1998.
Any properties that become surplus to DWP's requirements are returned to Telereal Trillium under the PRIME contract.
The Health and Safety Executive estimate that the empty property business rates for the vacant properties recorded on the e-PIMS database in the current financial year is £40,143.33. However, this relates to Douglas House in Edinburgh which, strictly speaking, is not empty. There are other occupants in the property but HSE's space held on e-PIMS is shown as vacant to attract potential tenants. As a result, the e-PIMS entry will make Douglas House appear empty.