Asked by: Holly Lynch (Labour - Halifax)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what information his Department holds on the (a) average and (b) longest time between a claimant receiving a letter denying a claim for personal independence payment and the completion of a tribunal appeal hearing relating to that claim.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt
The latest published information shows that the average clearance time for all benefit appeals is 16 weeks.
The Information in relation to the Mandatory Reconsideration part of the dispute process is not available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Holly Lynch (Labour - Halifax)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessmenthis Department has made of the suitability of (a) phones and (b) laptops for use by claimants wishing to take an audio recording of a personal independence payment assessment.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt
We do not permit claimants to record their Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessments using certain devices, including phones and laptops, due to concerns about the broadcasting and editing capabilities of such devices. These are specifically the risk posed to the privacy of Health Professionals from publication of assessments, and the possibility that recordings might be altered.
Claimants are permitted to use any equipment which meets the requirements set out. The Department has not made an assessment of the cost of purchasing that equipment.
PIP assessment policy, as with all PIP policy, undergoes continuous review and we continue to identify improvements where appropriate.
Asked by: Holly Lynch (Labour - Halifax)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, in what proportion of personal independence payment assessments the claimant makes a permitted audio recording of the assessment.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt
Information on the number of claimant requests for recording Personal Independence Payment assessments is not available. Claimant requests to record the consultation are permissible so long as they fulfil the conditions set out by the Department.
Asked by: Holly Lynch (Labour - Halifax)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate his Department has made of the cost to individual claimants of purchasing the audio recording equipment that is permitted for use during personal independence payment assessments.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt
We do not permit claimants to record their Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessments using certain devices, including phones and laptops, due to concerns about the broadcasting and editing capabilities of such devices. These are specifically the risk posed to the privacy of Health Professionals from publication of assessments, and the possibility that recordings might be altered.
Claimants are permitted to use any equipment which meets the requirements set out. The Department has not made an assessment of the cost of purchasing that equipment.
PIP assessment policy, as with all PIP policy, undergoes continuous review and we continue to identify improvements where appropriate.
Asked by: Holly Lynch (Labour - Halifax)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the efficacy of maximum workplace temperature regulations in protecting workers' health and well-being.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt
A review of maximum workplace temperatures took place in 2010 and concluded that the legislation and supporting guidance is sufficient.
The existing law on workplace temperature, the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, places a legal obligation on employers to provide a ‘reasonable’ temperature in the workplace. A meaningful figure is not set out in regulations due to the factors, other than air temperature, which determine thermal comfort (for example, the radiant temperature, humidity and air velocity). These factors become more significant and the interplay between them more complex as the temperature rises.
Detailed guidance on workplace temperature and thermal comfort is available on the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) website (http://www.hse.gov.uk/temperature/). This includes how to undertake a thermal comfort assessment and measures that can be taken to improve thermal comfort.
Asked by: Holly Lynch (Labour - Halifax)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions he has had with mental health charities on the effect of the Work Programme on its participants.
Answered by Priti Patel
Officials met with the Disability Charities Consortium on 15 January to discuss input into the new Work and Health Programme, which included discussion of the lessons learned from the Work Programme. Officials will also be attending a round table on future employment support, hosted by Mind, on 24 March.
Asked by: Holly Lynch (Labour - Halifax)
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 effect of changes to employment and support allowance for new claimants in the work-related activity group on the mental health of those affected.
Answered by Priti Patel
We have fully assessed the impacts on equality of the welfare measures in the Bill and the wider budget, meeting our obligations as set out in the Public Sector Equality Duty. An impact assessment was published on 20 July last year.
Asked by: Holly Lynch (Labour - Halifax)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in Halifax constituency will be affected by changes to employment and support allowance for new claimants in the work-related activity group.
Answered by Priti Patel
Forecasts for Employment and Support Allowance are made only at the national level. As such, the information requested is not available.
Asked by: Holly Lynch (Labour - Halifax)
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 extent to which jobseekers required to obtain a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check to take up new work can afford to do so; and if he will estimate the cost of jobcentres providing financial support for people in need of a DBS check.
Answered by Priti Patel
Employers have legal responsibility for ensuring that their current and future workforce is not barred from working with children or vulnerable adults. It is reasonable to expect employers to pay for these Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) checks. DWP recognises there may be exceptional circumstances in which it is appropriate for Jobcentre Plus to reimburse the cost through the Flexible Support Fund if this will ensure a claimant can start a job.
Asked by: Holly Lynch (Labour - Halifax)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what procedures are in place for challenges to Pension Ombudsman decisions based on false information having been provided to the Ombudsman.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson
In the unlikely event that this occurred, the determination could be subject to judicial review in the High Court. A Pension Ombudsman's determination can also be challenged on a point of law in the High Court.