Asked by: Marion Fellows (Scottish National Party - Motherwell and Wishaw)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his Department's procedure is when establishing whether an armed forces member convicted of domestic violence, sexual assault or abuse should be (a) dismissed and (b) discharged.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
In relation to sexual offences, on 30 March 2022 Defence published a 'Zero Tolerance to Sexual Offences' policy: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/defence-publishes-its-zero-tolerance-approach-to-sexual-offences. This policy mandates that anyone convicted of a sexual offence will be discharged. In relation to other non-sexual offences which may be committed under the catch-all term of 'domestic violence', such as battery or actual bodily harm, the Services will consider any conviction awarded to a Service person (Regular or Reserve) and take proportionate action in response. Serious offences will result in discharge.
Asked by: Marion Fellows (Scottish National Party - Motherwell and Wishaw)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to support the rights of disabled people in Ukraine.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
There are 2.7 million people in Ukraine with disabilities that are at high risk of harm and abandonment. Many are trapped, unable to evacuate to safer areas and experiencing severe food and medication shortages.
The UK is committed to providing humanitarian aid on the basis of need alone, without discrimination on any grounds. In Ukraine, the UK seeks to drive forward a fully inclusive international humanitarian response that addresses the life-saving and urgent needs of women, children, people with disabilities and excluded groups affected by the crisis, and ensuring compliance with the IASC guidelines on disability and gender-based violence.
UK funding for Ukraine is largely channelled via international humanitarian organisations to enable effective, inclusive humanitarian assistance to reach those who need it most, including people with disabilities, and to tailor and target the most appropriate support.
Asked by: Marion Fellows (Scottish National Party - Motherwell and Wishaw)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the access to work scheme, what is the total number of applications that have been (a) awarded the maximum payment cap grant and (b) rejected due to exceeding the payment cap.
Answered by Chloe Smith
The information requested on the total number of applications that were a) awarded the maximum payment cap grant and b) rejected due to exceeding the payment cap, is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate costs.
The latest Access to Work statistics can be found here:
Access to Work statistics - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Asked by: Marion Fellows (Scottish National Party - Motherwell and Wishaw)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the access to work scheme, how many applications have had their processing been delayed (a) in total and (b) for a duration of (i) 0 to 6 months, (ii) 6 to 12 months and (iii) over 12 months.
Answered by Chloe Smith
I am not able to provide information regarding how many applications have had their processing delayed (a) in total and (b) for a duration of (i) 0 to 6 months, (ii) 6 to 12 months and (iii) over 12 months, as we do not hold this data. The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
Access to Work are currently receiving an increased level of applications for support and are working through all applications to ensure that they are progressed as soon as possible.
For applications where a customer is due to begin a job with a start date within 4 weeks, their case will be prioritised, and contact made as soon as possible.
For renewal applications for on-going support, these are also being prioritised and in the majority of cases, support approved using a new streamlined process.
Access to Work are also recruiting additional staff to meet the increased customer demand.
Asked by: Marion Fellows (Scottish National Party - Motherwell and Wishaw)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to ensure the access to work programme facilitates flexible working.
Answered by Chloe Smith
Working with disabled people, Access to Work has developed a flexible offer to enable disabled people to take up flexible working arrangements. The Access to Work flexible offer contains a blended package of support, that complements standard adjustments and offers a tailored package of support to enable work in the workplace, at home, or a combination of both.
Asked by: Marion Fellows (Scottish National Party - Motherwell and Wishaw)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans her Department has to support legacy benefit recipients who have been financially impacted by the covid-19 pandemic.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Since the start of the pandemic, DWP has spent over £11.9bn to help families by investing in additional welfare and employment support. From 24 March, the COVID-19 provisions in the Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) regulations will end. There are no other remaining legacy benefit provisions relating to COVID-19, but a wide range of benefits and other support is available to people who are receiving legacy benefits, subject to the normal conditions of entitlement.
The Government is committed to supporting families most in need, spending billions more on welfare and planning a long-term route out of poverty, by helping people to increase their hours in employment or to find new work through our Plan for Jobs and the new Way to Work campaign.
Asked by: Marion Fellows (Scottish National Party - Motherwell and Wishaw)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will make it her policy to use OECD Development Assistance Committee markers to measure disability.
Answered by Vicky Ford
FCDO official development assistance programmes use the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) disability inclusive policy marker. The FCDO includes this marker in the annual statistical return made to the OECD DAC.
Asked by: Marion Fellows (Scottish National Party - Motherwell and Wishaw)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if her Department will publish an annual progress report in relation to their disability inclusion strategy.
Answered by Vicky Ford
On 16 February 2022 I launched a new Disability Inclusion and Rights Strategy, which reaffirms the UK's commitment to disability rights and sets out a vision and approach towards 2030. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office will review the strategy and delivery plans periodically.
Asked by: Marion Fellows (Scottish National Party - Motherwell and Wishaw)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that disabled people on legacy benefits do not fall in to poverty as the cost of living increases.
Answered by Chloe Smith
Personal Independence Payments are available to help with the extra costs of living faced by disabled people, while people may also be entitled to additional financial support through Universal Credit or Employment and Support Allowance. Claimants on legacy benefits who need additional financial assistance may be eligible for Universal Credit and can voluntarily apply if they believe that they will be better off. Disability benefits can provide a gateway or passport to a wide range of additional support or help.
There are a range of DWP initiatives that support disabled people and people with health conditions to live independent lives and start, stay and succeed in employment. These include the Intensive Personalised Employment Support programme, Access to Work, Disability Confident and support in partnership with the health system, including Employment Advisers in NHS Improving Access to Psychological Therapy services.
Asked by: Marion Fellows (Scottish National Party - Motherwell and Wishaw)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what plans she has to enshrine the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities into law.
Answered by Vicky Ford
The UK remains fully committed to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which the UK ratified in 2009. The UK as a general principle does not incorporate international treaties into domestic law. However, the rights of disabled people under this Convention are largely reflected and given effect in existing domestic policies and legislation, including the Equality Act 2010 in England, Scotland and Wales, and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 in Northern Ireland.