Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to reduce the potential impact of the time taken for his Department to make decisions on the finances of applicants.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The department endeavours to process new claims for benefits and changes of circumstances as quickly as possible after customers have provided all relevant information and evidence relating to their claim.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what progress his Department has made on reducing the time taken for Access to Work applications to be allocated to a case manager.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

As set out in the Green Paper, we are reforming Access to Work to improve the scheme so that it helps more disabled people into and on in work.

We are committed to reducing waiting times for claims to the Access to Work Scheme. We also prioritise customers starting a job in four weeks. To support our customers several measures have already been put in place, including streamlining our delivery processes and recruiting additional staff.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what priority his Department gives to responding to MPs' enquiries.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Department treats enquiries from Members of Parliament as a high priority and has issued clear guidance to staff members.

We are committed to improving response times and have taken a number of steps, such as deploying additional resource, to improve the timeliness of responses to MP enquiries. The Department has also published guidance on the W4MP website to ensure MP offices have clear visibility of appropriate contact numbers for each DWP benefit product line.

Data on responses to correspondence from MPs is regularly published and can be found here: Data on responses to correspondence from MPs and peers - GOV.UK

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has issued guidance to staff on the timeframe in which they should respond to MP enquiries.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Department treats enquiries from Members of Parliament as a high priority and has issued clear guidance to staff members.

We are committed to improving response times and have taken a number of steps, such as deploying additional resource, to improve the timeliness of responses to MP enquiries. The Department has also published guidance on the W4MP website to ensure MP offices have clear visibility of appropriate contact numbers for each DWP benefit product line.

Data on responses to correspondence from MPs is regularly published and can be found here: Data on responses to correspondence from MPs and peers - GOV.UK

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to monitor the (a) number of, (b) time taken to respond to and (c) urgency of MPs' enquiries to his Department.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Department treats enquiries from Members of Parliament as a high priority and has issued clear guidance to staff members.

We are committed to improving response times and have taken a number of steps, such as deploying additional resource, to improve the timeliness of responses to MP enquiries. The Department has also published guidance on the W4MP website to ensure MP offices have clear visibility of appropriate contact numbers for each DWP benefit product line.

Data on responses to correspondence from MPs is regularly published and can be found here: Data on responses to correspondence from MPs and peers - GOV.UK

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to reduce the length of time taken by his Department to resolve MPs' enquiries.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Department treats enquiries from Members of Parliament as a high priority and has issued clear guidance to staff members.

We are committed to improving response times and have taken a number of steps, such as deploying additional resource, to improve the timeliness of responses to MP enquiries. The Department has also published guidance on the W4MP website to ensure MP offices have clear visibility of appropriate contact numbers for each DWP benefit product line.

Data on responses to correspondence from MPs is regularly published and can be found here: Data on responses to correspondence from MPs and peers - GOV.UK

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average time taken was for his Department to resolve MPs' enquiries in the last year.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Department treats enquiries from Members of Parliament as a high priority and has issued clear guidance to staff members.

We are committed to improving response times and have taken a number of steps, such as deploying additional resource, to improve the timeliness of responses to MP enquiries. The Department has also published guidance on the W4MP website to ensure MP offices have clear visibility of appropriate contact numbers for each DWP benefit product line.

Data on responses to correspondence from MPs is regularly published and can be found here: Data on responses to correspondence from MPs and peers - GOV.UK

Drumchapel Against Racism campaign

Dying in Poverty 2025

Scotland Men's national football team qualifies for 2026 World Cup

Yemen

Future of the BBC

60th anniversary of Glasgow Council on Alcohol

Cumulative disruption proposals and the right to protest

Import and sale of real fur

Found: Wednesday 30 October 2024 Members present1 Patricia Ferguson, in the Chair2 Maureen Burke Harriet

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Patricia Ferguson (Chair); Maureen Burke, Harriet Cross; Dave Doogan

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Patricia Ferguson (Chair); Harriet Cross; Dave Doogan; Douglas McAllister

In Scotland, as in other parts of the UK, concerns have been raised about how high streets and town centres are changing. Scotland’s high streets face multiple challenges, and many have been described as being in ‘decline’. However, possible new models for resilient and thriving high streets are emerging, while there continues to be interest in community-led regeneration. This inquiry will engage with local communities and other stakeholders to explore what a positive vision for the future of Scottish high streets and town centres might look like, and to examine what role government might play in making this vision a reality.

Submit Evidence (by 12 Dec 2025)

Transport infrastructure plays an important role among island communities, supporting local economies and ensuring access to essential services. In Scotland, geographic barriers and limited transport options can restrict mobility and contribute to depopulation. This inquiry will examine the strategic case for permanent transport links—such as tunnels and bridges—between Scotland’s islands and assess whether there is a role for the UK Government in supporting such projects.

Submit Evidence (by 12 Dec 2025)

Reliable digital infrastructure is essential for enabling economic growth, public service delivery and social inclusion—especially in Scotland’s rural and island communities. These areas often face unique challenges due to geographic isolation and low population density, which can make the rollout of broadband and mobile networks more complex and costly. This inquiry will explore how digital connectivity can be improved across Scotland, and whether current UK and Scottish Government initiatives are delivering for the communities that need them most.

Found: Patricia Ferguson MP, Chair of the Scottish Affairs Committee, is available for pre-record interviews