Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
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 (a) the number of foreign-born families who will claim universal credit or tax credits for more than 2 children and (b) the total cost of this.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
No such estimate has been made.
Universal Credit is primarily reserved for people settled in the UK, and overall, the proportion of claimants in this country who are foreign nationals has fallen since October 2024.
But we want to go further which is why we have announced plans to double the standard time most migrants have to wait before they can access benefits to 10 years, reducing the burden on the taxpayer and making sure settlement rights are earned.
Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of stopping out of work benefits for foreign nationals in the UK.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
On 20 November the Home Secretary launched a consultation on proposals for a fairer pathway to settlement, the point at which foreign nationals generally gain access to public funds. These plans include doubling the standard qualifying period for settlement from 5 to 10 years, with the opportunity to reduce this period based on their contributions to the UK economy and society and longer periods for those who contribute less.
The consultation also covers proposals that benefits might not be available to those who have settled status, reserving them, instead, for those who have earned British citizenship.
You can find more details in here: “Restoring Order and Control: A statement on the government’s asylum and returns policy" and in “Open consultation: Earned settlement”.
In conjunction with these reforms, my Department will consult in due course on a change to taxpayer-funded benefits to prioritise access for those who are making an economic contribution to the UK.
Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to reduce waiting times for Access to Work applications; and if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the time taken for those applications on applicants whose ability to work is dependent on timely support, such as community-based NHS staff.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
We recognise the importance of clearing the backlog, which is why last year we increased the number of staff working in this area by 27% and we have continued to streamline delivery practices. To protect employment opportunities, case managers prioritise Access to Work applications where the customer is due to start a job within four weeks, or cases that are up for renewal.
In the Pathways to Work Green Paper, we consulted on the future of Access to Work and how to improve the scheme so that it helps more disabled people in work. We are considering all aspects of the scheme as we develop plans for reform following the conclusion of the consultation.
Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions his Department has had with Motability on the (a) adequacy of its protections for disabled consumers in cases when vehicles provided under that scheme exhibit mechanical faults and (b) effectiveness of recourse available when Motability customers cannot use their vehicles due to unresolved safety concerns.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
DWP is responsible for the disability benefits which passport people to the Motability scheme. Claimants who receive the higher rate mobility component for Disability Living Allowance (DLA), the enhanced rate of the mobility component for Personal Independence Payment, Armed Forces Independence Payment or War Pensioners Mobility Supplement can exchange part or all of their mobility component for a leased car, wheelchair or powered chair/scooter through the Motability Scheme. The Department directly transfers the mobility allowance to Motability on behalf of the eligible claimant once they elect to join the Scheme.
Motability Foundation is independent of government and regulated by the Charity Commission so is wholly responsible for the terms and the administration of the Scheme.
Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
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 potential impact of the time taken to (a) obtain and (b) renew black powder licenses.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Under the Explosives Regulations 2014, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) sets the legal framework for the safe acquisition and possession of explosives, including black powder. However, the responsibility for issuing and renewing explosives certificates rests with individual police forces, who act as licensing authorities under those Regulations.
Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many permanent civil servants in his Department had their contract of employment terminated as a result of poor performance in the (a) 2022-23, (b) 2023-24 and (c) 2024-25 financial years.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
We have provided the information requested in the table below
Financial Year | Count of Permanent Civil Servants dismissed for Unsatisfactory Performance /Unsatisfactory Work Performance |
2022-23 | 17 |
2023-24 | 22 |
2024-25 | 37 |
Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to Answer of 31 March 2025 to Question 40979 on Employment: Disability, when will further analysis be published.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Information on the impacts of the Pathways to Work Green Paper has been published in the impacts analysis and equality analysis on 26 March 2025 and the evidence pack on 2 May 2025 at:
Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
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 impact of mandating 60 per cent office-working by departmental staff by September 2025 on productivity within her Department.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Civil Service Heads of Departments across government have agreed that the Civil Service is best able to deliver for the people it serves by taking a consistent approach to in office working. Heads of Departments agreed that 60% minimum office attendance for most staff continues to be the best balance of working for the Civil Service.
The approach allows teams and departments to maximise the benefits of hybrid working and to get the best from being together. This also reflects the view of Civil Service leaders that there remain clear benefits to spending time working together face-to-face as the government delivers on the Missions commitments. The Civil Service approach is comparable to other large private and public sector employers.
Whilst this decision was not directly linked to productivity, the Department closely monitors performance and will continue to do so following implementation of the change. In DWP, around 35% of colleagues spend 100% of their time working in the office, delivering face-to-face services to customers. Other colleagues are able to work in a hybrid way, spending part of their time in the office and part of their time working from home.
Senior Civil Service colleagues are expected to work from the office (which includes face to face time with colleagues or partners on official business elsewhere) for more than 60% of their contracted hours, and the Department has now announced that colleagues at all other grades will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their contracted hours in the office from 1 September 2025.
Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department is taking steps to amend regulations on mechanisms for transferring pensions between scheme providers.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Following commitments made in response to the review, DWP has conducted extensive work with the FCA, HMT, The Pensions Regulator and the pensions industry to consider if the practical application of the transfer regulations could be improved, whilst retaining appropriate levels of protection for pension scheme members.
DWP Officials continue to develop this work and we will look to formally share the outcome as soon as is practical.
Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of mechanisms for transferring pensions.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Occupational and Personal Pension Schemes (Conditions for Transfers) Regulations 2021 were introduced to protect pension savers against the threat of scams by enabling trustees to pause or halt a transfer in certain circumstances.
DWP conducted a year long review of the regulations in 2022, as agreed with the Work and Pensions Select Committee.
The review concluded that the measures had been largely successful in delivering the policy intent, approximately 2000 potentially fraudulent transfers were blocked during the period considered and industry participants confirmed that there remained an ongoing need for the enhanced protection the regulations provide.
However, whilst feedback concerning the protections was positive, findings of the review also suggested that the practical application of some parts of the regulations may have caused administrative issues in certain areas.
DWP officials are conducting work with other government departments and industry representatives to consider if changes could be made to improve the transfer process whilst ensuring that appropriate protections remain in place.