Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he plans to bring forward proposals to improve the Access to Work scheme.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
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 reviewing all aspects of Access to Work as we develop plans for reform following the conclusion of the consultation.
Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he plans to provide targeted support for small employers to help meet the cost of day-one Statutory Sick Pay.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Strengthening Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is part of the Government’s Plan to Make Work Pay ensuring the safety net of sick pay is available to those who need it most. The Government believes that removing the waiting period is essential to ensure employees feel better able to take the time they need to recover from short term illness, without struggling in work and often spreading infectious diseases such as influenza.
The government conducted a Regulatory Impact Assessment on the changes to strengthen Statutory Sick Pay in the Employment Rights Bill, which was published on 21 October 2024. This includes the impacts on small businesses. The additional cost to business of the SSP reforms is around £15 per employee. The government intends to conduct a post-implementation review of the Employment Rights Bill within five years of implementation.
Previous SSP rebate schemes that were available to employers, such as the Percentage Threshold Scheme were seen as complex, expensive to administer, underused by small businesses and did not encourage employers to support their employees during sickness absence.
The Department for Business and Trade provides a range of offers that SMEs may wish to access. They include the Business Support Service, Gov.uk, the network of 41 local Growth Hubs across England, and the Help to Grow: Management scheme to help improve leadership and management capabilities. The recently launched Business Growth Service (BGS) makes it easier for businesses across the UK to get the advice and support they need to grow and thrive.
Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has considered the risks posed by (a) climate change and (b) nature destruction as factors for the Pensions Commission to take into account.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Climate Change Governance and Reporting Regulations in the UK already require trustees of larger occupational pension schemes to identify, assess, and manage climate-related risks and opportunities, and to report on these actions in a manner aligned with the Task Force Climate Related Disclosures TCFD recommendations. Regulations do not currently cover nature risks, but in line with guidance from the Pensions Regulator pension schemes should be placing greater consideration on nature-related risks, including familiarisation with the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures framework.
My department is legislating through the Pensions Scheme Bill for a larger, more consolidated pensions system, which will be better equipped to manage systemic risks such as those posed by climate change and biodiversity loss, and to invest in projects and businesses that contribute to climate solutions and environmental resilience.
Separately, the Government is currently consulting on UK Sustainability Reporting Standards aligned with international sustainability standards, and Climate Transition Plans. Together these initiatives will support the UK’s net-zero goals and broader green agenda and are expected to influence the investment landscape in which pension schemes operate.
The Government has asked the Pensions Commission to examine the pensions system as a whole and look at what is required to build a future-proof pensions system that is strong, fair and sustainable.
Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to prevent business owners from closing their business following serious workplace safety incidents.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is the enforcing authority for workplace health and safety. HSE has no powers to compel businesses to continue to operate following serious workplace safety incidents.
Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
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 enabling local authorities access to up-to-date Universal Credit claimant data for all claimants in their area.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) recognises the benefits of further Universal Credit data sharing with Local Authorities to support vulnerable citizens.
DWP is working on a project to do exactly this, and aims to have delivered a test version to a small group of LAs by Spring 2026. Subject to this test being successful, we will roll this out to all LAs during the rest of 2026.
Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of trends in the level of claims made to the Health and Safety Executive that are subsequently referred by the HSE to local authorities for resolution.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Health and Safety at Work Act establishes a co-regulatory partnership between the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and local authorities (LAs). This co-regulatory partnership sees HSE and LAs working closely to ensure consistent enforcement of health and safety legislation.
The Enforcing Authority Regulations (EA Regulations) 1989 determine allocation of enforcement responsibility. LAs are responsible for enforcing health and safety requirements at 65% of business premises in Great Britain, which employ 46% of the national workforce. In general, LAs are the enforcing authority for retail, wholesale distribution and warehousing, hotel and catering premises, offices, and the consumer/leisure industries. HSE has the policy lead for all other sectors, and enforcement responsibilities for those sectors that traditionally have higher hazards/risks, e.g. factories, construction, agriculture, and off-shore industries.
Regulation 5 of the EA Regulations allows enforcement responsibility for any premises or any activity carried on there, to be transferred from HSE to the LA or vice versa. A transfer may be made only by agreement between the two enforcing authorities involved. The number of transfers under Regulation 5 from HSE to LAs show no discernible trend.
Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of claims for Child Disability Living Allowance were decided within the target timeframe of 45 working days in (a) 2024 and (b) so far in 2025.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The most recent information on processing times for Disability Living Allowance for children was published in the DWP annual report and accounts 2023 to 2024 - GOV.UK (ARA) on 22nd July 2024. This shows that in 2023/24 DWP cleared 3.5% of Disability Living Allowance for children claims within the planned 40 working day timescale. The next publication of the ARA will include the percentage of claims processed in the Financial Year 2024 to 2025, which is due for publication in the summer.
Although, DWP has seen improvements in processing times across many service lines during 2023-24, continued high demand has meant that the Department’s ability to process claims consistently in a timely manner across all its services has come under considerable pressure, with performance remaining below standard in some areas including in Child DLA where demand has increased in recent years and is significantly higher than pre-pandemic volumes. During 2020-21 DWP deferred reviewing existing cases to focus on processing new claims. Since then, the high volumes of both new claims and the deferred renewal work has resulted in longer processing times. Additional resources have been deployed and cases are being cleared in date order to ensure fair customer service.
Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will publish information on success rates for (a) Mandatory Reconsideration of decisions on Child Disability Living Allowance (DLA) applications and (b) Tribunals relating to decisions on Child DLA applications.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is unable to provide the specific information requested on Mandatory Reconsiderations for Child Disability Living Allowance (DLA) applications. We hold data on Mandatory Reconsiderations, but only for the combined elements of those undertaken on "applications" (new claims) and those undertaken on changes in circumstance. The data does not split out the two to enable us to report to you the applications element only.
In regards to Tribunal outcomes, His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service are responsible for publication of statistics.
Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will ensure that Mandatory Reconsiderations relating to decisions on Child Disability Living Allowance claims are dealt with within 28 days.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
In law there is no time limit within which a Mandatory Reconsideration (MR) decision must be made. This reflects the overarching policy that the focus should be on making the right decision and not the speed of clearance. Decisions should be made without delay, but if the decision maker considers that more time is needed to gather or consider evidence, they must give themselves that time to ensure they are confident that the decision made is correct. The department is also recruiting decision makers to increase the resources available for DLA-C MR cases.
Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance her Department has issued to staff on (a) contacting and (b) assessing benefits claims for (i) victims and (ii) survivors of domestic violence and economic abuse.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
All staff have access to regularly reviewed guidance products which includes information on contacting and assessing benefit claims for victims and survivors of domestic and economic abuse.
For broader support, we will signpost claimants to gov.uk to enable them to get the help and advice they need.
The most relevant UC Guidance is attached (059. Domestic abuse-Guidance V28.0)
The relevant Working Age Operational Instructions are also attached (Domestic Abuse and Victims of domestic abuse).