Richard Burgon Portrait

Richard Burgon

Labour - Leeds East

First elected: 7th May 2015


Justice Committee
11th May 2020 - 22nd Feb 2021
Shadow Lord Chancellor and Shadow Secretary of State for Justice
27th Jun 2016 - 6th Apr 2020
Shadow Minister (Treasury)
18th Sep 2015 - 27th Jun 2016
Justice Committee
6th Jul 2015 - 26th Oct 2015


Division Voting information

During the current Parliament, Richard Burgon has voted in 773 divisions, and 3 times against the majority of their Party.

25 Mar 2021 - Coronavirus - View Vote Context
Richard Burgon voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 21 Labour No votes vs 176 Labour Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 484 Noes - 76
14 Dec 2021 - Public Health - View Vote Context
Richard Burgon voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 22 Labour No votes vs 124 Labour Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 385 Noes - 100
10 Jan 2022 - Nuclear Energy (Financing) Bill - View Vote Context
Richard Burgon voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 6 Labour No votes vs 148 Labour Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 458 Noes - 53
View All Richard Burgon Division Votes

Debates during the 2019 Parliament

Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.

Sparring Partners
Rishi Sunak (Conservative)
Prime Minister, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service, and Minister for the Union
(24 debate interactions)
Boris Johnson (Conservative)
(22 debate interactions)
Jacob Rees-Mogg (Conservative)
(21 debate interactions)
View All Sparring Partners
Department Debates
HM Treasury
(61 debate contributions)
Cabinet Office
(42 debate contributions)
Department of Health and Social Care
(31 debate contributions)
View All Department Debates
Legislation Debates
Nationality and Borders Act 2022
(1,460 words contributed)
Online Safety Act 2023
(1,274 words contributed)
Finance Act 2021
(930 words contributed)
View All Legislation Debates
View all Richard Burgon's debates

Latest EDMs signed by Richard Burgon

4th March 2024
Richard Burgon signed this EDM on Tuesday 5th March 2024

Women Against Pit Closures

Tabled by: Mary Kelly Foy (Labour - City of Durham)
That this House commends Women Against Pit Closures on the 40th anniversary of the miners’ strike for their fortitude, resilience and solidarity during the 1984-85 strike and beyond; believes that the 1984-85 strike would not have lasted as long without the support of women; notes that women’s groups, like those …
26 signatures
(Most recent: 7 Mar 2024)
Signatures by party:
Labour: 21
Independent: 2
Scottish National Party: 1
Democratic Unionist Party: 1
Workers Party of Britain: 1
4th March 2024
Richard Burgon signed this EDM on Tuesday 5th March 2024

Fracture liaison services and osteoporosis

Tabled by: Margaret Greenwood (Labour - Wirral West)
That this House notes 50% of women and 20% of men over 50 will suffer a fracture due to osteoporosis; further notes 81,000 people of working age suffer fractures every year and that a third of sufferers will have to leave their jobs as a result; highlights the invaluable work …
27 signatures
(Most recent: 14 Mar 2024)
Signatures by party:
Labour: 23
Independent: 3
Democratic Unionist Party: 1
View All Richard Burgon's signed Early Day Motions

Commons initiatives

These initiatives were driven by Richard Burgon, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.

MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.


Richard Burgon has not been granted any Urgent Questions

4 Adjournment Debates led by Richard Burgon

Wednesday 6th December 2023
Thursday 23rd February 2023
Tuesday 2nd March 2021

5 Bills introduced by Richard Burgon


A Bill to prohibit the sale of arms to Israel and the purchase of arms from Israel; to make associated provision about an inquiry in relation to Israel into the end use of arms sold from the UK or authorised for sale by the UK Government; and for connected purposes.

Commons - 40%

Last Event - 2nd Reading
Friday 6th May 2022

A Bill to require the Leader of the House of Commons to move a Motion prohibiting Members of Parliament having paid second jobs; and for connected purposes.

Commons - 40%

Last Event - 2nd Reading
Friday 6th May 2022

A Bill to require the Leader of the House of Commons to move a Motion prohibiting Members of Parliament from receiving any financial or other benefit from oil and gas companies; to require the Leader of the House to publish proposals for divestment of the Parliamentary Contributory Pension Fund from oil and gas companies; and for connected purposes.

Commons - 20%

Last Event - 1st Reading
Monday 11th December 2023
Next Event - 2nd Reading
Friday 26th April 2024
Order Paper number: 9
(Unlikely to be Debated - would require unanimous consent to progress)

A Bill to require the Leader of the House of Commons to move a Motion prohibiting Members of Parliament from receiving any financial or other benefit from oil and gas companies; to require the Leader of the House to publish proposals for divestment of the Parliamentary Contributory Pension Fund from oil and gas companies; and for connected purposes.

Commons - 20%

Last Event - 1st Reading
Tuesday 18th July 2023

A Bill to provide for a mechanism for an early general election to be held in certain circumstances, where the public has demonstrated support for such an election; and for connected purposes.

Commons - 20%

Last Event - 1st Reading
Wednesday 25th January 2023

Latest 50 Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department
2nd May 2023
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what ethical advice his Department sought on provision of legal support to the Rt Hon. Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip in relation to the Privileges Committee inquiry into that Member's conduct.

As set out by Alex Chisholm, the Permanent Secretary and Accounting Officer of the Cabinet Office at the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee meeting on 26 January 2023, the contract award followed the proper procurement process and received full scrutiny from all relevant officials.

17th May 2021
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many convictions of voter personation in general elections there have been in the 21st Century.

The forthcoming Elections Bill will have a package of measures to tackle different types of electoral fraud – including personation in polling stations, postal voting personation and interference, proxy voting fraud, intimidation and undue influence.

Voter fraud is a crime that we cannot allow room for, so the Government is stamping out any potential for it to take place in elections, in line with our manifesto pledge.

The Electoral Commission publishes electoral fraud data on its website: https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/who-we-are-and-what-we-do/our-views-and-research/our-research/electoral-fraud-data.

Personation in polling stations is very difficult to identify and prove: by definition, it is a crime of deception. The 2015 Tower Hamlets election court judgment found that personation was one of the interlinked types of corrupt and illegal practices that took place.

By contrast, as the Electoral Commission has previously noted: ‘Since the introduction of photo ID in Northern Ireland there have been no reported cases of personation. Voters’ confidence that elections are well-run in Northern Ireland is consistently higher than in Great Britain, and there are virtually no allegations of electoral fraud at polling stations’ (December 2015).

Julia Lopez
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
4th Nov 2020
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate his Department has made of the number of workers who are ineligible for Statutory Sick Pay in (a) Leeds East constituency, (b) Leeds (c) Yorkshire and the Humber and (d) nationwide.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. I have therefore asked the Authority to respond.

1st Jun 2020
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will publish the estimates provided to the Government of the number of new covid-19 infections on each day since 1 May 2020.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. I have therefore asked the Authority to respond.

17th Jan 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the Answer of 8 July 2002 to Question 67534 on Export Licences, whether the guidance on incorporation of British weaponry components is still current; whether that guidance has been (a) updated or (b) modified; and whether it was consulted during the review of (i) extant and (ii) pending licence applications to Israel since October 2023.

The Government takes its defence export responsibilities extremely seriously and operates some of the most robust export controls in the world. All export licence applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis against the Strategic Export Licensing Criteria (the Criteria).

The Criteria provide a thorough risk assessment framework, and the Export Control Joint Unit will not issue an export licence to any destination where to do so would be inconsistent with the Criteria, including where there is a clear risk that the items might be used to commit or facilitate a serious violation of international humanitarian law (IHL). This includes licences where UK components are sent to a third country for incorporation into another product which is then supplied to the final destination.

All our export licences are kept under careful and continual review, and we are able to amend, suspend or revoke extant licences, as well as refuse new licence applications, where they are inconsistent with the Criteria.

Greg Hands
Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
2nd May 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, for what reason a ringfenced fund for research on the effect of plastic pollution on the human body has not been set up.

The Government is investing in R&D to address a range of emerging public health challenges, including the impact of nano- and microplastics. Through UKRI’s Medical Research Council, the MRC Toxicology Unit at the University of Cambridge and the MRC Centre for Environment and Health at Imperial College have a broad programme of activity to study exposure to these materials and their impact on human health.

The Government does not generally ringfence funding for particular areas of research. In line with the Haldane principle, UKRI and other Government funders award grants to the best proposals that are submitted through a process of expert peer review.

2nd May 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she plans to establish a dedicated research fund into the impact of plastic pollution on human health.

The Government is investing in R&D to address a range of emerging public health challenges, including the impact of nano- and microplastics. Through UKRI’s Medical Research Council, the MRC Toxicology Unit at the University of Cambridge and the MRC Centre for Environment and Health at Imperial College have a broad programme of activity to study exposure to these materials and their impact on human health.

The Government does not generally ringfence funding for particular areas of research. In line with the Haldane principle, UKRI and other Government funders award grants to the best proposals that are submitted through a process of expert peer review.

2nd May 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if she will make it his policy to establish a dedicated ringfenced fund for research into the links between plastic pollution and trends in human health.

The Government is investing in R&D to address a range of emerging public health challenges, including the impact of nano- and microplastics. Through UKRI’s Medical Research Council, the MRC Toxicology Unit at the University of Cambridge and the MRC Centre for Environment and Health at Imperial College have a broad programme of activity to study exposure to these materials and their impact on human health.

The Government does not generally ringfence funding for particular areas of research. In line with the Haldane principle, UKRI and other Government funders award grants to the best proposals that are submitted through a process of expert peer review.

30th Nov 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he has taken to provide long-term support in the workplace for people suffering from long covid.

BEIS works with the Department of Health and Social Care and the Department for Work and Pensions supporting workplace health and wellbeing through the delivery of Health is Everyone’s Business consultation response.

Employees have a statutory right to request flexible working, which can help them to balance employment alongside other aspects of life – such as managing a health condition like Long Covid. We recently announced that the Right to Request Flexible Working will be made available to all employees from their first day of employment. The Government is also supporting the Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Private Members Bill.

Kevin Hollinrake
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
12th Jul 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if his Department will undertake an assessment of the potential benefits of implementing £15 an hour minimum wage.

We have set out an ambitious target for the minimum wage to reach 2/3 of median earnings by 2024. It is important that increases are evidence-based, sustainable and affordable for business. That is why we consider the expert and independent advice of the Low Pay Commission when increasing the rates as setting the minimum wage too high may lead to higher unemployment and harm the very people the policy is intended to help.

30th Dec 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when the net zero strategy will be published; and whether that strategy will include plans on the emissions reductions required to meet the UK’s 2030 Nationally Determined Contribution of reducing emissions by 68 per cent by 2030 compared to 1990 levels.

We will publish the Net Zero Strategy ahead of COP26. We will build on my Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister’s Ten Point Plan and the Energy White Paper, as well as upcoming plans in key sectors such as the Transport Decarbonisation Plan and Heat and Buildings Strategy.

The UK’s Nationally Determined Contribution is ambitious and demonstrates our continued leadership in tackling climate change. Our Net Zero Strategy will be a comprehensive plan for decarbonising sectors across the economy, both to reach net zero emissions by 2050 and meet our interim targets, making the most of new growth and employment opportunities across the UK.

We are building on the strong foundations we have established in decarbonising our economy; our ambitious manifesto commitments; and announcements from the Prime Minister and my Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer of measures to cut emissions as we build back better in our economic recovery from COVID-19.

Anne-Marie Trevelyan
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
4th Nov 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate his Department has made of the number of workers who are expected to be paid less than the National Minimum Wage during the period of the national restrictions that are being introduced from 5 November in (a) Leeds East constituency, (b) Leeds (c) Yorkshire and the Humber and (d) nationwide.

The Government is clear that employers must comply with National Minimum Wage legislation and pay their workers at least the minimum wage for hours worked.

The Government is committed to ensuring workers receive the pay that they are owed, more than doubling the budget for National Minimum Wage enforcement. Indeed, last year was another strong year for minimum wage enforcement, with £20.8 million in pay arrears identified for over 263,000 workers.

The Government will continue to support workers across the United Kingdom during this pandemic. Through our Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, we have supported 9.6 million jobs with claims worth £41.4 million. On August 31st, 4,000 jobs in Leeds East, 35,700 jobs In Leeds and 220,000 jobs in Yorkshire and the Humber were supported through the Job Retention Scheme. My Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer has announced that we will extend the scheme through to 31st March 2021, to continue to protect jobs and provide certainty.

20th May 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment his Department has made of the change in the number people earning the minimum wage who are living in poverty since 1 March 2020.

The National Minimum Wage (NMW) and National Living Wage (NLW) ensure that the lowest paid workers are fairly rewarded for their valuable contribution to the economy. Since 2010, the minimum wage rates have increased faster than average wages and inflation, meaning more money for the lowest paid.

This April, we increased the NLW to £8.72, meeting its target to reach 60% of median earnings by 2020, benefiting an estimated 2 million workers. A full-time worker on the NLW will be £930 better off, over the course of the year.

As well as increasing the NLW, the Government has announced an unprecedented series of measures to support businesses and their employees to mitigate the impact of COVID-19. This includes over £6.5 billion of extra support through the welfare system. The Government is continuously monitoring the evolving economic and labour market situation to identify the most effective ways to help people stay in or close to work both now and in the future. Data on the number of people earning the minimum wage who are living in poverty since 1 March 2020 is not currently available.

4th May 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate his Department has made of the number of businesses in (a) Leeds, (b) Yorkshire and the Humber and (c) the UK that are ineligible for the Small Business rate relief as a result of paying business rates as part of their rent or through serviced office costs.

Government has made £12.3 billion available to businesses under the Small Business Grants Fund and the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grants Fund. The schemes have been tied to the business rates system to provide a framework for local authorities to make payments to businesses as quickly as possible as these businesses are likely to face particularly high fixed costs, such as fixed rents.

As of 3 May, over 697,000 businesses in England have received grants under the two schemes, totalling £8.6bn. We do not hold data on the number of businesses that are not eligible for this grant funding. We have, however, published a full breakdown of grant funding allocated to and distributed by each local authority here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-grant-funding-localauthority-payments-to-small-and-medium-businesses.

On 1 May, the Business Secretary announced a further up to £617 million available to local authorities to support small businesses previously outside the scope of the business grant funding, such as businesses in shared offices and regular market traders who do not have their own business rates assessment. For more details, please see: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/top-up-to-local-business-grant-funds-scheme.

4th May 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate his Department has made of the number of people employed in businesses in (a) Leeds, (b) Yorkshire and the Humber and (c) the UK that are ineligible to receive funding through the Small Business rate relief as a result of their employers paying business rates as part of their rent or through serviced office costs.

Government has made £12.3 billion available to businesses under the Small Business Grants Fund and the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grants Fund. The schemes have been tied to the business rates system to provide a framework for local authorities to make payments to businesses as quickly as possible as these businesses are likely to face particularly high fixed costs, such as fixed rents.

As of 3 May, over 697,000 businesses in England have received grants under the two schemes, totalling £8.6bn. We do not hold data on the number of people employed by businesses that are not eligible for this grant funding. We have, however, published a full breakdown of grant funding allocated to and distributed by each local authority here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-grant-funding-localauthority-payments-to-small-and-medium-businesses.

On 1 May, the Business Secretary announced a further up to £617 million available to local authorities to support small businesses previously outside the scope of the business grant funding, such as businesses in shared offices and regular market traders who do not have their own business rates assessment. For more details, please see: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/top-up-to-local-business-grant-funds-scheme.

4th May 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate his Department has made of the value of Small Business rate relief that businesses in (a) Leeds, (b) Yorkshire and the Humber and (c) the UK have been unable to access as a result of being ineligible to apply for that funding as a result of paying business rates as part of their rent or through serviced office costs.

Government has made £12.3 billion available to businesses under the Small Business Grants Fund and the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grants Fund. The schemes have been tied to the business rates system to provide a framework for local authorities to make payments to businesses as quickly as possible as these businesses are likely to face particularly high fixed costs, such as fixed rents.

As of 3 May, over 697,000 businesses in England have received grants under the two schemes, totalling £8.6bn. We do not hold data on the value of Small Business rate relief of businesses that are not eligible for this grant funding. We have, however, published a full breakdown of grant funding allocated to and distributed by each local authority here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-grant-funding-localauthority-payments-to-small-and-medium-businesses.

On 1 May, the Business Secretary announced a further up to £617 million available to local authorities to support small businesses previously outside the scope of the business grant funding, such as businesses in shared offices and regular market traders who do not have their own business rates assessment. For more details, please see: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/top-up-to-local-business-grant-funds-scheme.

27th Apr 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, for what reasons version 2 of the Construction Leadership Council’s guidance Site Operating Procedures Protecting Your Workforce During Coronavirus (Covid-19) stated that no construction work should be carried out on site if social distancing could not be enforced; and for what reasons that instruction has been relaxed in version 3 of that guidance.

The Construction Leadership Council (CLC) has developed Site Operating Procedures (SOP), which align with Public Health England (PHE) guidance on social distancing. The SOP provide practical advice to those seeking to implement the guidance on construction sites.

Following consultation with the industry, the CLC has updated the SOP to align with the latest PHE guidance and provide more detailed advice on safe working. This approach is based on the Health and Safety Executive Hierarchy of Controls for work planning to mitigate risks.

27th Apr 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether the Government plans to enforce staggered start times for construction sites to help ensure that construction workers are able to comply with social distancing guidance on public transport during the rush hour.

The health and safety of construction workers is a priority for the Government. In order to help ensure that it is safe for construction workers to operate in their workplace, the Government has worked with Public Health England (PHE) to develop sector-specific guidance on social distancing, and has also worked with the Construction Leadership Council to develop Site Operating Procedures (SOP), which provide practical advice to those seeking to implement the guidance.

The SOP set out that sites should consider introducing staggered start and finish times to reduce congestion and contact, and plan site access and egress points to enable social distancing. The Health and Safety Executive should consider enforcement action if a site is not consistently implementing the measures set out by PHE.

27th Apr 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps the Government is taking to protect construction workers during the covid-19 outbreak.

The health and safety of construction workers is a priority for the Government. In order to help ensure that it is safe for construction workers to operate in their workplace, the Government has worked with Public Health England (PHE) to develop sector-specific guidance on social distancing, and has also worked with the Construction Leadership Council to develop Site Operating Procedures (SOP), which provide practical advice to those seeking to implement the guidance.

The SOP set out that sites should consider introducing staggered start and finish times to reduce congestion and contact, and plan site access and egress points to enable social distancing. The Health and Safety Executive should consider enforcement action if a site is not consistently implementing the measures set out by PHE.

11th May 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what was the cost to the public purse of the coronation on 6 May 2023.

The Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla was a hugely important state occasion, which brought millions of people around the country together in celebration, and showcased the best of the United Kingdom to the world. The Government is delighted to have supported the Coronation to ensure that the events were safe and well-planned.

As with all events of this kind, we are unable to give costs until after the spend has been reconciled.

Stuart Andrew
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
18th Nov 2021
What steps the Government is taking to help tackle harmful content online that encourages or assists suicide.

The draft Online Safety Bill will make companies more accountable for protecting people online, with all platforms having to identify and remove content that encourages suicide.

They will also have to ensure children are prevented from accessing material which promotes suicide or self-harm.

If platforms fail in their duties under the Bill, they will face tough enforcement action including fines of up to 10% of global annual qualifying turnover.

Chris Philp
Minister of State (Home Office)
15th Jun 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if her Department will make an estimate of the total number of years' experience held by all state (a) primary, and (b) secondary teachers in each year since 2010.

Information on the school workforce in England is collected as part of the annual School Workforce Census each November. Information is published in the ‘School Workforce in England’ statistical publication, available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-workforce-in-england.

This publication includes information on teacher retention by length in service. Information on the total number of years of experience of teachers is not currently available. This information could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

24th May 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the median level of student debt.

The median amount that full time undergraduate higher education students starting their studies in the 2021/22 academic year are expected to borrow over the course of their studies is £ 41,300. For part time students the corresponding median amount is £6,300.

This forecast covers borrowers who received loans as English domiciled students studying in the UK, or as EU domiciled students studying in England. Students who do not receive a student loan are not included in the median calculation. The forecast is based on Student Loan Company actual loan outlay data from August 2021 to April 2022. The median contains forecasted loan amounts from April 2022 to July 2028.

Students will accrue interest on their loans that is not included in the median figure. Repayments are made based on a borrower’s monthly or weekly earnings, not the interest rate or amount borrowed. If a borrower’s income is below the relevant repayment threshold, or a borrower is not earning, repayments will stop. Any outstanding debt, including interest accrued, is written off at the end of the loan term with no detriment to the borrower.

Full details on the median amount coverage can be found in the table below. Previous forecasts for the mean average total loan amount can be found in Table 1.3 of the ’Student Loan Forecast for England’ publication, which is available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/student-loan-forecasts-for-england. These forecasts will be updated to use the same data as described above at the end of June 2023.

Median Loan Outlay Amount

Full time Undergraduate

£41,300

Part time Undergraduate

£6,300

Foot notes:
1. Tuition fee cap has been frozen up to and including academic year 2024/25 in these forecasts

2. Coverage: Borrowers who received loans as English domiciled students studying in the UK or as EU domiciled students studying in England

3. Students who do not receive a student loan are not included in the median calculation

4. The forecast is based on actual Student Loan Company loan outlay data from August 2021 to April 2022. The median contains forecasted loan outlay from April 2022 to July 2028.

5. These figures are restricted to higher education undergraduate loans and do not include Advanced Learner Loans

6. Figures have been rounded to the nearest £100.

Robert Halfon
Minister of State (Education)
1st Feb 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 20 July 2022 to Question 37614 on Schools: Buildings, which schools in Leeds East constituency had at least one construction element in (a) condition grade C and (b) condition grade D when that data was collated; and which of those schools (a) have already received funding from the School Rebuilding Programme and (b) are expected to receive funding from the School Rebuilding Programme in the next two years.

The Condition Data Collection (CDC) is one of the largest and most comprehensive data collection programmes in the UK’s public sector. It collected data on the building condition of government funded schools in England. It provides a robust evidence base to enable the Department to target capital funding for maintaining and rebuilding school buildings.

The key, high level findings of the CDC programme were published in May 2021 in the ‘Condition of School Buildings Survey: Key Findings’ report. This is available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/989912/Condition_of_School_Buildings_Survey_CDC1_-_key_findings_report.pdf.

Individual CDC reports have been shared with every school and their responsible body to use alongside their existing condition surveys to plan maintenance schedules and investment plans. The Department plans to publish detailed school level CDC data. The Department is still preparing the data and will publish it as soon as possible.

Well maintained, safe school buildings are a priority for the Department. Our funding is directed both to maintaining the condition of the school estate and rebuilding schools. The Department has allocated over £13 billion for improving the condition of schools since 2015, including £1.8 billion committed this financial year.

The ten year School Rebuilding Programme (SRP) is condition led. 400 of the 500 available places on the programme have been provisionally allocated. A list of these schools and the methodology used to select them is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-rebuilding-programme-schools-in-the-programme.

The following table shows the constituencies specified that have schools or colleges selected for the SRP:

Parliamentary constituency

Schools selected for SRP

Huddersfield

Greenhead College, announced February 2021

Rochdale

Kingsway Park High School, announced February 2021 Littleborough Community Primary School, announced February 2021

The 239 schools announced in December 2022 will enter delivery at a rate of approximately 50 per year, over a five year period from 2023. The Department is currently undertaking due diligence on these schools prior to scheduling them, with schools prioritised according to the condition of their buildings, readiness to proceed, and efficiency of delivery. The scope and funding for each project will be confirmed following detailed feasibility studies and condition surveys of buildings.

Where a school identifies significant safety issues with a building, that cannot be managed within local resources, the Department considers additional support on a case-by-case basis. This includes applications for Urgent Capital Support (UCS) from eligible institutions. Schools eligible for Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) can apply for UCS where there are urgent health and safety issues that threaten school closure and cannot wait until the next CIF bidding round.

29th Nov 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the annual cost of free school meals.

The core allocations that schools attract through the National Funding Formula (NFF) include funding in respect of free school meals (FSM). The FSM factor is worth £470 per eligible pupil in 2022/23. This will increase to £480 in 2023/24. The factor values for each year are published on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-funding-formula-for-schools-and-high-needs.

The Department spends over £1 billion each year on FSM. This includes around £600 million on Universal Infant Free School Meals (UIFSM), where the per meal rate has been increased from £2.34 to £2.41, and backdated to 1 April 2022, in recognition of increased costs.

The Department continues to keep FSM eligibility under review to ensure that these meals are supporting those who most need them.

25th Jan 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps the Government is taking to support schools in distributing period products to pupils who are learning from home during the covid-19 lockdown.

On 20 January 2020, the department launched a new scheme which makes free period products available for state-funded primary schools, secondary schools, and colleges in England. In December 2020, we announced that this scheme was extended for 2021.

This scheme is in place to ensure that no learner misses out on education due to their period. Schools and colleges should have period products available, should learners need them. They may choose to order products through this scheme or through an alternative route.

The scheme has remained in operation during partial school and college closures, and these organisations are still able to order a range of period products and distribute them to learners who need them.

We continue to work with our delivery partner, Personnel Hygiene Services Limited, to encourage engagement with the scheme. We have engaged with schools and colleges on social media, and via direct communication in email and newsletter form.

4th Nov 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate his Department has made of the number of students of secondary school age who would be, due to lack of access to technology, unable to engage in remote learning in (a) Leeds East constituency, (b) Leeds (c) Yorkshire and the Humber and (d) nationwide.

The Government wants to do everything it can to support schools to deliver remote education. The Department has invested over £195 million to support remote education and access to online social care, delivering over 220,000 laptops and tablets during the summer term for disadvantaged children who would not otherwise have access to a digital device.

The Department is adding to this support by making over 340,000 additional laptops and tablets available to support children that might face disruption to their education. Since September 2020, over 100,000 of these have been delivered to schools.

The Department allocated a number of devices to each school based on how many devices they would need if the school closed fully. To arrive at this allocation, the Department used data on the number of pupils eligible for free school meals in each school along with an estimate of the number of devices the school already owns.

Attendance data suggests most schools are not closing fully, and are instead supporting small groups of children that are not able to attend school because they are self-isolating. The Department changed the number of devices allocated to each school to reflect this, because original allocations were based on a school’s total need should they fully close.

This more targeted approach to allocations mean as many schools and disadvantaged children as possible benefit from receiving a device in the event that their face-to-face education is disrupted.

4th Nov 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate his Department has made of the number of students of primary school age who, due to lack of access to technology, would be unable to engage in remote learning in (a) Leeds East constituency, (b) Leeds (c) Yorkshire and the Humber and (d) nationwide.

The Government wants to do everything it can to support schools to deliver remote education. The Department has invested over £195 million to support remote education and access to online social care, delivering over 220,000 laptops and tablets during the summer term for disadvantaged children who would not otherwise have access to a digital device.

The Department is adding to this support by making over 340,000 additional laptops and tablets available to support children that might face disruption to their education. Since September 2020, over 100,000 of these have been delivered to schools.

The Department allocated a number of devices to each school based on how many devices they would need if the school closed fully. To arrive at this allocation, the Department used data on the number of pupils eligible for free school meals in each school along with an estimate of the number of devices the school already owns.

Attendance data suggests most schools are not closing fully, and are instead supporting small groups of children that are not able to attend school because they are self-isolating. The Department changed the number of devices allocated to each school to reflect this, because original allocations were based on a school’s total need should they fully close.

This more targeted approach to allocations mean as many schools and disadvantaged children as possible benefit from receiving a device in the event that their face-to-face education is disrupted.

1st Jun 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 20 May 2020 to Question 47377 on Children: Coronavirus, if he will publish the estimates referred to in that Answer of the number of eligible children that do not have access to a device.

The Department is providing laptops and tablets to support disadvantaged children who would otherwise not have access and are preparing for examination in Year 10, receiving support from a social worker or are a care leaver.

The Department has allocated devices to local authorities and academy trusts based on its estimates of the number of eligible children that do not have access to a device. The Department estimated there were up to 220,000 eligible children without access to a device. These estimates were based on the proportion of children in receipt of Free School Meals, an estimate of private devices ownership and an estimate of existing devices held by schools which could be loaned out to meet the needs of these children.

15th May 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 4 May 2020 to Question 41551, how many pupils who have been supplied with a computer or laptop for use at home during the covid-19 outbreak are (a) preparing for examinations in Year 10, (b) receiving support from a social worker, (c) a care leaver and (d) in pre-school.

The Government has committed over £100 million to support vulnerable and disadvantaged children in England to access remote education, including by providing laptops, tablets and 4G routers.

The Department is providing laptops and tablets to disadvantaged children who would otherwise not have access and are preparing for examinations in Year 10, receiving support from a social worker or are a care leaver. Where care leavers, children with a social worker at secondary school and disadvantaged children in Year 10 do not have internet connections, we are also providing 4G routers.

Local authorities and academy trusts are best place to identify and prioritise children and young people who need devices. The Department is agreeing the number of devices allocated to each local authority and academy trust based on its estimates of the number of eligible children that do not have access to a device.

15th May 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 4 May 2020 to Question 41551, how many (a) laptops and (b) 4G internet hotspots his Department has provided to pupils in (a) Leeds, (b) Yorkshire and the Humber and (c) the UK since the schools closed due to the covid-19 outbreak.

The Government has committed over £100 million to support vulnerable and disadvantaged children in England to access remote education, including by providing laptops, tablets and 4G routers.

The Department is providing laptops and tablets to disadvantaged children who would otherwise not have access and are preparing for examinations in Year 10, receiving support from a social worker or are a care leaver. Where care leavers, children with a social worker at secondary school and disadvantaged children in Year 10 do not have internet connections, we are also providing 4G routers.

Local authorities and academy trusts are best place to identify and prioritise children and young people who need devices. The Department is agreeing the number of devices allocated to each local authority and academy trust based on its estimates of the number of eligible children that do not have access to a device.

1st May 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of children eligible for free school meals have received vouchers since that scheme was opened in (a) Leeds, (b) Yorkshire & the Humber and (c) the UK.

As both my right hon. Friends the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer have made clear, the government will do whatever it takes to support people affected by COVID-19.

Around 1.3 million children are eligible for and claiming benefits-related free school meals. During this period, we are asking schools to support these children by providing meals or food parcels through their existing food providers wherever possible. We know that many schools are successfully delivering food parcels or arranging food collections for eligible children, and we encourage this approach where it is possible.

However, we recognise that providing meals and food parcels is not a practicable option for all schools. That is why on 31 March we launched a national voucher scheme as an alternative option, with costs covered by the Department for Education.

We are monitoring the use of the scheme on a daily basis. As of 28 April, our supplier Edenred reported that over 16,500 schools had placed orders for the scheme, and as of 4 May, Edenred reported that more than £47 million worth of voucher codes had been redeemed into supermarket eGift cards by schools and families through the scheme. We do not hold the specific data requested for the scheme at a local or regional level.

Once an eCode has been ordered, it will be sent within four days. Edenred is keeping schools informed of the status of orders once they have been placed. Schools can choose to ‘bulk order’ eCodes for regular distribution (e.g. on a weekly basis), in which case the eCode will be sent on or before the date specified. The eCodes must then be redeemed to create an eGift card, which will be received within 24 hours. We continue to work closely with our supplier and with schools to increase the speed at which orders can be processed.

On 4 May, Edenred reported that on the previous day, the average wait time for families and schools accessing the website to redeem their voucher codes was under 30 minutes. Edenred are aiming to respond to all email queries within 2 working days. We are very grateful to families and schools for their understanding and patience while Edenred upgrade this service to meet increased demand.

These are rapidly developing circumstances; we continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.

1st May 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what average waiting time is for schools to access the website to obtain free school meal vouchers in (a) Leeds, (b) Yorkshire & the Humber and (c) the UK.

As both my right hon. Friends the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer have made clear, the government will do whatever it takes to support people affected by COVID-19.

Around 1.3 million children are eligible for and claiming benefits-related free school meals. During this period, we are asking schools to support these children by providing meals or food parcels through their existing food providers wherever possible. We know that many schools are successfully delivering food parcels or arranging food collections for eligible children, and we encourage this approach where it is possible.

However, we recognise that providing meals and food parcels is not a practicable option for all schools. That is why on 31 March we launched a national voucher scheme as an alternative option, with costs covered by the Department for Education.

We are monitoring the use of the scheme on a daily basis. As of 28 April, our supplier Edenred reported that over 16,500 schools had placed orders for the scheme, and as of 4 May, Edenred reported that more than £47 million worth of voucher codes had been redeemed into supermarket eGift cards by schools and families through the scheme. We do not hold the specific data requested for the scheme at a local or regional level.

Once an eCode has been ordered, it will be sent within four days. Edenred is keeping schools informed of the status of orders once they have been placed. Schools can choose to ‘bulk order’ eCodes for regular distribution (e.g. on a weekly basis), in which case the eCode will be sent on or before the date specified. The eCodes must then be redeemed to create an eGift card, which will be received within 24 hours. We continue to work closely with our supplier and with schools to increase the speed at which orders can be processed.

On 4 May, Edenred reported that on the previous day, the average wait time for families and schools accessing the website to redeem their voucher codes was under 30 minutes. Edenred are aiming to respond to all email queries within 2 working days. We are very grateful to families and schools for their understanding and patience while Edenred upgrade this service to meet increased demand.

These are rapidly developing circumstances; we continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.

1st May 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the average time has been from order to delivery for free school meals vouchers since the scheme was introduced in (a) Leeds, (b) Yorkshire & the Humber and (c) the UK.

As both my right hon. Friends the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer have made clear, the government will do whatever it takes to support people affected by COVID-19.

Around 1.3 million children are eligible for and claiming benefits-related free school meals. During this period, we are asking schools to support these children by providing meals or food parcels through their existing food providers wherever possible. We know that many schools are successfully delivering food parcels or arranging food collections for eligible children, and we encourage this approach where it is possible.

However, we recognise that providing meals and food parcels is not a practicable option for all schools. That is why on 31 March we launched a national voucher scheme as an alternative option, with costs covered by the Department for Education.

We are monitoring the use of the scheme on a daily basis. As of 28 April, our supplier Edenred reported that over 16,500 schools had placed orders for the scheme, and as of 4 May, Edenred reported that more than £47 million worth of voucher codes had been redeemed into supermarket eGift cards by schools and families through the scheme. We do not hold the specific data requested for the scheme at a local or regional level.

Once an eCode has been ordered, it will be sent within four days. Edenred is keeping schools informed of the status of orders once they have been placed. Schools can choose to ‘bulk order’ eCodes for regular distribution (e.g. on a weekly basis), in which case the eCode will be sent on or before the date specified. The eCodes must then be redeemed to create an eGift card, which will be received within 24 hours. We continue to work closely with our supplier and with schools to increase the speed at which orders can be processed.

On 4 May, Edenred reported that on the previous day, the average wait time for families and schools accessing the website to redeem their voucher codes was under 30 minutes. Edenred are aiming to respond to all email queries within 2 working days. We are very grateful to families and schools for their understanding and patience while Edenred upgrade this service to meet increased demand.

These are rapidly developing circumstances; we continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.

1st May 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the average time has been for Edenred to respond to emails from (a) schools and (b) parents in relation to free school meal vouchers in (a) Leeds, (b) Yorkshire & the Humber and (c) the UK.

As both my right hon. Friends the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer have made clear, the government will do whatever it takes to support people affected by COVID-19.

Around 1.3 million children are eligible for and claiming benefits-related free school meals. During this period, we are asking schools to support these children by providing meals or food parcels through their existing food providers wherever possible. We know that many schools are successfully delivering food parcels or arranging food collections for eligible children, and we encourage this approach where it is possible.

However, we recognise that providing meals and food parcels is not a practicable option for all schools. That is why on 31 March we launched a national voucher scheme as an alternative option, with costs covered by the Department for Education.

We are monitoring the use of the scheme on a daily basis. As of 28 April, our supplier Edenred reported that over 16,500 schools had placed orders for the scheme, and as of 4 May, Edenred reported that more than £47 million worth of voucher codes had been redeemed into supermarket eGift cards by schools and families through the scheme. We do not hold the specific data requested for the scheme at a local or regional level.

Once an eCode has been ordered, it will be sent within four days. Edenred is keeping schools informed of the status of orders once they have been placed. Schools can choose to ‘bulk order’ eCodes for regular distribution (e.g. on a weekly basis), in which case the eCode will be sent on or before the date specified. The eCodes must then be redeemed to create an eGift card, which will be received within 24 hours. We continue to work closely with our supplier and with schools to increase the speed at which orders can be processed.

On 4 May, Edenred reported that on the previous day, the average wait time for families and schools accessing the website to redeem their voucher codes was under 30 minutes. Edenred are aiming to respond to all email queries within 2 working days. We are very grateful to families and schools for their understanding and patience while Edenred upgrade this service to meet increased demand.

These are rapidly developing circumstances; we continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.

29th Apr 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate he has made of the number of children who do not have access to a computer or laptop for their school work during the covid-19 lockdown.

The Department has considered the needs of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children and will ensure they get the support they need. To make remote education accessible to pupils while schools are closed, the Department is providing laptops and tablets to disadvantaged children who would otherwise not have access and are preparing for examinations in Year 10, receiving support from a social worker, including pre-school children, or are a care leaver.

Where care leavers, children with a social worker at secondary school and children in Year 10 do not have internet connections, we will be providing 4G internet hotspots so that they can learn at home.

To support householders who face challenges accessing an internet connection, the Government has brokered an agreement with all the major telecoms companies aimed at protecting the most vulnerable, as well as those who may become vulnerable due to COVID-19.

The Government is also working with telecoms companies to exempt educational resources from data charges, supporting families who rely on mobile data.

For those in rural areas or without a connection, schools will be able to draw on support from the BBC which is broadcasting lessons on television. Some of the BBC educational content is offline, via the red button, which disadvantaged pupils without digital devices or connectivity will still be able to access.

Schools may also choose to draw on the many resources offers which have been made by publishers across the country. The Department has published an initial list of high-quality online educational resources, which have been identified by some of the country’s leading educational experts to help pupils to learn at home. The list is available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-online-education-resources.

12th Jul 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment has been made of the potential impact of closing train station ticket offices in Leeds East on the (a) safety and (b) accessibility of passenger rail travel in Yorkshire.

When proposing major changes to ticket office opening hours, including closures, operators are required to take into account the adequacy of the proposed alternatives in relation to the needs of all passengers; and to include this in the notice of the proposal sent to other operators and passenger groups. We would also expect operators to consider other equality related needs and make this clear in the notice sent to other operators and passenger groups.

Together with industry, we want to improve and modernise the passenger experience by moving staff out from ticket offices to provide more help and advice in customer focused roles. No currently staffed station will be unstaffed as a result of industry changes, and train operators will ensure staff are well located to meet passenger needs in future.

Huw Merriman
Minister of State (Department for Transport)
12th Oct 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information his Department holds on the number of Northern Trains staff employed at the Leeds City Station travel shop who have tested positive for covid-19.

The Department does not hold specific information on rail operator employees.

Chris Heaton-Harris
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
12th Oct 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to protect staff (a) employed by Northern Trains and (b) employed at Leeds City Station from contracting covid-19 during the course of their employment.

Comprehensive guidance has been issued and updated throughout the pandemic. Our priority is the safety of staff and passengers and our operators remain committed to ensuring their stations are safe for everyone.

Chris Heaton-Harris
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
12th Oct 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what enhancements have been made to cleaning regimes at (a) Leeds City Station and (b) all Northern Trains stations in response to the covid-19 outbreak.

Northern Trains Ltd (NTL) has received and confirms that it has followed Rail Delivery Group guidelines on the cleaning of its stations and has carried out a robust cleaning schedule since the outbreak.

In addition to routine cleaning regimes, NTL’s process is that all stations are treated at least once per week with a long-lasting broad spectrum; anti-bacterial; anti-viral, anti-fungal; and anti-algal cleaning product either by static cleaning staff or by mobile teams.

Once applied (by aerosol or by direct application) it bonds to surfaces and delivers persistent protection, even after regular washing and cleaning. The protective layer or “invisible shield” attracts and kills organisms mechanically, removing the risk of cross contamination, resistance or mutation.

The teams target high-touch areas like ticket vending machines. NTL has also worked with its services contractor, ISS, to recruit and train additional staff and provide additional transportation to facilitate this heightened cleaning regime

Chris Heaton-Harris
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
12th Oct 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the provisions of the Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations 1977 and Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, what steps he is taking to consult on matters relating to covid-19 with safety representatives at (a) Leeds City Station and (b) all Northern Trains stations.

Engaging on health and safety matters at Leeds station is the responsibility of employers and service providers amongst others on the site as well as the station operator, Network Rail. Northern Trains Ltd has similar responsibilities as employer and operator of its own managed stations.

Chris Heaton-Harris
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
21st Feb 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what number and proportion of Personal Independence Payment decisions overturned at tribunal were due to (a) the tribunal panel drawing a different conclusion based on the same evidence, (b) oral evidence given by the individual and (c) new written evidence provided at the hearing in each year for which data is available.

Analysis of unpublished Personal Independence Payment (PIP) data held by DWP provides data on why decisions by DWP decision makers have been overturned at a tribunal hearing between January 2014 and September 2023 and is shown annually in the tables below. This information is taken from Decision Notices and recorded on the PIP computer system.

This data only provides one reason per appeal why decisions by DWP decision makers have been overturned at a tribunal hearing, and therefore may not give the full story as there may be other reasons.

Appeals data is taken from the DWP PIP computer system’s management information. Therefore, this appeal data may differ from that held by His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service for various reasons such as delays in data recording and other methodological differences in collating and preparing statistics.

These figures are the result of a complex data match across a number of data sets. This data is unpublished data. It should be used with caution, and it may be subject to future revision.

Learning from this information, we have made improvements to our decision-making processes to help ensure we make the right decision as early as possible in the claim journey. We have introduced a new approach to decision making at both the initial decision and the Mandatory Reconsideration stage, giving Decision Makers additional time to proactively contact customers where they think additional evidence may support the claim.

Summary reason DWP decision
overturned at Tribunal hearing

Appeal clearance year

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023 (to September)

Cogent documentary evidence
supplied at the appeal

100

2,000

6,300

5,000

4,400

2,600

1,900

400

200

300

Cogent oral evidence

1,100

14,700

22,900

26,500

25,100

26,200

11,800

8,800

8,800

11,800

Reached a different conclusion on
substantially the same facts

200

2,900

7,700

13,600

21,100

24,600

26,100

16,300

16,700

17,500

Other

100

2,300

5,200

8,200

7,600

7,100

5,000

1,900

1,900

2,000

Summary reason DWP decision
overturned at Tribunal hearing

Appeal clearance year

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023 (to September)

Cogent documentary evidence
supplied at the appeal

6%

9%

15%

9%

8%

4%

4%

1%

1%

1%

Cogent oral evidence

75%

67%

54%

50%

43%

43%

26%

32%

32%

37%

Reached a different conclusion on
substantially the same facts

14%

13%

18%

26%

36%

41%

58%

60%

61%

56%

Other

4%

10%

12%

15%

13%

12%

11%

7%

7%

6%

Note:

  • Figures have been rounded to the nearest hundred and percentages to the nearest percent.
Mims Davies
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
17th Jan 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has made an assessment of the reasons for Personal Independence Payment decisions being overturned at mandatory reconsideration in 2022-23.

The reasons for Personal Independence Payment decisions being overturned at Mandatory Reconsideration (MR) are evaluated locally on a case-by-case basis, and we continue to learn from this. The Department’s overarching focus at the MR stage is on ensuring that each application is thoroughly reviewed, including considering all available evidence and contacting the claimant where necessary. Decisions will be changed at the MR stage where the evidence supports this, resolving disputes as early as possible and reducing the need to appeal.

Mims Davies
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
17th Jan 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many appeals against Personal Independence Payment decisions were lapsed by her Department in each of the last five years.

A lapsed appeal is where DWP changed the decision in the customer’s favour after an appeal was lodged but before it was heard at a tribunal hearing.

The table below provides information on Personal Independence Payment (PIP) appeal registrations and lapsed appeals. Data provided is for the last five financial years.

Table 1: Appeals registered for each financial year and how many were subsequently lapsed

Financial year

Appeals registered

Appeals subsequently lapsed

2018-19

94,000

18,000

2019-20

82,000

27,000

2020-21

55,000

23,000

2021-22

50,000

17,000

2022-23

81,000

18,000

Notes:

  1. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 1,000.
  2. Data provided is for England and Wales (excluding Scotland).
  3. These figures include appeal registrations and decisions for PIP New Claims, Reassessments, Award Reviews and Change of Circumstances. These figures include appeals registered from April 2018 to March 2023 and any lapsed appeals related to these appeal registrations up to the 30th September 2023, the latest date for which published data is available.
  4. Appeals data has been taken from DWP PIP customer system’s management information. Therefore, this appeal data may differ from that held by His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service for various reasons such as delays in data recording and other methodological differences in collating and preparing statistics.
  5. This data is unpublished data. It should be used with caution, and it may be subject to future revision.
Mims Davies
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
13th Jun 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have been employed by his Department to investigate suspected benefit fraud in each year since 2017.

The table below provides the average staffing (full-time equivalent) utilised for investigating benefit fraud for the years requested.

Year

Average staff (full-time equivalent) investigating benefit fraud

2017-18

1359.0

2018-19

1245.2

2019-20

1358.7

2020-21

128.9

2021-22

543.3

2022-23

1022.0

2023-24*

1076.6

*Average (full-time equivalent) over April and May 2023

For years 2020-21 and 2021-22, the Covid-19 pandemic impacted DWP’s Fraud Investigation Service, with large numbers of staff redeployed to support the unprecedented demand for financial support.

These numbers do not include our Compliance staff, who carry out robust and challenging interviews to ensure benefit claimants receive their correct entitlement, nor staff employed on preventative fraud work, for example our Enhanced Review Team, who are delivering significant savings for the Department as part of our shift to disrupting fraud at the outset.

Our fraud plan, ‘Fighting Fraud in the Welfare System’, published May 2022, sets out our plans to recruit additional staff into our counter-fraud teams, and we continue to recruit and train new fraud investigators in order to maximise our headcount post Covid. It should be noted that training an investigator can take anywhere between 12 and 18 months.

Tom Pursglove
Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
2nd May 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the proposals by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and Trussell Trust on an essentials guarantee when setting Universal Credit.

No formal assessment has been made.

Guy Opperman
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
19th Dec 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has made an estimate of the cost to the public purse of extending the £20 Universal Credit uplift to legacy benefit claimants during the Covid-19 pandemic.

No such assessment has been made and it would incur disproportionate costs to make an estimate at this stage.

Guy Opperman
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)