Asked by: Sam Tarry (Labour - Ilford South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make it her policy to encourage employers to offer halal-compliant pensions to employees.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Pensions Regulator provides guidance for employers on matters they should consider when selecting a pension scheme to satisfy their automatic enrolment duties. As part of this guidance employers are invited to consider whether the scheme offers investment options that suit the needs of their staff, such as funds that comply with Sharia law. As with all official guidance, this is kept under review and updated where appropriate.
Since 2019, the Government has required trustees of occupational pension schemes to set out their policy publicly on how they take members’ views into account. Many have provided feedback mechanisms; some have created new fund options as a result of member demand.
Asked by: Sam Tarry (Labour - Ilford South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she will take to ensure that recordings of personal independence payment assessments by private providers are stored securely; and who will have access to those recordings and for what purpose.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Claimants may use their own equipment to record their Personal Independence Payment (PIP) face to face assessment, should they wish to, as stated in the PIP Assessment Guide (PIPAG). Certain devices that are capable of editing, real-time streaming or video recording the session are not approved. Non-approved devices include (but are not limited to) PCs, tablets, smart phones, MP3 players, smart watches, and devices that are not capable of providing a verifiable media copy that can be easily checked during the assessment. Acceptable formats for such recordings are restricted to CD and audio cassette only.
We are currently working with providers to deliver an audio recording service for face to face assessments, which resumed on 17 May 2021, that removes the requirement for the claimant to provide the equipment and we aim to complete this as soon as practically possible.
Following assessment, a complete and accurate copy of the recording will be created for both parties. This will ensure that both the claimant and the department have access to an identical copy of the recorded assessment. It is not possible for the HP to provide the claimant with a copy of the audio recording in an acceptable format at the end of the assessment, however, a copy of the recording will be sent to the claimant following the assessment by secure delivery.
The department has worked closely with both PIP assessment providers to ensure the storage of recordings meet the required DWP Security Standards. Access to recordings in the provider space is strictly limited, monitored and controlled. Those who have access will only do so for the purposes of producing a claimant copy of the recording, for complaint resolution purposes or for benefit decision appeal proceedings.
Asked by: Sam Tarry (Labour - Ilford South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make it her policy that claimants receive a copy of the recording of Personal Independence Payment assessments on the same day as that assessment.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Claimants may use their own equipment to record their Personal Independence Payment (PIP) face to face assessment, should they wish to, as stated in the PIP Assessment Guide (PIPAG). Certain devices that are capable of editing, real-time streaming or video recording the session are not approved. Non-approved devices include (but are not limited to) PCs, tablets, smart phones, MP3 players, smart watches, and devices that are not capable of providing a verifiable media copy that can be easily checked during the assessment. Acceptable formats for such recordings are restricted to CD and audio cassette only.
We are currently working with providers to deliver an audio recording service for face to face assessments, which resumed on 17 May 2021, that removes the requirement for the claimant to provide the equipment and we aim to complete this as soon as practically possible.
Following assessment, a complete and accurate copy of the recording will be created for both parties. This will ensure that both the claimant and the department have access to an identical copy of the recorded assessment. It is not possible for the HP to provide the claimant with a copy of the audio recording in an acceptable format at the end of the assessment, however, a copy of the recording will be sent to the claimant following the assessment by secure delivery.
The department has worked closely with both PIP assessment providers to ensure the storage of recordings meet the required DWP Security Standards. Access to recordings in the provider space is strictly limited, monitored and controlled. Those who have access will only do so for the purposes of producing a claimant copy of the recording, for complaint resolution purposes or for benefit decision appeal proceedings.
Asked by: Sam Tarry (Labour - Ilford South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will take steps to ensure that recording equipment will be available on site for all personal independence payment assessments as soon as face-to-face assessments resume.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Claimants may use their own equipment to record their Personal Independence Payment (PIP) face to face assessment, should they wish to, as stated in the PIP Assessment Guide (PIPAG). Certain devices that are capable of editing, real-time streaming or video recording the session are not approved. Non-approved devices include (but are not limited to) PCs, tablets, smart phones, MP3 players, smart watches, and devices that are not capable of providing a verifiable media copy that can be easily checked during the assessment. Acceptable formats for such recordings are restricted to CD and audio cassette only.
We are currently working with providers to deliver an audio recording service for face to face assessments, which resumed on 17 May 2021, that removes the requirement for the claimant to provide the equipment and we aim to complete this as soon as practically possible.
Following assessment, a complete and accurate copy of the recording will be created for both parties. This will ensure that both the claimant and the department have access to an identical copy of the recorded assessment. It is not possible for the HP to provide the claimant with a copy of the audio recording in an acceptable format at the end of the assessment, however, a copy of the recording will be sent to the claimant following the assessment by secure delivery.
The department has worked closely with both PIP assessment providers to ensure the storage of recordings meet the required DWP Security Standards. Access to recordings in the provider space is strictly limited, monitored and controlled. Those who have access will only do so for the purposes of producing a claimant copy of the recording, for complaint resolution purposes or for benefit decision appeal proceedings.
Asked by: Sam Tarry (Labour - Ilford South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reason personal independence payment claimants are not permitted to use their own digital recording devices to record their assessments.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Claimants may use their own equipment to record their Personal Independence Payment (PIP) face to face assessment, should they wish to, as stated in the PIP Assessment Guide (PIPAG). Certain devices that are capable of editing, real-time streaming or video recording the session are not approved. Non-approved devices include (but are not limited to) PCs, tablets, smart phones, MP3 players, smart watches, and devices that are not capable of providing a verifiable media copy that can be easily checked during the assessment. Acceptable formats for such recordings are restricted to CD and audio cassette only.
We are currently working with providers to deliver an audio recording service for face to face assessments, which resumed on 17 May 2021, that removes the requirement for the claimant to provide the equipment and we aim to complete this as soon as practically possible.
Following assessment, a complete and accurate copy of the recording will be created for both parties. This will ensure that both the claimant and the department have access to an identical copy of the recorded assessment. It is not possible for the HP to provide the claimant with a copy of the audio recording in an acceptable format at the end of the assessment, however, a copy of the recording will be sent to the claimant following the assessment by secure delivery.
The department has worked closely with both PIP assessment providers to ensure the storage of recordings meet the required DWP Security Standards. Access to recordings in the provider space is strictly limited, monitored and controlled. Those who have access will only do so for the purposes of producing a claimant copy of the recording, for complaint resolution purposes or for benefit decision appeal proceedings.
Asked by: Sam Tarry (Labour - Ilford South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will review the weekly Statutory Sick Pay rate prior to its planned uprating on 6 April 2020.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) will be uprated on 6 April 2020 in line with inflation from £94.25 per week to £95.85. SSP provides financial support to an employee when they are off work sick. Those on low pay can receive more help through the welfare system, depending on their personal circumstances.