Asked by: Scott Arthur (Labour - Edinburgh South West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to (a) simplify the benefits system and (b) increase its accessibility for claimants.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Our wide-ranging package of reforms to health and disability benefits, set out in the Pathways to Work Green Paper, will improve experiences of the system for those who need it.
We are simplifying the system by abolishing the WCA and instead using the PIP assessment to determine what financial support people receive on Universal Credit. Going through the WCA is complex, time consuming and stressful for customers, especially if they also have to go through the PIP process. It is right that we move to one assessment and do not put millions of people through two, similar and lengthy functional assessments.
We are taking further action to get the basics right and improve the experience for people who use the system of health and disability benefits. This includes exploring ways to improve trust and transparency in Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Work Capability Assessments through reviewing our approach to safeguarding, recording assessments to increase trust in the process, and moving back to having more face-to-face assessments while continuing to meet the needs of people who may require different methods of assessment.
We have also launched a review of the PIP assessment, which I am leading. Through the review, we want to make sure the PIP assessment is fair and fit for the future in a changing world and helps support disabled people to achieve better health, higher living standards and greater independence. We have committed to co-produce the review with disabled people, the organisations that represent them, clinicians, experts, MPs and other stakeholders, so a wide range of views and voices are heard.
Asked by: Scott Arthur (Labour - Edinburgh South West)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to ensure that Green Freeports have the (a) authority and (b) mechanisms to hold businesses accountable in relation to their commitments on (i) fair work and (ii) achieving net zero.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
As detailed in guidance, Green Freeports are required to implement robust tax site management strategies that ensure investments align with the overarching vision and policy objectives.
Green Freeports must ensure that their partners deliver on the commitments set out in the approved business case. To support this, tax site landholders are expected to enter into formal legal agreements with the Green Freeport operating company to enforce compliance including fair work practices and net zero commitments. The governments reserve the right to sanction Green Freeports where these commitments are not upheld.