Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on the Northern Ireland economy of the UK leaving EU without a deal.
Answered by Julian Smith
Overall, the cumulative impact from a ‘no-deal’ scenario is expected to be more severe in Northern Ireland than in Great Britain, and to last for longer. In a no-deal scenario there is an expectation of disruption to closely interwoven supply chains and increasing costs that would affect the viability of many businesses across Northern Ireland.
I have been working closely with colleagues across Government and engaging with the Northern Ireland Civil Service in our exit preparations.
The Government will continue to uphold the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement in all circumstances; it will continue to maintain existing Common Travel Area arrangements for British and Irish citizens between Ireland and the United Kingdom; and it is committed to doing everything in its power to preserve an open border in Northern Ireland, under no circumstances will it put in place infrastructure, checks, or controls at the border between Northern Ireland and Ireland.
Asked by: Jessica Morden (Labour - Newport East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the (a) average waiting time and (b) longest waiting time was for a mandatory reconsideration after a personal independence payment assessment in (i) the UK, (ii) Wales and (iii) Newport East constituency in each of the last seven years for which data is available.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Information about the extremes of a distribution (e.g. the longest clearance times) risks being disclosive. We would not release this information publicly. Therefore we have presented information on the average clearance time and for the upper quartile of clearance times.
Measures to reduce the number of outstanding MRs include:
MR is a key element of the decision making process for both the Department and claimants, and whilst ensuring they make quality decisions, decision makers work hard to clear applications without delay. Gathering the right evidence is critical at the MR stage if decisions are not to go to appeal; and we are reviewing our processes to not only obtain this, but to do so whilst continuing to make timely decisions.
The Northern Irish Assembly has devolved responsibility for social security benefits. The responsibility for statistics in Northern Ireland lies with the Department for Communities: http://www.communities-ni.gov.uk
Information on the median and upper quartile clearance times for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) Mandatory Reconsiderations (MRs) are provided in the tables below.
Table 1: Median Clearance Times, in Calendar Days, for PIP MRs, Normal Rules, by Financial Year of MR Clearance |
Financial Year of MR Clearance | Great Britain | Wales | Newport East |
2013/14 | 27 | 28 | # |
2014/15 | 33 | 29 | 31 |
2015/16 | 24 | 25 | 23 |
2016/17 | 33 | 33 | 29 |
2017/18 | 29 | 30 | 29 |
April 2018 - January 2019 | 37 | 38 | 38 |
Table 2: Upper Quartile of Clearance Times, in Calendar Days, for PIP MRs, Normal Rules, by Financial Year of MR Clearance | |||
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Financial Year of MR Clearance | Great Britain | Wales | Newport East |
2013/14 | 42 | 46 | # |
2014/15 | 54 | 43 | 43 |
2015/16 | 36 | 36 | 36 |
2016/17 | 50 | 47 | 44 |
2017/18 | 42 | 43 | 41 |
April 2018 - January 2019 | 51 | 55 | 57 |
The figures cover clearance times for all types of PIP MRs including those where the claimant was disallowed PIP for reasons other than failing the PIP assessment, such as disallowances pre-referral to an Assessment Provider due to non return of the PIP Part 2 form within the time limit, and disallowances post-referral to the Assessment Provider where the customer failed to attend the assessment.
This data on PIP MR clearance times is unpublished data. It should be used with caution and it may be subject to future revision.
# denotes less than 50 MRs cleared in the time period.
Asked by: Stephen Hepburn (Independent - Jarrow)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claimants of employment and support allowance in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK have disputed a sanction to their benefit in each of the last five years.
Answered by Alok Sharma - COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
Statistics on Employment and Support Allowance claimants in Great Britain* who have been sanctioned, including information on decision outcome, type, referral reasons and appeals across local authority and region is published and can be found at:
https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/
Guidance on how to extract the information required can be found at:
https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html
* The Northern Irish Assembly has devolved responsibility for social security benefits. The responsibility for statistics in Northern Ireland lies with the Department for Communities.
Asked by: Stephen Hepburn (Independent - Jarrow)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claimants of employment and support allowance in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK who have disputed a sanction to their benefit in each of the last five years have had their sanction overturned after they were reconsidered.
Answered by Alok Sharma - COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
Statistics on Employment and Support Allowance claimants in Great Britain* who have been sanctioned, including information on decision outcome, type, referral reasons and appeals across local authority and region is published and can be found at:
https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/
Guidance on how to extract the information required can be found at:
https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html
* The Northern Irish Assembly has devolved responsibility for social security benefits. The responsibility for statistics in Northern Ireland lies with the Department for Communities.
Asked by: Stephen Hepburn (Independent - Jarrow)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claimants of employment and support allowance in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK who have received a sanction to their benefit in each of the last five years have had their sanction overturned following an appeal to a Tribunal.
Answered by Alok Sharma - COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
Statistics on Employment and Support Allowance claimants in Great Britain* who have been sanctioned, including information on decision outcome, type, referral reasons and appeals across local authority and region is published and can be found at:
https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/
Guidance on how to extract the information required can be found at:
https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html
* The Northern Irish Assembly has devolved responsibility for social security benefits. The responsibility for statistics in Northern Ireland lies with the Department for Communities.
Asked by: Stephen Hepburn (Independent - Jarrow)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claimants of employment and support allowance in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK who have disputed a sanction to their benefit in each of the last five years have had their sanction overturned after they were reconsidered or successful appeals were made.
Answered by Alok Sharma - COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
Statistics on Employment and Support Allowance claimants in Great Britain* who have been sanctioned, including information on decision outcome, type, referral reasons and appeals across local authority and region is published and can be found at:
https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/
Guidance on how to extract the information required can be found at:
https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html
* The Northern Irish Assembly has devolved responsibility for social security benefits. The responsibility for statistics in Northern Ireland lies with the Department for Communities.
Asked by: Neil Gray (Scottish National Party - Airdrie and Shotts)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people with multiple sclerosis in (a) Scotland, (b) Northern Ireland and (c) Wales who were previously in receipt of disability living allowance and have undergone a reassessment for personal independence payment applied for mandatory reconsideration of the decision in each year since 2013.
Answered by Sarah Newton
The Northern Irish Assembly has devolved responsibility for social security benefits including Personal Independence Payment (PIP). Information regarding PIP in Northern Ireland is therefore the responsibility of the Department for Communities in Northern Ireland.
Tables 1 and 2 below show, for Scotland and Wales, the number of decisions, Mandatory Reconsiderations (MRs) and appeals for new claims for PIP where the initial decision was disallowance post-referral to the Assessment Provider (AP) due to failing the assessment, for claimants with a primary disability of Multiple Sclerosis.
Table 1: New claims decisions, MRs and appeals where the initial decision was disallowance post-referral to the AP due to failing the assessment, by year of initial decision - for claimants in Scotland with a primary disability of Multiple Sclerosis | |||
| Number of decisions | Number of decisions changed at MR | Number of decisions overturned at appeal |
2013 | 20 | # | 10 |
2014 | 100 | # | 10 |
2015 | 150 | 10 | 20 |
2016 | 160 | 10 | 20 |
2017 | 160 | 10 | 30 |
Jan - Sep 2018 | 90 | # | # |
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Table 2: New claims decisions, MRs and appeals where the initial decision was disallowance post-referral to the AP due to failing the assessment, by year of initial decision - for claimants in Wales with a primary disability of Multiple Sclerosis | |||
| Number of decisions | Number of decisions changed at MR | Number of decisions overturned at appeal |
2013 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2014 | 50 | # | # |
2015 | 50 | # | # |
2016 | 60 | # | 10 |
2017 | 50 | # | 10 |
Jan - Sep 2018 | 40 | # | # |
Tables 3 and 4 below show, for Scotland and Wales, the number of decisions, MRs and appeals relating to Disability Living Allowance (DLA) claimants with a primary disability of Multiple Sclerosis who have undergone a reassessment to PIP.
Table 3: Reassessment decisions, MRs and appeals by year of initial decision - for claimants in Scotland with a primary disability of Multiple Sclerosis | ||||
| Number of decisions | Number of MRs registered | Number of decisions overturned at appeal | Number of decisions maintained at appeal |
2013 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2014 | 20 | # | 0 | # |
2015 | 230 | 60 | 20 | 10 |
2016 | 1,040 | 170 | 50 | 20 |
2017 | 1,180 | 180 | 70 | 20 |
Jan - Sep 2018 | 530 | 80 | 10 | # |
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Table 4: Reassessment decisions, MRs and appeals by year of initial decision - for claimants in Wales with a primary disability of Multiple Sclerosis | ||||
| Number of decisions | Number of MRs registered | Number of decisions overturned at appeal | Number of decisions maintained at appeal |
2013 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2014 | 100 | 20 | 10 | 0 |
2015 | 130 | 40 | 20 | 0 |
2016 | 920 | 210 | 80 | 10 |
2017 | 540 | 90 | 40 | # |
Jan - Sep 2018 | 170 | 20 | # | # |
Since PIP was introduced 3.7m decisions have been made until September 2018 in Great Britain, of these 10% have been appealed and 5% have been overturned.
We’re committed to ensuring that disabled people get the full support that they need, and under PIP 52% of people with MS receive the highest possible award, compared with 39% under the previous benefit DLA. May 2013 is chosen for comparison as this is the last month with a full DLA caseload prior to claimants being reassessed from DLA to PIP.
Data on the number of people who had the mobility award increased from none or standard rate to the enhanced rate is available from internal analytical datasets, but to assess the completeness of recording and quality assure the figures to answer this PQ would incur disproportionate cost.
'#' fewer than 5 decisions in this category.
The data relates to MRs and appeals recorded up to September 2018 (the latest published data on appeals). Claimants who have received benefit decisions more recently may not yet have had time to complete the claimant journey and progress to appeal.
PIP data includes normal rules and special rules for the terminally ill claimants.
Data is based on primary disabling condition as recorded on the PIP computer system. Claimants may often have multiple disabling conditions upon which the decision is based but only the primary condition is shown in these statistics.
Appeals data shown in the tables is taken from the DWP PIP computer system’s management information. Therefore this appeals data may differ from that held by Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service for various reasons such as delays in data recording and other methodological differences in collating and preparing statistics.
Some decisions which are changed at mandatory reconsideration, and where the claimant continues to appeal for a higher PIP award, are then changed again at tribunal appeal. Therefore the number of people who had a decision changed at mandatory reconsideration and the number of people who had a decision changed at tribunal appeal cannot be added together.
Decisions overturned at appeal may include a number of appeals that have been lapsed (which is where DWP changed the decision after an appeal was lodged but before it was heard at Tribunal).
Asked by: Neil Gray (Scottish National Party - Airdrie and Shotts)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people with multiple sclerosis in (a) Scotland, (b) Northern Ireland and (c) Wales who were in receipt of disability living allowance and have undergone a reassessment for personal independence payments appealed the decision at tribunal and (i) had their decision overturned and (ii) had their mobility award increased from none or standard rate to the higher rate.
Answered by Sarah Newton
The Northern Irish Assembly has devolved responsibility for social security benefits including Personal Independence Payment (PIP). Information regarding PIP in Northern Ireland is therefore the responsibility of the Department for Communities in Northern Ireland.
Tables 1 and 2 below show, for Scotland and Wales, the number of decisions, Mandatory Reconsiderations (MRs) and appeals for new claims for PIP where the initial decision was disallowance post-referral to the Assessment Provider (AP) due to failing the assessment, for claimants with a primary disability of Multiple Sclerosis.
Table 1: New claims decisions, MRs and appeals where the initial decision was disallowance post-referral to the AP due to failing the assessment, by year of initial decision - for claimants in Scotland with a primary disability of Multiple Sclerosis | |||
| Number of decisions | Number of decisions changed at MR | Number of decisions overturned at appeal |
2013 | 20 | # | 10 |
2014 | 100 | # | 10 |
2015 | 150 | 10 | 20 |
2016 | 160 | 10 | 20 |
2017 | 160 | 10 | 30 |
Jan - Sep 2018 | 90 | # | # |
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Table 2: New claims decisions, MRs and appeals where the initial decision was disallowance post-referral to the AP due to failing the assessment, by year of initial decision - for claimants in Wales with a primary disability of Multiple Sclerosis | |||
| Number of decisions | Number of decisions changed at MR | Number of decisions overturned at appeal |
2013 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2014 | 50 | # | # |
2015 | 50 | # | # |
2016 | 60 | # | 10 |
2017 | 50 | # | 10 |
Jan - Sep 2018 | 40 | # | # |
Tables 3 and 4 below show, for Scotland and Wales, the number of decisions, MRs and appeals relating to Disability Living Allowance (DLA) claimants with a primary disability of Multiple Sclerosis who have undergone a reassessment to PIP.
Table 3: Reassessment decisions, MRs and appeals by year of initial decision - for claimants in Scotland with a primary disability of Multiple Sclerosis | ||||
| Number of decisions | Number of MRs registered | Number of decisions overturned at appeal | Number of decisions maintained at appeal |
2013 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2014 | 20 | # | 0 | # |
2015 | 230 | 60 | 20 | 10 |
2016 | 1,040 | 170 | 50 | 20 |
2017 | 1,180 | 180 | 70 | 20 |
Jan - Sep 2018 | 530 | 80 | 10 | # |
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Table 4: Reassessment decisions, MRs and appeals by year of initial decision - for claimants in Wales with a primary disability of Multiple Sclerosis | ||||
| Number of decisions | Number of MRs registered | Number of decisions overturned at appeal | Number of decisions maintained at appeal |
2013 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2014 | 100 | 20 | 10 | 0 |
2015 | 130 | 40 | 20 | 0 |
2016 | 920 | 210 | 80 | 10 |
2017 | 540 | 90 | 40 | # |
Jan - Sep 2018 | 170 | 20 | # | # |
Since PIP was introduced 3.7m decisions have been made until September 2018 in Great Britain, of these 10% have been appealed and 5% have been overturned.
We’re committed to ensuring that disabled people get the full support that they need, and under PIP 52% of people with MS receive the highest possible award, compared with 39% under the previous benefit DLA. May 2013 is chosen for comparison as this is the last month with a full DLA caseload prior to claimants being reassessed from DLA to PIP.
Data on the number of people who had the mobility award increased from none or standard rate to the enhanced rate is available from internal analytical datasets, but to assess the completeness of recording and quality assure the figures to answer this PQ would incur disproportionate cost.
'#' fewer than 5 decisions in this category.
The data relates to MRs and appeals recorded up to September 2018 (the latest published data on appeals). Claimants who have received benefit decisions more recently may not yet have had time to complete the claimant journey and progress to appeal.
PIP data includes normal rules and special rules for the terminally ill claimants.
Data is based on primary disabling condition as recorded on the PIP computer system. Claimants may often have multiple disabling conditions upon which the decision is based but only the primary condition is shown in these statistics.
Appeals data shown in the tables is taken from the DWP PIP computer system’s management information. Therefore this appeals data may differ from that held by Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service for various reasons such as delays in data recording and other methodological differences in collating and preparing statistics.
Some decisions which are changed at mandatory reconsideration, and where the claimant continues to appeal for a higher PIP award, are then changed again at tribunal appeal. Therefore the number of people who had a decision changed at mandatory reconsideration and the number of people who had a decision changed at tribunal appeal cannot be added together.
Decisions overturned at appeal may include a number of appeals that have been lapsed (which is where DWP changed the decision after an appeal was lodged but before it was heard at Tribunal).
Asked by: Neil Gray (Scottish National Party - Airdrie and Shotts)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many new personal independence payment claimants with multiple sclerosis in (a) Scotland, (b) Northern Ireland and (c) Wales did not receive an award during their initial personal independence payment assessment and subsequently received an award at (i) mandatory reconsideration and (ii) tribunal in each year since 2013.
Answered by Sarah Newton
The Northern Irish Assembly has devolved responsibility for social security benefits including Personal Independence Payment (PIP). Information regarding PIP in Northern Ireland is therefore the responsibility of the Department for Communities in Northern Ireland.
Tables 1 and 2 below show, for Scotland and Wales, the number of decisions, Mandatory Reconsiderations (MRs) and appeals for new claims for PIP where the initial decision was disallowance post-referral to the Assessment Provider (AP) due to failing the assessment, for claimants with a primary disability of Multiple Sclerosis.
Table 1: New claims decisions, MRs and appeals where the initial decision was disallowance post-referral to the AP due to failing the assessment, by year of initial decision - for claimants in Scotland with a primary disability of Multiple Sclerosis | |||
| Number of decisions | Number of decisions changed at MR | Number of decisions overturned at appeal |
2013 | 20 | # | 10 |
2014 | 100 | # | 10 |
2015 | 150 | 10 | 20 |
2016 | 160 | 10 | 20 |
2017 | 160 | 10 | 30 |
Jan - Sep 2018 | 90 | # | # |
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Table 2: New claims decisions, MRs and appeals where the initial decision was disallowance post-referral to the AP due to failing the assessment, by year of initial decision - for claimants in Wales with a primary disability of Multiple Sclerosis | |||
| Number of decisions | Number of decisions changed at MR | Number of decisions overturned at appeal |
2013 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2014 | 50 | # | # |
2015 | 50 | # | # |
2016 | 60 | # | 10 |
2017 | 50 | # | 10 |
Jan - Sep 2018 | 40 | # | # |
Tables 3 and 4 below show, for Scotland and Wales, the number of decisions, MRs and appeals relating to Disability Living Allowance (DLA) claimants with a primary disability of Multiple Sclerosis who have undergone a reassessment to PIP.
Table 3: Reassessment decisions, MRs and appeals by year of initial decision - for claimants in Scotland with a primary disability of Multiple Sclerosis | ||||
| Number of decisions | Number of MRs registered | Number of decisions overturned at appeal | Number of decisions maintained at appeal |
2013 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2014 | 20 | # | 0 | # |
2015 | 230 | 60 | 20 | 10 |
2016 | 1,040 | 170 | 50 | 20 |
2017 | 1,180 | 180 | 70 | 20 |
Jan - Sep 2018 | 530 | 80 | 10 | # |
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Table 4: Reassessment decisions, MRs and appeals by year of initial decision - for claimants in Wales with a primary disability of Multiple Sclerosis | ||||
| Number of decisions | Number of MRs registered | Number of decisions overturned at appeal | Number of decisions maintained at appeal |
2013 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2014 | 100 | 20 | 10 | 0 |
2015 | 130 | 40 | 20 | 0 |
2016 | 920 | 210 | 80 | 10 |
2017 | 540 | 90 | 40 | # |
Jan - Sep 2018 | 170 | 20 | # | # |
Since PIP was introduced 3.7m decisions have been made until September 2018 in Great Britain, of these 10% have been appealed and 5% have been overturned.
We’re committed to ensuring that disabled people get the full support that they need, and under PIP 52% of people with MS receive the highest possible award, compared with 39% under the previous benefit DLA. May 2013 is chosen for comparison as this is the last month with a full DLA caseload prior to claimants being reassessed from DLA to PIP.
Data on the number of people who had the mobility award increased from none or standard rate to the enhanced rate is available from internal analytical datasets, but to assess the completeness of recording and quality assure the figures to answer this PQ would incur disproportionate cost.
'#' fewer than 5 decisions in this category.
The data relates to MRs and appeals recorded up to September 2018 (the latest published data on appeals). Claimants who have received benefit decisions more recently may not yet have had time to complete the claimant journey and progress to appeal.
PIP data includes normal rules and special rules for the terminally ill claimants.
Data is based on primary disabling condition as recorded on the PIP computer system. Claimants may often have multiple disabling conditions upon which the decision is based but only the primary condition is shown in these statistics.
Appeals data shown in the tables is taken from the DWP PIP computer system’s management information. Therefore this appeals data may differ from that held by Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service for various reasons such as delays in data recording and other methodological differences in collating and preparing statistics.
Some decisions which are changed at mandatory reconsideration, and where the claimant continues to appeal for a higher PIP award, are then changed again at tribunal appeal. Therefore the number of people who had a decision changed at mandatory reconsideration and the number of people who had a decision changed at tribunal appeal cannot be added together.
Decisions overturned at appeal may include a number of appeals that have been lapsed (which is where DWP changed the decision after an appeal was lodged but before it was heard at Tribunal).
Asked by: Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Draft Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, published on 14 November, why provision is made in Article 183 for the text of the agreement to be equally authentic in the Irish language, but not in the Welsh language.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Article 183 of the Withdrawal Agreement provides for the text to be equally authentic in the official languages of the European Union, which includes the Irish language. Welsh is not an official language of the European Union.