Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he plans to take to prevent people who are currently on the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and will not benefit from the Job Support Scheme from being made redundant.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Job Support Scheme (JSS) is designed to protect jobs in businesses that are facing lower demand over the winter months due to COVID-19, to help their employees remain attached to the workforce.
It is widely recognised that some firms will be affected by coronavirus for longer than others, and the Government will seek to support these firms appropriately.
To provide additional support for firms to keep employees as economic demand returns, the Government is introducing the Job Retention Bonus, a one-off payment of £1,000 to employers for each employee who was ever furloughed, has been continuously employed until 31 January 2021 and is still employed by the same employer as of 31 January 2021.
Where firms make the decision that they cannot retain all of their staff over the longer run, the Government is ensuring that those looking for work are supported through:
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many (a) suspected and (b) confirmed cases of covid-19 have been reported among officials working in job centres in each month since June 2020.
Answered by Mims Davies - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
We do not hold the information in the format requested. Our records do not differentiate between those who self-isolate because they themselves have a suspected case of COVID-19 or because a family member is exhibiting symptoms.
Any confirmed cases in a DWP office are dealt with by appropriate level of cleaning, up to a deep clean, regardless of whether this is as a result of a member of staff testing positive, or a contractor, agency worker or customer.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, in which job centres have (a) suspected and (b) confirmed cases of covid-19 been reported among officials in each month since June 2020.
Answered by Mims Davies - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
We do not hold the information in the format requested. Our records do not differentiate between those who self-isolate because they themselves have a suspected case of COVID-19 or because a family member is exhibiting symptoms.
Any confirmed cases in a DWP office are dealt with by appropriate level of cleaning, up to a deep clean, regardless of whether this is as a result of a member of staff testing positive, or a contractor, agency worker or customer.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many (a) suspected and (b) confirmed cases of covid-19 have been reported among security guards working in job centres in each month since June 2020.
Answered by Mims Davies - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Table 1 provides a breakdown of the suspected and confirmed cases of Covid-19 reported by G4S for their security officers, with the respective jobcentre between 1 June 2020 and 30 September 2020.
There were six confirmed cases and 40 suspected cases (46 in total) recorded for the specified timeframe (indicated in Table 2) across England, Scotland and Wales.
Any confirmed cases in a DWP office are dealt with by appropriate level of cleaning, up to a deep clean, regardless of whether this is as a result of a member of staff testing positive, or a contractor, agency worker or customer.
Table 1 – Reported suspected and confirmed Covid-19 cases by G4S for their security officers by jobcentre from June 2020. Please note G4S are a contracted supplier to the Department, these are not DWP staff.
DATE | SITE | STATUS |
01/06/2020 | DWP LONDON KINGS CROSS | SUSPECTED |
02/06/2020 | DWP BLACKWOOD VISION HOUSE | CONFIRMED |
08/06/2020 | DWP NORTHAMPTON FRANCES HOUSE | SUSPECTED |
10/06/2020 | DWP FAREHAM NEW CIVIC CENTRE | SUSPECTED |
15/06/2020 | DWP BELPER KING STREET | SUSPECTED |
19/06/2020 | DWP LEICESTER CHARLES STREET | SUSPECTED |
22/06/2020 | DWP SLOUGH UPTON LODGE | SUSPECTED |
22/06/2020 | DWP ACCRINGTON OAKBANK HOUSE | SUSPECTED |
26/06/2020 | DWP DIDCOT THE BROADWAY | SUSPECTED |
06/07/2020 | DWP LONDON POPLAR DODD STREET | SUSPECTED |
22/07/2020 | DWP HULL BRITANNIA HOUSE | SUSPECTED |
30/07/2020 | DWP CRAWLEY GRESHAM HOUSE | SUSPECTED |
31/07/2020 | DWP BRADFORD LEEDS ROAD | SUSPECTED |
09/08/2020 | DWP DERBY HOLBORN HOUSE | SUSPECTED |
11/08/2020 | DWP BARNSLEY COOPER HOUSE | SUSPECTED |
17/08/2020 | DWP BEDFORD WYVERN HOUSE | SUSPECTED |
20/08/2020 | DWP BLYTH BRIDGE HOUSE | SUSPECTED |
21/08/2020 | DWP TONBRIDGE BRADFORD STREET | SUSPECTED |
24/08/2020 | DWP DEREHAM ELIZABETH HOUSE | SUSPECTED |
26/08/2020 | DWP LEEDS SOUTHERN HOUSE | SUSPECTED |
01/09/2020 | DWP HEMSWORTH LOW HALL | CONFIRMED |
02/09/2020 | DWP CUMBERNAULD SOUTH MUIRHEAD | SUSPECTED |
04/09/2020 | DWP GLASGOW BENALDER STREET | SUSPECTED |
08/09/2020 | DWP CHESTER LE STREET STATION RD | SUSPECTED |
09/09/2020 | DWP WORCESTER VINE HOUSE | SUSPECTED |
10/09/2020 | DWP SOUTHEND TYLERS HOUSE | SUSPECTED |
14/09/2020 | DWP READING ADELPHI HOUSE | SUSPECTED |
15/09/2020 | DWP DONCASTER CROSSGATE HOUSE | SUSPECTED |
16/09/2020 | DWP ROTHERHAM CHANTRY HOUSE | SUSPECTED |
16/09/2020 | DWP PLYMOUTH OLD TREE COURT | SUSPECTED |
17/09/2020 | DWP HONITON HIGH STREET | SUSPECTED |
17/09/2020 | DWP SOLIHULL NEW ROAD | SUSPECTED |
20/09/2020 | DWP BLACKBURN ORCHARD HOUSE | CONFIRMED |
20/09/2020 | DWP HALIFAX CROSSFIELD HOUSE | SUSPECTED |
21/09/2020 | DWP NOTTINGHAM PEARSON BUILDINGS | SUSPECTED |
22/09/2020 | DWP BEVERLEY CROSSKILL HOUSE | SUSPECTED |
24/09/2020 | DWP BIRMINGHAM SOHO ROAD | CONFIRMED |
24/09/2020 | DWP ESTON HADRIAN HOUSE | SUSPECTED |
24/09/2020 | DWP ESTON HADRIAN HOUSE | SUSPECTED |
24/09/2020 | DWP ESTON HADRIAN HOUSE | SUSPECTED |
25/09/2020 | DWP BLAYDON ST CUTHBERTS WAY | SUSPECTED |
26/09/2020 | DWP LETCHWORTH PEOPLES HOUSE | SUSPECTED |
28/09/2020 | DWP BIRMINGHAM YARDLEY | SUSPECTED |
28/09/2020 | DWP ESTON HADRIAN HOUSE | CONFIRMED |
29/09/2020 | DWP GLASGOW SHETTLESTON ROAD | CONFIRMED |
29/09/2020 | DWP GLASGOW SHETTLESTON ROAD | SUSPECTED |
Table 2 – Number of suspected and confirmed cases of Covid-19 reported by G4S for their security officers working in jobcentres across England, Scotland and Wales.
MONTH | TOTAL CASES REPORTED | SUSPECTED CASE | CONFIRMED CASE |
JUNE | 9 | 8 | 1 |
JULY | 4 | 4 | 0 |
AUGUST | 7 | 7 | 0 |
SEPTEMBER | 26 | 21 | 5 |
TOTALS | 46 | 40 | 6 |
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, in which job centres have (a) suspected and (b) confirmed cases of covid-19 been reported among security guards in each month since June 2020.
Answered by Mims Davies - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Table 1 provides a breakdown of the suspected and confirmed cases of Covid-19 reported by G4S for their security officers, with the respective jobcentre between 1 June 2020 and 30 September 2020.
There were six confirmed cases and 40 suspected cases (46 in total) recorded for the specified timeframe (indicated in Table 2) across England, Scotland and Wales.
Any confirmed cases in a DWP office are dealt with by appropriate level of cleaning, up to a deep clean, regardless of whether this is as a result of a member of staff testing positive, or a contractor, agency worker or customer.
Table 1 – Reported suspected and confirmed Covid-19 cases by G4S for their security officers by jobcentre from June 2020. Please note G4S are a contracted supplier to the Department, these are not DWP staff.
DATE | SITE | STATUS |
01/06/2020 | DWP LONDON KINGS CROSS | SUSPECTED |
02/06/2020 | DWP BLACKWOOD VISION HOUSE | CONFIRMED |
08/06/2020 | DWP NORTHAMPTON FRANCES HOUSE | SUSPECTED |
10/06/2020 | DWP FAREHAM NEW CIVIC CENTRE | SUSPECTED |
15/06/2020 | DWP BELPER KING STREET | SUSPECTED |
19/06/2020 | DWP LEICESTER CHARLES STREET | SUSPECTED |
22/06/2020 | DWP SLOUGH UPTON LODGE | SUSPECTED |
22/06/2020 | DWP ACCRINGTON OAKBANK HOUSE | SUSPECTED |
26/06/2020 | DWP DIDCOT THE BROADWAY | SUSPECTED |
06/07/2020 | DWP LONDON POPLAR DODD STREET | SUSPECTED |
22/07/2020 | DWP HULL BRITANNIA HOUSE | SUSPECTED |
30/07/2020 | DWP CRAWLEY GRESHAM HOUSE | SUSPECTED |
31/07/2020 | DWP BRADFORD LEEDS ROAD | SUSPECTED |
09/08/2020 | DWP DERBY HOLBORN HOUSE | SUSPECTED |
11/08/2020 | DWP BARNSLEY COOPER HOUSE | SUSPECTED |
17/08/2020 | DWP BEDFORD WYVERN HOUSE | SUSPECTED |
20/08/2020 | DWP BLYTH BRIDGE HOUSE | SUSPECTED |
21/08/2020 | DWP TONBRIDGE BRADFORD STREET | SUSPECTED |
24/08/2020 | DWP DEREHAM ELIZABETH HOUSE | SUSPECTED |
26/08/2020 | DWP LEEDS SOUTHERN HOUSE | SUSPECTED |
01/09/2020 | DWP HEMSWORTH LOW HALL | CONFIRMED |
02/09/2020 | DWP CUMBERNAULD SOUTH MUIRHEAD | SUSPECTED |
04/09/2020 | DWP GLASGOW BENALDER STREET | SUSPECTED |
08/09/2020 | DWP CHESTER LE STREET STATION RD | SUSPECTED |
09/09/2020 | DWP WORCESTER VINE HOUSE | SUSPECTED |
10/09/2020 | DWP SOUTHEND TYLERS HOUSE | SUSPECTED |
14/09/2020 | DWP READING ADELPHI HOUSE | SUSPECTED |
15/09/2020 | DWP DONCASTER CROSSGATE HOUSE | SUSPECTED |
16/09/2020 | DWP ROTHERHAM CHANTRY HOUSE | SUSPECTED |
16/09/2020 | DWP PLYMOUTH OLD TREE COURT | SUSPECTED |
17/09/2020 | DWP HONITON HIGH STREET | SUSPECTED |
17/09/2020 | DWP SOLIHULL NEW ROAD | SUSPECTED |
20/09/2020 | DWP BLACKBURN ORCHARD HOUSE | CONFIRMED |
20/09/2020 | DWP HALIFAX CROSSFIELD HOUSE | SUSPECTED |
21/09/2020 | DWP NOTTINGHAM PEARSON BUILDINGS | SUSPECTED |
22/09/2020 | DWP BEVERLEY CROSSKILL HOUSE | SUSPECTED |
24/09/2020 | DWP BIRMINGHAM SOHO ROAD | CONFIRMED |
24/09/2020 | DWP ESTON HADRIAN HOUSE | SUSPECTED |
24/09/2020 | DWP ESTON HADRIAN HOUSE | SUSPECTED |
24/09/2020 | DWP ESTON HADRIAN HOUSE | SUSPECTED |
25/09/2020 | DWP BLAYDON ST CUTHBERTS WAY | SUSPECTED |
26/09/2020 | DWP LETCHWORTH PEOPLES HOUSE | SUSPECTED |
28/09/2020 | DWP BIRMINGHAM YARDLEY | SUSPECTED |
28/09/2020 | DWP ESTON HADRIAN HOUSE | CONFIRMED |
29/09/2020 | DWP GLASGOW SHETTLESTON ROAD | CONFIRMED |
29/09/2020 | DWP GLASGOW SHETTLESTON ROAD | SUSPECTED |
Table 2 – Number of suspected and confirmed cases of Covid-19 reported by G4S for their security officers working in jobcentres across England, Scotland and Wales.
MONTH | TOTAL CASES REPORTED | SUSPECTED CASE | CONFIRMED CASE |
JUNE | 9 | 8 | 1 |
JULY | 4 | 4 | 0 |
AUGUST | 7 | 7 | 0 |
SEPTEMBER | 26 | 21 | 5 |
TOTALS | 46 | 40 | 6 |
Asked by: Seema Malhotra (Labour (Co-op) - Feltham and Heston)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she plans to review her Department's policy on face-to-face appointments at job centres for (a) 18-24 year olds and (b) other people during the application of covid-19 restrictions requiring staff to work from home where possible.
Answered by Mims Davies - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
In line with Public Health guidance and with safety measures in place across the Jobcentre network, face-to-face appointments can be booked with claimants who will benefit from this support, including young people. Updated guidance has been issued to Jobcentres and is reviewed regularly.
Our teams are designated as key workers, determined to serve our communities face-to-face, over the phone and online. As we double the number of Work Coaches, we will continue to expand our multi-channel engagement with claimants, including booking appointments across our network to support people face-to-face where they need it.
Asked by: Seema Malhotra (Labour (Co-op) - Feltham and Heston)
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 only to permit urgent face-to-face jobcentre appointments to take place during the application of covid-19 restrictions requiring staff to work from home where possible.
Answered by Mims Davies - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
In line with Public Health guidance and with safety measures in place across the Jobcentre network, face-to-face appointments can be booked with claimants who will benefit from this support, including young people. Updated guidance has been issued to Jobcentres and is reviewed regularly.
Our teams are designated as key workers, determined to serve our communities face-to-face, over the phone and online. As we double the number of Work Coaches, we will continue to expand our multi-channel engagement with claimants, including booking appointments across our network to support people face-to-face where they need it.
Asked by: Seema Malhotra (Labour (Co-op) - Feltham and Heston)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what progress her Department has made in enabling appointments with work coaches to be held by video.
Answered by Mims Davies - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Tests of the use of video for appointments with Universal Credit Work Coaches started in July and are currently being tested with claimants and Work Coaches in five job centres across the UK. Tests continue to inform understanding of the benefits to claimants and Work Coaches, to identify where barriers may exist for some claimants and to identify any limitations that may need to be overcome. The tests will inform any future evaluation of the use of video as part of the Department’s operating model.
Asked by: Seema Malhotra (Labour (Co-op) - Feltham and Heston)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what her Department’s policy is on the requirement to attend face-to-face appointments with work coaches at jobcentres; and whether any updated guidance has been issued to jobcentres.
Answered by Mims Davies - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
In line with Public Health guidance and with safety measures in place across the Jobcentre network, face-to-face appointments can be booked with claimants who will benefit from this support.
Updated guidance has been issued to Jobcentres and is reviewed regularly.
As we double the number of Work Coaches, we will continue to expand multi-channel engagement with claimants, including booking appointments across our network to support people face-to-face where they need it.
Asked by: Chris Stephens (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many job centres have closed as a result of safety concerns in relation to covid-19 since 1 August 2020; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Mims Davies - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
No job centres have closed as a result of safety concerns since the 1 August 2020.