Tag: Owen Smith

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Smith on 2016-04-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to paragraph 10 of the explanatory memorandum to the Universal Credit (Work Allowance) Amendment Regulations 2015, if he will publish the calculations used to estimate savings arising from the introduction of those regulations.

Priti Patel

The savings were estimated using DWP’s and HMRC’s models of the tax and benefit system. Extracting the full details of the calculations carried out within the models would only be possible at disproportionate cost.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Smith on 2016-04-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment he has made of the effect of the under-occupancy penalty on families with severely disabled children.

Justin Tomlinson

The rules allow severely disabled children who are normally expected to share a bedroom with another child to have a bedroom of their own.

This easement applies when a severely disabled child is in receipt of the middle or higher rate care component of Disability Living Allowance and their disabilities would mean that they would disturb the sleep of the other child; or there is a potential threat of violence. This easement applies across both the private and social rented sectors.

Discretionary Housing Payments are available for those who do not satisfy these conditions.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Smith on 2015-11-03.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of how many people over the age of 55 are likely to be affected by the Government’s changes to tax credits.

Damian Hinds

This information is not available.

This Government is committed to moving from a high welfare, high tax, low wage economy to a lower welfare, lower tax, higher wage society. As the Chancellor has made clear, the Government will set out at Autumn Statement how we plan to achieve the same goal of reforming tax credits, saving the money we need to save to secure our economy, while at the same time helping in the transition.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Smith on 2015-11-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in receipt of the independent living fund have had that funding reduced following the transfer of that fund to local authorities.

Justin Tomlinson

The Government believes that local authorities are best placed to provide for the care needs of people in their local community. The Care Act 2014 introduced stringent minimum standards for this care and it is within this context that local authorities took over responsibility for the care and support of former Independent Living Fund users from 1st July 2015.

The government has fully-funded them to meet their additional obligations for the remainder of the 2015/16 financial year, but does not hold information on the care packages of individual former users. It has, however, committed to conducting research on the impact of the Fund’s closure and has already identified a sample of former users who have agreed to participate.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Smith on 2016-01-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many parents have been exempted from fees and charges for the 2012 child maintenance scheme.

Priti Patel

As at the end of August 2015, there were 3,130 exemptions to Application Fees.

There are no exemptions for collection and enforcement charges.

More details can be found on page 4 of the Child Maintenance Scheme quarterly summary of statistics which can be accessed online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/2012-statutory-child-maintenance-scheme-aug-2013-to-aug-2015-experimental.

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Smith on 2016-02-22.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, in how many current Child Support Agency arrears cases there is (a) a current or ongoing liability for a child and (b) no such ongoing liability.

Priti Patel

As at December 2015, there were 418,300 CSA cases with a current liability and arrears and 748,600 CSA cases with no liability and arrears.

Information on Caseload Status is set out on Page 54 of the CSA Quarterly Summary of Statistics which can be accessed online at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/child-support-agency-quarterly-summary-statistics–2

Note

1. Figured rounded to nearest 100.
2. Figures include 1993 and 2003 Schemes.

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Smith on 2016-04-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether transitional protection where entitlement is lower will begin as soon as tax credit recipients start migrating to universal credit.

Priti Patel

No-one already on existing benefits or Tax Credits whose circumstances remain the same will lose out in cash terms as a direct result of being moved on to Universal Credit. These claimants will be given transitional protection to avoid cash loss at the point of change.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Smith on 2016-04-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he plans to respond to the letter from the hon. Member for Pontypridd of 15 April 2016 on assessments for personal independence payments.

Justin Tomlinson

I replied to the hon. Member on 21 April 2016.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Smith on 2016-04-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he intends to respond to the letter from the hon. Member for Pontypridd dated 28 March 2016 on the Government’s priorities for social security.

Justin Tomlinson

The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, my right hon. Friend the Member for Preseli Pembrokeshire (Mr Crabbe), replied on 03 May 2016.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Smith on 2015-11-03.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of how many households are likely to be negatively affected by the measures announced in the Summer Budget 2015.

Damian Hinds

The Government is committed to achieving a higher wage, lower tax, lower welfare economy. That means more emphasis on support to working families on low incomes through reducing tax and increasing wages, than on topping up low wages through tax credits.

The Chancellor is listening to concerns raised by colleagues and will announce in his Autumn Statement how he plans to achieve the same goal of reforming tax credits and saving the money we need to secure our economy, while at the same time helping in the transition.