Tag: Stephen Timms

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-01-11.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent estimate he has made of average annual pay growth in (a) 2016, (b) 2017, (c) 2018, (d) 2019 and (e) 2020.

Harriett Baldwin

The Office for Budget Responsibility provide the Government with estimates for annual pay growth. The table below sets out their forecast growth in average earnings for the years requested.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-01-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the contribution by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills on 5 November 2015, Official Report, column 1834, what steps he has taken to exploit the opportunities arising from future international services at Stratford International Station, once Crossrail arrives at that station.

Claire Perry

Crossrail services will serve Stratford domestic station, rather than the Stratford International station which is operated by HS1 Ltd. The Department for Transport has no powers to specify that an international operator – whether current or future – must stop at Stratford International station.

It is possible that an international operator may be able to produce a positive business case for using Stratford International station with the arrival of Crossrail. If this is the case, that operator would need to discuss their proposal with, amongst others, HS1 Ltd.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-01-20.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the proposed removal of third party contributions from the Landfill Communities Fund on (a) the future availability of funding for community and biodiversity projects and (b) environmental bodies.

Damian Hinds

Further information on the impact of the changes to the LCF announced at Autumn Statement 2015 is set out in Reform and value of the Landfill Communities Fund. This document can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reform-and-value-of-the-landfill-communities-fund/reform-and-value-of-the-landfill-communities-fund

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-02-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 26 January 2016 to Question 23063, on universal credit, if he will ensure that each notification will also state the claimant’s expected change in entitlement.

Priti Patel

Universal Credit entitlement is determined in arrears at the end of the assessment period. For that reason claimants are informed about their change in entitlements separately to the notification.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-02-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 4 February 2016 to Question 25175, for what other purposes claimants can make free calls to his Department.

Justin Tomlinson

The Department uses 0800 numbers so that claimants can make free calls to claim State Pension, Pension Credit, Jobseekers’ Allowance, Income Support, Employment and Support Allowance, and Personal Independence Payment.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-02-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what financial savings she expects to result from the transfer of processing Bangladeshi visa applications to New Delhi.

James Brokenshire

Decision making on UK visa applications lodged in Bangladesh was transferred from Dhaka to New Delhi in September 2014. Logistical changes like this are made for operational reasons and to refine the longstanding hub and spoke structure of the visa network, where applications are decided at regional decision making centres. The hub and spoke structure increases resilience, improves security and enhances decision quality. The overall customer experience is unchanged as applications can be submitted at the same visa application centres and continue to be decided within the same global customer service standard. As result of this transfer of work we also estimate a saving of around £0.6m per year.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-03-01.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when his Department will provide substantive Answers to Questions 25366 and 25426 submitted on 2 February 2016.

Mr Edward Vaizey

The PQs have now been answered.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-03-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what scope there is for new claimants of universal credit to negotiate the terms of their claimant commitment.

Priti Patel

A personalised Claimant Commitment is drawn up by the Work Coach as part of a one to one discussion with the claimant. The work-related requirements detailed in the Claimant Commitment are tailored to an individual’s needs, experience and circumstances, making them realistic and achievable.

It is reviewed with the claimant and revised where appropriate on an on-going basis.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-03-21.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether Jobcentre Plus staff can provide support and advice to claimants who are intending to appeal against a benefit sanctions decision.

Priti Patel

Jobcentre staff will advise claimants about the appeals process at various stages.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-03-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, to how many appeal hearings her Department did not send a representative at (a) First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum) and (b) Upper Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum) in (i) 2012-13 (ii) 2013-14 and (iii) 2014-15.

James Brokenshire

The Government publishes the percentage of appeal hearings at which the Secretary of State for the Home Department was represented on a quarterly basis. Below is a table covering the 2012-2015 period.

Appeal Representation Rates