Topical Questions 2023-12-18
2023-12-18
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Direct Answer
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Context
The question arises from a change in the department's leadership and the need to highlight recent achievements.
If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities. Welcoming new team members and thanking those who have departed, while highlighting significant achievements such as cost of living payments, support for vulnerable individuals, 6.7% increase in working-age benefits, near-record levels of payroll employment, historically low unemployment rates, and rising real wages.
Welcoming new team members to the Front Bench; noting achievements such as cost of living payments, support for vulnerable individuals, 6.7% increase in working-age benefits, near-record levels of payroll employment, historically low unemployment rates, and rising real wages.
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Assessment & feedback
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP welcomes the Government's decision to boost childcare payments and asks about additional support measures.
Welcoming the 50% increase in childcare payments for parents on universal credit; asking for a review of childcare rules for parents in training and education, and other ways the government is supporting low-income families in Stroud.
Acknowledging the hon. Friend's role in pushing for reforms to childcare within universal credit; noting progress on back to work plan, extension of restart, doubling of universal support, greatest-ever increase in national living wage, and reductions in employee national insurance.
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Assessment & feedback
Reviewing childcare rules for parents in training and education, identifying additional specific measures not addressed
Response accuracy
Q3
Partial Answer
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Context
The former Health Secretary stated that statutory sick pay was too low and needs fixing; the MP asks for a timeline on reform.
Given the former Health Secretary's statement about statutory sick pay being 'far too low' and needing fixing, with the current Minister having the authority to act, when will statutory sick pay be improved?
No immediate policy changes proposed; discussions across Government required.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific timeline or commitment to improve statutory sick pay
Will Require Discussions Across Government
Response accuracy
Q4
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP asks about support for people in high unemployment areas to travel or relocate to job-rich regions.
Welcoming the Government's back to work plan; asking what support is available for people in high unemployment areas to travel or relocate to low unemployment areas such as Banff and Buchan, particularly for seafood processing jobs.
Thanking the hon. Friend; noting previous Minister's visit to Scotland to look at seafood industry; work coaches offer tailored employment support and flexible support fund available for travel expenses.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific details of relocation measures beyond existing programmes mentioned
Response accuracy
Q5
Partial Answer
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Context
Many individuals paid for pension top-ups but did not see an increase in their state pension or received no explanation or refund.
Asking if the Department has made an assessment of the average delay in people receiving their pension top-ups, given numerous instances where top-ups have led to no pension increase and no explanations or refunds.
Advice is given to ring the Future Pension Centre before making payments to ensure they enhance pensions; no specific assessment or timeline provided.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific assessment or details on average delays in pension top-up assessments
Response accuracy
Q6
Partial Answer
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Context
Ministers are focusing on back to work programmes, and there is a need for transparency in their outcomes.
Asking about the progress made towards transparently publishing outcomes of employment programmes so they can be assessed by location.
DWP regularly publishes statistics; latest restart programme statistical release was published on 7 December; mandatory placements are planned but policy detail and reporting yet to be worked through.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific publication timeline or details beyond current status
Response accuracy
Q7
Partial Answer
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Context
Local authorities such as Gateshead need to know if the household support fund will be extended beyond March.
Asking for confirmation on when local authorities and voluntary organisations will receive a definitive answer regarding the extension of the household support fund beyond March.
Matters are for the Treasury; announcements will be made in due course but fund is in place until end of March.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific timeline or decision on household support fund extension
Matters For The Treasury
Announcements To Be Made
Response accuracy
Q8
Partial Answer
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Context
Benefit recipients receive a £10 Christmas payment, not increased for 51 years; MP asks to increase it.
Noting the current £10 Christmas benefit payment has not been increased for 51 years and asking if the Secretary of State will look at increasing it to £20 next year.
Focusing on high-quality, sustainable pension system; keeping the value of state pension as high as possible; meeting manifesto commitment to triple lock.
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Assessment & feedback
Reviewing or increasing Christmas benefit payment
Focusing On Pension System
Triple Lock
Response accuracy
Q9
Partial Answer
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Context
The Equality and Human Rights Commission issued a section 23 agreement request to the Department in concern of potential discrimination against disabled people. The matter remains unresolved.
Why has the Department not reached an agreement after receiving a section 23 agreement request from the Equality and Human Rights Commission regarding concerns over breaches and potential discrimination against disabled people?
Ongoing discussions are taking place in private. The Department and the EHRC will come forward with a response as soon as possible.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific timeline or commitment to respond was not provided
Under Review
Response accuracy
Q10
Partial Answer
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Context
Lidl is creating 1,500 jobs in Houghton Regis with its new warehouse. The MP seeks specific help from Jobcentre Plus to fill these vacancies.
What specific help can Jobcentre Plus give Lidl and other employers to ensure they are able to fill a large number of vacancies?
Jobcentres work closely with large employers, offering bespoke schemes such as neurodiversity pilots. The barriers restricting neurodiverse individuals are often related to confidence and Jobcentres can assist in bringing people into the job market.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific help from Jobcentre Plus was not detailed
Broad Statements
Neurodiversity
Response accuracy
Q11
Direct Answer
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Context
The number of 16 to 24-year-olds on long-term sickness and health benefits increased from 117,000 in 2010 to 235,000. The MP seeks an explanation and actions by the Government.
Why has there been a significant increase in the number of young people on long-term sickness benefits, and what are the government measures addressing this issue?
Measures such as universal support, talking therapies within the NHS, WorkWell programme have been introduced. 400,000 additional places for talking therapies were announced by the Chancellor at the autumn statement.
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Assessment & feedback
Response accuracy
Q12
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP asks if the Disability Confident scheme, which he launched, is still in place.
Is the Disability Confident scheme still in place and can I have confidence that it remains a priority?
The Disability Confident scheme is at the heart of our disability action plan, which Members will hear more about in the new year. All employers are advised to focus on being disability confident.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific confirmation that the scheme remains active was not provided
Broad Statements
Response accuracy
Q13
Partial Answer
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Context
The dedicated disabilities Minister's role has been downgraded. The MP seeks an urgent reversal and reinstatement of the role.
Will the Government urgently reverse their decision to downgrade the dedicated disabilities Minister's role?
The responsibilities of the previous disability Minister have been taken over by the current one, who is extraordinarily capable and understands the issues.
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Assessment & feedback
Commitment to reinstating the role was not provided
Rephrasing
Response accuracy
Q14
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP seeks collaboration with the new disabilities Minister to address the low employment rate among autistic adults.
Will the Minister work with me to ensure that the publication of an independent review will be the beginning of a process to tackle the autism employment gap?
I am determined to make sure that people with disabilities have a voice across Government and deliver life-changing outcomes.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific commitment to work together was not provided
Broad Statements
Response accuracy
Q15
Partial Answer
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Context
A report suggests destitution in Northern Ireland is set to rise to 67%. The MP asks about discussions with partners on this issue.
What discussions has the Minister had with partners regarding the predicted increase in destitution in Northern Ireland?
Discussions are focused on tackling poverty and making sure work supports everyone across the UK. The Minister is coming to Northern Ireland soon for further discussions.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific details of discussions were not provided
Future Meetings
Response accuracy
Q16
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP invites the new Employment Minister to attend a Gloucester opportunities fair on 23 February.
Will the new Employment Minister join me in celebrating the availability of jobs and support for those working in Gloucester?
If my diary allows, I would be delighted to attend.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific commitment to attend was not provided
Conditional
Response accuracy
Q17
Partial Answer
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Context
Susan and David Cfas have informed the MP about pensioners struggling with fixed annuity rates leading to reliance on benefits. There is a need for alternative income sources.
My constituents Susan and David Cfas have made representations to me about the situation facing them and many other pensioners who are having to access benefits and other Government support because they are stuck in an annuity trap, whereby at retirement they posted an annuity, which has remained fixed. Will my right hon. Friend meet me to discuss the plight of pensioners in that situation to see whether more can be done to encourage them to access different approaches to increase their income?
That is certainly one reason why we are trying to get people to engage in a more considered way with what they do at the point of the decumulation of their pension funds, but I am more than happy to meet my hon. Friend to discuss his specific concerns about annuities in due course.
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Assessment & feedback
The answerer did not provide concrete details on how pensioners can access different approaches to increase income or any new commitment.
Response accuracy
Q18
Partial Answer
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Context
The Trussell Trust reported an 80% increase in the number of children supported with food parcels in Stretford and Urmston over the past year.
The Trussell Trust has recently reported that in the past year there has been an 80% increase in the number of children in Stretford and Urmston being supported with food parcels. Can the Minister tell me why it believes that is the case?
This Government have been behind £104 billion-worth of support for the most vulnerable over the period 2022 to 2025; poverty in absolute terms, after housing, has fallen by 1.7 million since 2009-10; we have 400,000 fewer children and 200,000 fewer pensioners in absolutely poverty—under the last Labour Government, we had the fourth highest level of pensioner poverty in Europe; and we have put the national living wage up by 9.8% and cut taxes as well.
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Assessment & feedback
The Minister did not address why there has been an increase in food parcel support for children specifically.
Changed Subject
Compared To Previous Government
Response accuracy
Q19
Direct Answer
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Context
The question arises from the increase of mental health challenges among younger people since the onset of the pandemic.
Does she acknowledge that one feature of covid has been a big increase in the incidence of mental health issues, particularly among younger people? What is her Department doing to tailor its programmes to get those non-working parts of the population who have not been working since covid and are suffering from mental health challenges back into the workforce?
We have our reform relating to universal support, our fit note reform and our WorkWell partnerships, which launched on 16 November and will support 60,000 long-term sick and disabled people to start, stay and succeed in work. The youth hubs we have at the Department for Work and Pensions, which are focused on the under-25s, zero in on this issue in particular.
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Assessment & feedback
Response accuracy