theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

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Gregory Stafford:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has had discussions with the Civil Aviation Authority on unpaid compensation payments for (a) British Airways and (b) Norse Atlantic passengers. \p Mike Kane: The Department expects all airlines to ensure passengers receive the best possible service, including timely payment of compensation where it is due.

The Department regularly engages with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) on a range of matters. As the independent regulator for aviation, the CAA is responsible for ensuring airlines comply with their legal obligations towards passengers, including those relating to compensation.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

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Victoria Collins:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department is taking steps to (a) review and (b) amend the Blue Badge eligibility criteria to accommodate individuals with temporary disabilities. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Blue Badge scheme is primarily about helping people with a long-term disability, that affects their capacity to access the goods and services they need to use. The Department for Transport currently has no plans to amend the eligibility criteria.

The Department has previously provided guidance to local authorities on how they can use their existing powers to offer parking concessions tailored to local needs. These same powers could also be applied to assist individuals with temporary mobility issues or medical conditions.
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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment has she made of the potential impact of the adequacy of the availability of electric vehicle charging infrastructure on sales of electric vehicles. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Government is committed to accelerating the roll-out of affordable charging infrastructure so that everyone, no matter where they live or work, can make the transition to an electric vehicle. 2024 was a record year for the deployment of public charging devices, with nearly 20,000 added to the network. The UK was also the largest EV market in Europe in 2024, and the third in the world, with over 382,000 EVs sold.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

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Mr Andrew Mitchell:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans she has to improve the electric vehicle charging network in the West Midlands. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Government is committed to accelerating the roll-out of charging infrastructure so that everyone, no matter where they live or work, can make the transition to an electric vehicle (EV). As of 1 January 2025, there were 6,484 public charging devices in the West Midlands region, or 108 per 100,000 of the population.

Going forward, the West Midlands region has been allocated over £37m capital and resource funding as part of the £381m Local EV Infrastructure Fund (LEVI), to transform the availability of EV charging for drivers without off-street parking in the area. The LEVI Fund is expected to leverage significant further private investment and support the installation of at least 100,000 local chargepoints across England and will give EV drivers, especially those without off-street parking, confidence they are never too far from a chargepoint.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

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Brian Mathew:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress she has made on her Department's Motorcycles in bus lanes consultation outcome, updated on 21 November 2024. \p Lilian Greenwood: The consultation responses did not provide sufficient evidence to move away from a position of local authority choice to one in which allowing motorcycles to use bus lanes is the default.

The government response included a commitment to update Traffic Advisory Leaflet 1/24: Motorcyclists using bus lanes. No timetable has been set for publication. The Department will also consider how best to work with combined authorities and Transport for London, to encourage a more joined up approach to motorcycle access in these areas, through discussions around the Government’s devolution agenda.
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Anna Sabine:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to support the introduction of the School Streets scheme. \p Lilian Greenwood: Active Travel England and the Department for Transport have jointly published School Streets guidance to enable local authorities to deliver effective School Streets. Local authorities can use active travel revenue and capital funding to deliver School Streets, with more than 180 school streets already funded by Active Travel England.  School Streets are one of a range of measures that local authorities can deliver to make it safer and easier for children to walk, wheel and cycle to school. Other interventions supported by Active Travel England include infrastructure improvements on school routes and training and engagement activities such as Bikeability cycle training and Living Streets Walk to School Outreach programme.
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Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to support the black cab industry in London. \p Simon Lightwood: The Department for Transport’s best practice guidance to licensing authorities in England makes a number of recommendations to support the taxi sector. It is clear that regulation should be proportionate to remove unnecessary costs and that fare tariffs are regularly reviewed. Fares should reflect changes in cost the sector incur and provide the trade with confidence to remain in the sector and plan for future investment.

The Plug in Taxi Grant (PiTG) has been crucial in supporting taxi drivers’ transition to zero emission capable (ZEC) vehicles and decarbonise our roads. It has supported the purchase of over 10,000 taxis and over 60% of actively licensed London taxis are now ZEC. On 25 February 2025, the Government announced that the PITG will be extended into the 2025/26 financial year.
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Richard Fuller:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what initiatives her Department has considered to help encourage the conversion of buses to electric power. \p Simon Lightwood: The transition to zero-emission buses (ZEBs) represents a great opportunity for UK bus manufacturers and repowering companies, both to supply the electric buses needed here in the UK and to win export orders abroad as other countries upgrade their bus fleets.

The Government recognises the value that repower conversion can provide to advancing the decarbonisation of the bus fleet. We are encouraged by recent developments in the sector, including continued orders placed by operators for repowered buses in depots that have been electrified under ZEBRA.

Future bus funding is still being considered in the round as part of the Spending Review, including funding to support ZEBs.
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Sir Gavin Williamson:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate her Department has made of the potential impact of changes to the weight of volumetric concrete mixers on the average number of miles driven by concrete mixers each year from 2028 onwards. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Department ran a call for evidence from October to December 2023 seeking views on three potential options on weight limits for Volumetric Concrete Mixers (VCMs). The following factors were considered: reduction in payload per journey, increased waste, and increased vehicle mileage. Information received did not provide any compelling evidence for permitting a weight limit exemption specifically for VCMs on the grounds of mileage.

This is not a change to the policy on weights for VCMs but a decision to continue with the existing policy that a temporary exemption will come to an end in 2028.
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Ben Lake:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she plans to take to support the use of shore power technology at the Port of Fishguard to aid maritime decarbonisation. \p Mike Kane: The UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions programme has previously allocated over £33m to five shore power demonstrator projects at Aberdeen, Atlantic and Peninsula Falmouth, Cammel Laird shipyard, Leith and Portsmouth.

These projects have informed Government policy making about maritime decarbonisation, and in March 2025, the Government published its Maritime Decarbonisation Strategy. A core policy within this Strategy is taking action to reduce emissions from vessels whilst at berth. Although the Government remains technology neutral, we recognise that shore power will play a role in reducing emissions from vessels at berth, supporting our mission to make Britain a Clean Energy Superpower.

Alongside this Strategy, the Government also published a call for evidence on Net Zero Ports to explore the opportunities and barriers to reducing emissions at berth, with a focus on the role ports can play in enabling the shipping sector to decarbonise. Ports policy is devolved, so this will inform Government policy relating to English ports. However, we welcome input from ports and their tenants in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland to this Call for Evidence to broaden our understanding of the issues.
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Shivani Raja:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has made an estimate of the number of additional lorry drivers required after the reduction in volumetric concrete mixers weight limits. \p Lilian Greenwood: The call for evidence conducted from October to December 2023 was an opportunity for respondents to present evidence, but it did not reveal significant new evidence supporting a change in policy.

The outcome of my department’s review into VCMs was published on 18 March. This can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/volumetric-concrete-mixers-review.
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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many complaints her Department has received on (a) glare and (b) dazzle caused by LED headlights in the last 12 months. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Department for Transport does not routinely categorise or record the number of cases where correspondence is received complaining about specific issues.

However, based on a manual review of records, in the 12 months up to 22 April the department has received 69 items of correspondence citing “glare” from road vehicles and 9 items citing “dazzle” from road vehicles.
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Rachel Blake:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she plans to take to support former officers of the British Transport Police who are experiencing psychological trauma linked to their service, in the context of the 20th anniversary of the 7 July 2005 terrorist attacks. \p Simon Lightwood: I am grateful to all those who stepped into danger to keep Londoners safe and we will all remember the tragic deaths of 52 innocent people.

Former British Transport Police officers are entitled to support from the Police Care UK charity who specialise in providing services for retired and serving officers including psychological support and therapy. The families of officers can also access this support.
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Daniel Francis:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions she has had with Transport for London on the potential impact of extending the DLR to Thamesmead on (a) economic growth and (b) housing delivery. \p Simon Lightwood: We appreciate the strategic and economic benefits of new transport infrastructure programmes in London like the DLR extension to Thamesmead.

This government remains committed to supporting London and the transport network on which it depends and regularly engages with TfL to understand its capital portfolio for the long-term.

We continue to work with the Mayor of London and Transport for London on funding for transport in the capital as part of the Spending Review and it will then be for them to decide which projects to take forward.
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Alex Mayer:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the reported levels of bus passenger satisfaction in the report by Transport Focus entitled Your Bus Journey, published on 25 March 2025. \p Simon Lightwood: The Department for Transport welcomes the valuable insight provided by Transport Focus's 'Your Bus Journey' report published on 25 March 2025. My officials meet regularly with Transport Focus as part of our ongoing work, and these findings are informing policy development to improve bus services across the country.

The government wants to see bus passenger satisfaction continue to rise across the country as we deliver our reforms, including through the introduction of the Bus Services (No.2) Bill and the £1 billion we are investing to support and improve bus services. We are also undertaking a programme of work to explore opportunities for passenger improvement, for example complaint handling and escalation pathways.
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Dr Al Pinkerton:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to help improve road safety for vulnerable road users in Surrey Heath constituency. \p Lilian Greenwood: This Government treats road safety with the utmost seriousness, and we are committed to reducing the numbers of those killed and injured on our roads. My Department is developing our road safety strategy and will set out more details in due course.
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Dr Al Pinkerton:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to reduce private vehicle dependency in Surrey Heath constituency. \p Simon Lightwood: Since the beginning of this parliament the department has provided increased funding to Surrey County Council to deliver better bus services and active routes. Surrey County Council were awarded £12 million of bus funding in financial year 2025/26, an increase of £7 million from last year. At the Budget, the Government announced an additional £100m for active travel in England 2025/26, enabling local authorities to install cycling infrastructure and upgrade pavements and paths. Surrey County Council received just over £4.3m for active travel investment in 2025/26. How these funds are allocated within Surrey is a matter for Surrey County Council.
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Helen Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what her planned timeline is for reviewing her proposed changes to the Personal Independence Payment assessment process. \p Sir Stephen Timms: In the Pathways to Work Green Paper we announced plans to launch a review of the PIP assessment, which I shall lead.

To make sure we get this right, we will bring together a range of experts, stakeholders and people with lived experience to consider how best to do this and to start the process as part of preparing for a review. We will provide further details about the timing of the review as plans progress.
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Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate her Department has made of the proportion of young people who have been auto-enrolled in a pension since October 2012; and what their median expected annual pension payments will be. \p Torsten Bell: Automatic enrolment has succeeded in transforming pension saving with over 11 million employees having been automatically enrolled into a workplace pension since 2012. These statistics are available from The Pensions Regulator and are updated on a monthly basis. However, this is not split by age

Automatic enrolment declaration of compliance report.

DWP publish statistics annually on pension participation by age. The latest statistics show 86% of 22-to-29-year-olds who are eligible for Automatic Enrolment are saving into a workplace pension as of 2023, up from 35% in 2012 (when AE was being rolled out). This is comparable to a participation rate of 88% for all eligible individuals aged (22 to 66). Further data on workplace pension participation and saving trends are available on GOV.UK.

Future pension income depends on many individuals factors across an individual’s life time, further analysis on future pensioner incomes by year of retirement are available on GOV.UK.
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Sarah Gibson:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department plans to review the structure of the earnings limit for Carer’s Allowance to reduce the risk of significant overpayments resulting from minor threshold breaches. \p Sir Stephen Timms: The weekly earnings limit in Carer’s Allowance (CA) was increased to £196 net earnings in April 2025. This is the largest cash increase ever since CA was introduced in 1976 and the highest percentage increase since 2001. Over 60,000 additional people will be able to receive CA between 2025/26 and 2029/30 as a result. Going forward the earnings limit will be pegged to 16 hours work at National Living Wage (NLW) levels, and in future it will increase when the NLW increases. This will provide more certainty on the hours they can work for those unpaid carers with a job on the NLW.

As my Rt hon friend the member for Leeds West (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) said at the Autumn Budget, we also need to look at the current “cliff edge” earnings rules. A taper, for example, could further incentivise unpaid carers to do some work. It could also reduce the risk of significant overpayments. However, introducing a taper in CA is not without challenges and could significantly complicate the benefit as it currently stands and would mean a major rebuild of the CA computer system. DWP is undertaking some scoping work to see whether an earnings taper in CA might be a feasible option in the longer term. But any taper will be several years away.
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Victoria Collins:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of (a) removing sanctions on Universal Credit and (b) ensuring sanctions are used only in exceptional circumstances. \p Alison McGovern: As set out in the Get Britain Working White Paper, we are reforming Jobcentre Plus and moving away from the current one-size-fits-all approach. We are creating a new service across Great Britain that will enable everyone to access support to find good, meaningful work, and support to help them to progress in work, including through an enhanced focus on skills and careers.

The core objective of Universal Credit is to support customers to prepare for work, to enter work, or to earn more, and it is right that there are obligations in place in return for financial support through the benefit system.

Legislation sets out the types of requirements that can be applied to a customer dependant on the conditionality group they are in. To ensure these requirements are realistic and achievable, they are set in discussion with the customer and tailored to their capabilities and circumstances.

A sanction – which is a reduction in the amount of Universal Credit paid – is only applicable where a customer does not carry out their agreed requirements without good reason.
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Apsana Begum:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of the number of people receiving Personal Independence Payment and no longer eligible due to the introduction of the four point requirement on a single descriptor on the daily living activities assessment criteria in (a) full time and (b) part time work. \p Sir Stephen Timms: No estimate has been made. The information requested on (a) full time and (b) part time work is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

The June 2024 Green Paper Modernising support for independent living: the health and disability green paper - GOV.UK included an estimate that around 16% of PIP claimants are in work.
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Christine Jardine:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the report published by the University of York entitled The Impact of Chiropractors on Workplace Productivity in NHS MSK Pathways, published on 12 February 2025. \p Alison McGovern: No assessment has been made on the potential implications for policies of the report published by the University of York entitled The Impact of Chiropractors on Workplace Productivity in NHS MSK Pathways.
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Seamus Logan:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she plans to implement the recommendations of the report by the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights entitled Concluding observations on the seventh periodic report of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, published on 3 March 2025. \p Alison McGovern: Relevant departments are currently considering the Committee’s concluding observations in detail. The Government will give written responses to three priority areas that the Committee has identified for specific follow-up by 2027.

The Government will respond to the rest of the recommendations before the UK’s next reporting cycle starts in 2030.
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Danny Kruger:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many full-time equivalent work coaches work in jobcentres. \p Alison McGovern: The latest figure for the number of Work Coaches expressed as Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) in the Department is 17,160 as at the end of March 2025.

Notes:
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Jayne Kirkham:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of registering eligible households for (a) free school meal and (b) NHS Healthy Start entitlements through the Universal Credit system. \p Sir Stephen Timms: No such assessment has been made.

The Universal Credit system permits Department for Education to check eligibility for Free School Meals and Department of Health and Social Care to check a citizen’s entitlement to Healthy Start vouchers.
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Danny Kruger:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate her Department has made of the cost of adult social care to local authorities for people in receipt of (a) Personal Independence Payment and (b) other working age benefits. \p Sir Stephen Timms: No estimate has been made.
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Ian Byrne:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in receipt of Universal Credit have a terminal condition but do not have a claim under the Special Rules for Terminal Illness. \p Sir Stephen Timms: The information is not available. The Universal Credit system is usually only informed of a terminal illness diagnosis through an application for the Special Rules for End of Life.
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Danny Kruger:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of people in receipt of the Personal Independence Payment are also in receipt of adult social care support. \p Sir Stephen Timms: The Department does not centrally record whether PIP claimants are in receipt of adult social care support.
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Sarah Edwards:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper, published on 18 March 2025, whether people under 22 in receipt of benefits will lose those benefits once those reforms are implemented. \p Sir Stephen Timms: We are consulting on delaying access to the health element of UC within the reformed system until someone is aged 22, on the basis that the savings generated would be reinvested into work support and training opportunities for this age group to support them into employment and improve their life chances, and that this would remove any potential disincentive to work during this time.

We are committed to putting the views and voices of disabled people and people with health conditions at the heart of everything we do. The consultation will close on 30 June 2025, to ensure that everyone has sufficient time to engage with and respond to the consultation.
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Ian Byrne:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether people with a terminal illness who do not have a claim under the Special Rules for Terminal Illness will be exempt from work-related activity requirements following the abolition of the Work Capability Assessment. \p Sir Stephen Timms: We are currently consulting on how we should determine which individuals or groups of individuals should be exempt from the requirement to participate in conversations or any work-related requirements following the abolition of the Work Capability Assessment.
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Ian Byrne:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to his Department's publication entitled Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper, published in March 2025, whether people with a claim under the Special Rules for Terminal Illness will be eligible for the additional premium in Universal Credit. \p Sir Stephen Timms: The Department supports people nearing the end of life through the Special Rules for End of Life (SREL). These enable people who are nearing the end of their lives to get faster, easier access to certain benefits, without needing to attend a medical assessment or serve waiting periods, and in most cases, receive the highest rate of benefit.

The Pathways to Work Green paper is clear that in taking forward reforms, the Government is considering the appropriate rules for those in specific circumstances, such as being at end of life. It is also clear that after April 2026, the Government is proposing that those with the most severe, life-long health conditions, who have no prospect of improvement and will never be able to work, will see their incomes protected.
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Rachel Gilmour:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she make an assessment of the adequacy of levels of welfare support for children within married families. \p Sir Stephen Timms: We will bring in a permanent, above inflation, rise to the standard allowance in Universal Credit for the first time ever by raising the standard allowance above inflation from 2026/27 until 2029/30. This is in stark contrast to the freeze between 2016/17 and 2019/20 and is a permanent increase to give families certainty. To the lowest income and working families up and down the country this will be crucial.

We have also uprated benefit rates for 2025/26 in line with inflation and are introducing a new Fair Repayment Rate, allowing 1.2 million households to keep more of their Universal Credit.

Delivering our manifesto commitment to tackle child poverty is an urgent priority for this Government, and the Ministerial Taskforce is working to publish a Child Poverty Strategy which will deliver lasting change.
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Ian Byrne:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper, published on 18 March 2025, what the value will be of the additional premium in Universal Credit for people with the most severe, life-long health conditions with no prospect of improvement. \p Sir Stephen Timms: As set out in the Green Paper, we will ensure that those with the most severe, life-long health conditions, who will never be able to work will see their incomes protected. We will also ensure this group face no future reassessment. We will set this out in the forthcoming Bill.
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Dr Luke Evans:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions the Health and Safety Executive has had with representatives of the hairdressing and beauty industry on ensuring that health and safety practices are followed when using hair dye. \p Sir Stephen Timms: Businesses in the hairdressing and beauty sector, which includes barber shops, hairdressers and beauty salons are required to comply with the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and associated regulations, which place duties on businesses to assess the risk of infection for employees and others affected by their work including members of the public.

While Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has the policy lead for the hair and beauty sector, responsibility for enforcing health and safety legislation at individual businesses rests with the local authority where the premises are located. HSE is not currently engaged in discussions with the industry about the use of hair dye, however it’s use and the precautions necessary when using it are captured by the requirements of the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (as amended).

Where there is evidence that risks are not being properly managed, local authorities are able to intervene and take appropriate enforcement action to ensure that employees and customers are protected.
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Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of how many people have been absent from work because of long term sickness due to respiratory illness over the last 12 months. \p Alison McGovern: The estimated number of people aged 16 to 64 in the UK who had a long-term (4 weeks or more) sickness absence from work due to respiratory illness, e.g. asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease [COPD], bronchitis or pneumonia, between January and December 2024 (the latest data available) was 60,000. This represents around 4% of people who had a long-term sickness absence.

Source: Annual Population Survey (APS) - unpublished
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_506

Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of Pension Credit applications received in the period between 1 October 2024 and 31 December 2024 were deemed ineligible in (a) Aldridge-Brownhills constituency and (b) the UK. \p Torsten Bell: On 27 February 2025 we published Pension Credit applications and award statistics. This publication provides application volumes up to 23 February 2025. This also includes information on Pension Credit claims that have been cleared but not awarded benefit. Pension Credit Applications and Awards - February 2025. The Department does not hold this information at constituency level.

The next update of the Pension Credit applications and awards data is due to be published on 29th May 2025.

Please note, the figures presented are from DWP’s Pension Credit system which has previously been collected for internal departmental operations use and has not been quality assured to Official Statistics publication standards.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_507
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_507

Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an estimate of the number of people in receipt of a pension in the (a) 2025-26, (b) 2026-27, (c) 2027-28 and (c) 2028-29 financial years. \p Torsten Bell: The estimated total number of people in receipt of State Pension in the 2025-26 to 2028-29 financial years is available in the following table. This is from the latest Benefit Expenditure and Caseload tables published following Spring Statement 2025. This covers State Pension recipients in Great Britain, Northern Ireland, and outside the UK. Figures are rounded to nearest one thousand and represent a mid-financial year average. Source: Benefit expenditure and caseload tables 2025 - GOV.UK

As forecasts of private pension receipt are not produced, this response has reference to the State Pension only.

Financial Year

2025-26

2026-27

2027-28

2028-29

Total State Pension Claimant Forecast (in thousands)

13,196

13,209

13,075

13,157
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_508
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_508

Kim Leadbeater:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper, when information on how the Government plans to use the extra £1 billion investment in preparing people for work will be available. \p Sir Stephen Timms: We announced in the Pathways to Work Green Paper that we would establish a new guarantee of support for all disabled people and people with health conditions claiming out of work benefits who want help to get into or return to work, backed up by £1 billion of new funding.

As the Green Paper notes, we are keen to engage widely on the design of this guarantee and the components needed to deliver it. To get this right, we will be seeking input from a wide range of stakeholders including devolved governments, local health systems, local government and Mayoral Strategic Authorities, private and voluntary sector providers, employers and potential users. We will confirm further details in due course after we have completed our consultation process.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_509
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_509

Ben Lake:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department plans to carry out an impact assessment on the consequences of proposals detailed in the Health and Disability Green Paper that have not been included within the formal consultation process. \p Sir Stephen Timms: Information on the impacts of the Pathways to Work Green Paper will be published in due course, and some information was published alongside the Spring Statement. These publications can be found in ‘Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper’.

A further programme of analysis to support development of the proposals in the Green Paper will be developed and undertaken in the coming months.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_510
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_510

David Simmonds:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of welfare reforms announced in the Spring Statement 2025 on local authority finances. \p Sir Stephen Timms: No assessment has been made.

A further programme of analysis to support development of the proposals in the Green Paper will be developed and undertaken in the coming months.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_511
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_511

Claire Hanna:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she plans to hold consultation events in Northern Ireland on the Pathways to work Green Paper. \p Sir Stephen Timms: We are committed to putting the views and voices of disabled people and people with health conditions at the heart of everything we do.

In the Green Paper, we have announced that we will set up collaboration committees to develop parts of our reforms further. This will involve bringing together disabled people and other experts with civil servants around specific issues to collaborate, provide ideas, challenge, and input into recommendations.

We intend to run a number of accessible virtual and face-to-face events on the Green Paper to hear from stakeholders, including disabled people and their representative organisations, directly. The Department will be holding a consultation event in Northen Ireland and is working with officials there on the planning stages.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_512
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_512

Saqib Bhatti:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reason child maintenance arrears are not offset against the amount owed by a paying parent after they have moved from being a receiving parent. \p Andrew Western: The Child Maintenance Service is dedicated to ensuring parents meet their obligations to children and will do everything to encourage cooperation between separated parents and encourage parents to meet their responsibilities to provide their children with financial support.

Child Maintenance Regulations provide that “offsetting” is a process that allows the Child Maintenance Service to adjust child maintenance payments and arrears in specific scenarios between the Paying Parent and the Receiving Parent.

Child Maintenance role reversal offsetting occurs when a qualifying child changes the parent they live with. This means that the Receiving Parent and the Paying Parent reverse their roles in relation to the qualifying child, so that the Receiving Parent becomes the Paying Parent and vice versa. The potential for a debt against debt offset arises where the former Paying Parent (now the Receiving Parent) owed arrears to the former Receiving Parent (now the Paying Parent) at the point their roles were reversed, and the new Paying Parent fails to pay their current liability, so that they now owe arrears to the new Receiving Parent.

When deciding whether it is appropriate to offset ongoing payments against arrears, caseworkers must consider the length of time that the parent who owes the arrears will be without their ongoing maintenance payments because the payments they are due to receive will be stopped or reduced in comparison with the arrears that they owe. It is essential that caseworkers carefully consider the effect that this may have on the welfare of all children potentially affected.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_513
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_513

Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many (a) phones, (b) laptops and (c) other electronic devices have been lost by their Department since 5 July 2024. \p Andrew Western: Please see below details of electronic devices reported lost or stolen to the Department for the period 5 July 2024 – 22 April 2025. The Department does not distinguish between lost and stolen when recording details.

Mobile Phones

18

iPhones

105

Laptops

191

Camera

1

iPad

4
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_514
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_514

Greg Smith:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to improve energy efficiency across her Department's estate. \p Andrew Western: We have interpreted this to refer to measures undertaken across the Department’s estate in support of broader sustainability and decarbonisation objectives.

DWP is forecast to achieve the challenging energy efficiency related targets set out in the Greening Government Commitments (GGC), which finished in April 2025. While we await final clearance on the latest iteration GGC framework, we continue to prioritise energy efficiency across our operational estate.

The DWPs strategy for improving energy efficiency includes:

Looking ahead to this financial year, we intend to expand and accelerate these activities, subject to available resources, building on successful projects and continuing to embed energy efficiency as a core principle of our estate strategy
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_515
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_515

Saqib Bhatti:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment the Child Maintenance Service has made of the potential merits of working with authorities with investigatory powers to help paying parents to find supporting information. \p Andrew Western: If a paying parent believes that the Child Maintenance (CM) liability should cease because a qualifying child (QC) no longer meets the statutory definition of a qualifying young person but checks with His Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) disagree, the CM caseworker can ask the receiving parent to provide;

1. verbal confirmation of the QCs status if they agree that the paying parent’s statement is correct, or

2. where they disagree with the paying parent, a letter from the school or college confirming the QCs status, or

3. written confirmation from an employer that the QC has started work.

Where the paying parent believes that Child Benefit is claimed fraudulently, the paying parent will be signposted to report the fraud to HMRC at Gov.UK.

The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) makes automated monthly requests to HMRC asking for all children aged 16 to 19 who are included in its caseload, to establish whether Child Benefit is still in payment.

The CMS has a Financial Investigations Unit (FIU), that can investigate complex cases. This is a specialist team which can request information to check the accuracy of information the CMS is given by either parent.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_516
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_516

Kirsteen Sullivan:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the Youth Guarantee will be delivered in Scotland (a) directly by DWP, (b) in partnership with devolved bodies including councils and (c) directly by devolved bodies. \p Alison McGovern: Skills and education policy are devolved in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, whereas employment policy is not devolved, except for in the Northern Ireland Assembly.

DWP in Scotland provides extensive support to young people. This includes flexible provision driven by local need using DWP Flexible Support Fund, and support delivered by specialist youth work coaches based in Jobcentres and through 16 Youth Hubs. Strategic engagement with Scottish Government is fundamental in developing the additional employment support available through their No One Left Behind Policy which is delivered by Local Authorities via Local Employability Partnerships (LEPs). This support is agreed and designed based on local need, with input from DWP and other Stakeholders.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_517
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_517

Suella Braverman:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department has plans for securing outstanding Child Maintenance Service payments when the party in arrears declares they have no fixed place of work. \p Andrew Western: The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) is committed to ensuring separated parents support their children financially, taking robust enforcement action against those who do not. Where parents fail to pay their child maintenance, the Service will not hesitate to use its enforcement powers, including deductions from earnings orders, removal of driving licences, disqualification from holding a passport, and committal to prison.

If a paying parent is in receipts of benefits, the CMS can set up a deduction from the benefit to collect ongoing maintenance, or arrears in the case of Collect and Pay. The CMS is able to deduct £8.40 a week towards ongoing maintenance or arrears from certain prescribed benefits. Deductions towards arrears and ongoing maintenance are not taken at the same time. Arrears deductions are taken only after ongoing liability has been satisfied.

Where parents frequently change employment, the CMS can use alternative powers such as deducting child maintenance directly from their bank account.

To allow enforcement action to be taken where appropriate, the CMS can issue legal notifications and documents to a client’s last known or notified address. The CMS utilises a wide range of information sources to determine, on the balance of probabilities, which is the correct last known or last notified address.