Jo Platt MP: written questions
117 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Child Maintenance Service: StandardsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 2 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 64476More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Child Maintenance Service’s approach to domestic abuse on the Government’s mission to halve violence against women and girls.
Answer: DWP is engaged in cross-government work to support the Home Office led Safer Streets Mission, which includes the ambition to halve Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) within the next decade. DWP has a key role to play in halving VAWG. We are committed...
Answered 10 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordChild Maintenance Service: StandardsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 2 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 64475More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Government’s response to the consultation entitled Child Maintenance: Improving the Collection and Transfer of Payments, published on 23 June 2025, what the eligibility criteria wi
Answer: The Government is committed to ensuring that victims and survivors of domestic abuse get the help and support they need to use the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) safely. The CMS has a Specialist Case team delivering targeted support to parents subject to...
Answered 10 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordChild Maintenance Service: StandardsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 2 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 64474More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Government’s response to the consultation entitled Child Maintenance: Improving the Collection and Transfer of Payments, published on 23 June 2025, whether she has made an assessme
Answer: This government is committed to ensuring that victims and survivors of abuse get the help and support they need to use the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) safely. In our response to the consultation, we explained how the CMS has updated and refreshed dome...
Answered 10 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordChild Maintenance Service: StandardsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 2 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 64473More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Government’s response to the consultation entitled Child Maintenance: Improving the Collection and Transfer of Payments, published on 23 June 2025, what steps she plans to take to
Answer: Information about the paying parent's gross income is taken directly from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) for the latest tax year available. This allows calculations to be made quickly and accurately. Any income subject to income tax including bonuses and o...
Answered 10 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordChild Maintenance Service: StandardsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 2 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 64472More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Government’s response to the consultation entitled Child Maintenance: Improving the Collection and Transfer of Payments, published on 23 June 2025, what steps she plans to take to
Answer: The CMS believes that all parents have an obligation to support their children regardless of their financial situation. The CMS is able to deduct £8.40 a week towards ongoing maintenance or arrears from certain prescribed benefits. When a paying parent is...
Answered 10 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordChild Maintenance Service: StandardsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 2 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 64471More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Government’s response to the consultation entitled Child Maintenance: Improving the Collection and Transfer of Payments, published on 23 June 2025, what steps she is taking to prev
Answer: By replacing Direct Pay, we will tackle non-compliance, reduce opportunities for domestic abuse and lift children out of poverty. As part of this, we will require all those parents who are non-compliant to pay a 20% collection fee. We do not envisage ther...
Answered 10 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordChild Maintenance Service: StandardsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 2 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 64470More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Government’s response to the consultation entitled Child Maintenance: Improving the Collection and Transfer of Payments, published on 23 June 2025, what steps she is taking to impr
Answer: The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) is committed to ensuring separated parents support their children financially, taking robust enforcement action against those who do not. The CMS has a range of strong enforcement powers that can be used against those w...
Answered 10 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordChild Maintenance Service: StandardsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 2 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 64469More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when she plans to introduce legislation to implement the Government’s response to the consultation entitled Child Maintenance: Improving the Collection and Transfer of Payments, published on 23 June 202
Answer: Primary legislation is required to make the change to remove Direct Pay and reform the collection fee structure, meaning these changes will be subject to detailed parliamentary scrutiny. Our intention is to implement these changes as soon as parliamentary...
Answered 10 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordDementia: Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 23 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 61815More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of including a national services framework for dementia as part of the NHS 10-year Health Plan.
Answer: The 10-Year Health Plan will address the challenges diagnosed by Lord Darzi and will set the vision for what good joined-up care looks like for people with a combination of complex health and care needs, including people living with dementia. We are caref...
Answered 3 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordSocial Security Benefits: Medical ExaminationsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 18 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 60928More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she plans to take to ensure that the reintroduction of face-to-face benefit assessments does not negatively impact veterans with PTSD or mobility impairments.
Answer: We already undertake a number of face-to-face benefit assessments. However, as announced in Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper, we intend to do more while preserving alternative health assessment channels t...
Answered 26 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordJobcentres: VeteransDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 18 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 60927More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing veteran aware training for jobcentre plus staff.
Answer: Armed Forces Champions (AFCs) are available within each Jobcentre district, providing specialist support to veterans. They will have completed the full work coach learning and had the opportunity to embed their learning prior to becoming an Armed Forces C...
Answered 30 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordSocial Security Benefits: VeteransDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 18 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 60926More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that veterans with severe, long-term PTSD qualify for automatic exemptions from repeat disability assessments.
Answer: Currently, Work Capability Assessment reassessment referrals are prioritised for customers on Employment and Support Allowance and the health element of Universal Credit who report a change in their health condition. The frequency of when reassessments oc...
Answered 25 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordArmed Forces Independence Payment: Universal CreditDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 18 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 60925More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether veterans receiving Armed Forces Independence Payment will still qualify for the health element of Universal Credit under the new system.
Answer: The Green Paper, “Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working” announced that we would be scrapping the Work Capability Assessment and moving to a single assessment for financial support related to health and disability benefit...
Answered 26 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordArmed Forces Compensation Scheme and War Pensions: Means-tested BenefitsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 18 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 60923More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the War Pension and Armed Forces Compensation Scheme will be categorised as income for means-tested benefits.
Answer: The receipt of War Pensions and Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) awards is already fully ignored when calculating eligibility for Universal Credit.The first £10 per week of a War Pension or AFCS award is disregarded in: income-related Employment an...
Answered 26 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordBegging and VagrancyMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 11 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 59050More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle aggressive begging.
Answer: Begging is a complex issue, though where it causes a nuisance or distress to communities, local areas need appropriate tools to maintain community safety. The Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 already provides the police, local authoritie...
Answered 18 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordGender Based ViolenceDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 6 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 58046More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what funding his Department provides to the Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy.
Answer: Funding for the forthcoming Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy will be confirmed when the strategy is published in the coming months.Health does make an important contribution to tackling violence against women and girls. For example, NHS England s...
Answered 16 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordPupil Premium: DisadvantagedDepartment for EducationTabled 6 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 58045More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a new Pupil Premium subcategory for persistently disadvantaged pupils.
Answer: The department recognises that there are disparities in outcomes for children attracting pupil premium and we are committed to doing more to improve the life chances of our most disadvantaged children, breaking the link between background and future succe...
Answered 16 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordMotor Neurone Disease: Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57324More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, to make an assessment of the capacity to deliver Early Access Programmes for people with motor neurone disease.
Answer: Companies may put in place Early Access Programmes (EAPs) to allow early access to new medicines that do not yet have a marketing authorisation. Participation in EAPs is decided at an individual National Health Service trust level and under these programm...
Answered 10 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordSupply Teachers: Employment AgenciesDepartment for EducationTabled 30 May 2025AnsweredUIN 54979More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to monitor private supply teacher agencies.
Answer: Supply teachers make an important contribution to the smooth running of schools across the country by filling posts on a temporary basis and covering teacher absences.Schools and local authorities are currently responsible for the recruitment of their sup...
Answered 25 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordSupply Teachers: Leigh and AthertonDepartment for EducationTabled 30 May 2025AnsweredUIN 54978More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support supply teachers in (a) Leigh and Atherton constituency and (b) nationally.
Answer: Supply teachers make an important contribution to the smooth running of schools across the country by filling posts on a temporary basis and covering teacher absences.Schools and local authorities are currently responsible for the recruitment of their sup...
Answered 25 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordChildren: MaintenanceDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 21 May 2025AnsweredUIN 53984More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of including directors’ dividends in the initial calculation of child maintenance payments.
Answer: Information about the paying parent's gross income is taken directly from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) for the latest tax year available. This allows calculations to be made quickly and accurately. Any income subject to income tax, including bonuses and ...
Answered 3 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordPersonal Care Services: VATTreasuryTabled 21 May 2025AnsweredUIN 53983More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of reforming the application of VAT to the hair and beauty sector, in the context of levels of competition with other self-employed businesses in (a) Leigh and
Answer: VAT is a broad-based tax on consumption, and the 20 per cent standard rate applies to most goods and services. VAT is the UK’s third largest tax, forecast to raise £180 billion in 2025/26. The Government recognises the important social and economic role o...
Answered 5 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordFundraising: ProfitsTreasuryTabled 16 May 2025AnsweredUIN 52887More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what information her Department holds on the level of profits earned by social fundraising platforms from charging commission on Gift Aid in the last 12 months.
Answer: The Government recognises the vital role played by the charity sector and the generosity of the British public. That is why we support charitable giving with over £1.6billion in Gift Aid each year.Charities have the flexibility to decide on their own stra...
Answered 27 May 2025
Original Parliament recordGift AidDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 16 May 2025AnsweredUIN 52886More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what information her Department holds on the number of times the guidance set out in the Fundraising Regulator’s Code of Fundraising Practice on (a) fee transparency on charging commission on Gif
Answer: Fundraising platforms are commercial organisations that provide an important service to charities and donors. Many charities ask online fundraising platforms to claim Gift Aid on donations made on their platform for the charity, and pay a fee for this ser...
Answered 23 May 2025
Original Parliament recordCharities: FundraisingDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 16 May 2025AnsweredUIN 52885More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to help ensure compliance with the Fundraising Regulator's Code of Fundraising Practice on the transparency of fees on fundraising platforms.
Answer: Fundraising platforms are commercial organisations that provide an important service to charities and donors. Many charities ask online fundraising platforms to claim Gift Aid on donations made on their platform for the charity, and pay a fee for this ser...
Answered 23 May 2025
Original Parliament record
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