Steve Darling MP: written questions
356 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Pension CreditDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 29 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 16977More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people her Department estimates are eligible for but not claiming pension credit in each constituency.
Answer: Estimates for pensioner households who are eligible for but not receiving Pension Credit in 2022/23 can be found at: Income-related benefits: estimates of take-up: financial year ending 2023 - GOV.UK.We do not hold the information requested at constituenc...
Answered 5 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordPension CreditDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 29 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 16975More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of pension credit applicants were waiting for their application to be processed in the period between (a) 29 July 2024 and 17 November 2024, (b) 1 April 2024 and 28 July 202
Answer: We have provided outstanding Pension Credit claims at the date nearest to the date requested.(a) Outstanding PC claims as at end of w/c 11th November 2024 was 91,200 (including Unregistered and Advanced claims) (b) Outstanding PC claims as at end of w/c 2...
Answered 5 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordPension CreditDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 28 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 16827More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people are waiting for their pension credit application to be processed in each constituency.
Answer: We do not hold data requested at constituency level, however the total outstanding Pension Credit claims as at the end of week commencing 18th November 2024 was 91,075. This includes 9,343 advanced claims where the application can be started up to 4 month...
Answered 4 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordPlaygroundsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 28 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 16766More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department plans to renew play equipment in (a) parks and (b) public spaces.
Answer: The provision of playgrounds in parks and public spaces is primarily a matter for local authorities. We support local government and recognise the challenges that local authorities are facing as demand increases for critical services. We have listened to ...
Answered 6 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordTorbay Hospital: FinanceDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 25 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 15875More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make a decision on the funding of Torbay Hospital under the New Hospital Programme before 31 December 2024.
Answer: The Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust is currently developing their Strategic Outline Case for the new Torbay Hospital scheme. Following review and agreement of the Strategic Outline Case, the next step would be the development, review, and agre...
Answered 29 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordFamily Hubs: FinanceDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 25 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 15873More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to make a decision on funding for the Family Hubs and Start for Life programme beyond 31 March 2025.
Answer: The Family Hubs and Start for Life programme is central to the Government’s commitments to give every baby the best start in life, and to deliver the healthiest generation of children ever.The Government recognises the importance of providing local author...
Answered 2 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordHoliday Accommodation: RegistrationDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 20 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 15387More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when her Department plans to introduce a short-term let registration scheme.
Answer: Parliament legislated for a registration scheme for short-term lets in the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023, and we are committed to introducing such a scheme as soon as possible. We will soon publish the government’s response to the 2023 consultati...
Answered 29 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordAccess to Work ProgrammeDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 20 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 15295More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in each region are experiencing delays in processing their applications for Access to Work grants.
Answer: The information requested can only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Answered 25 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordChild Poverty TaskforceDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 20 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 15291More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of including financial inclusion in the terms of reference of the Child Poverty Taskforce.
Answer: ‘Tackling Child Poverty: Developing our Policy’ describes the Government’s approach to developing the Child Poverty Strategy. This sets out how increasing financial resilience for low-income families is one of the four key themes where the Child Poverty T...
Answered 28 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordPensioners: Social Security BenefitsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 15 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 14521More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to increase the number of eligible older people claiming (a) Pension Credit and (b) other pension-aged benefits.
Answer: Our communications campaign to promote Pension Credit has been running since September. The latest phase of the campaign takes a new approach targeting friends and family - asking them to tell people they know about Pension Credit, encourage them to check...
Answered 25 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordState Retirement PensionsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 15 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 14519More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the State Pension.
Answer: Our system of state, private, and workplace pensions provides the basis for security in retirement. Our commitment to increase the State Pension by the Triple Lock is helping both today’s pensioners and the pensioners of tomorrow. Over the course of this ...
Answered 20 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordEducation and Training: Coastal AreasDepartment for EducationTabled 15 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 14503More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to improve access to (a) university and (b) other further education and training opportunities for people living in coastal resorts in (i) the South West and (ii) the rest of the countr
Answer: This new government will be mission-led, with the Opportunity Mission building opportunities for all by giving every child the best start in life, helping them achieve and thrive, build skills for opportunity and growth and ensure family security.Building...
Answered 25 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordDigital Technology: DisadvantagedDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 14 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 901345More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to help tackle digital exclusion.
Answer: Digital inclusion is a priority for this Government and we have already set up a Digital Inclusion and Skills Unit to ensure that everyone has the access, skills, support and confidence to engage in our modern digital society, whatever their circumstances...
Answered 20 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordFisheriesDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 14 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 14402More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will ensure that all policies which potentially impact on fisheries are assessed by his Department in a holistic manner, considering their potential interactions with related pol
Answer: Development of all policies within Defra, including on fisheries, is undertaken holistically. We work across the public sector, private sector and society to make policy that works for citizens, and to help the Government achieve its missions and prioriti...
Answered 22 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordPension Credit: VeteransDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 13 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 14156More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of disregarding military compensation payments when calculating pension credit eligibility and awards.
Answer: The first £10 of any War Pension payment or Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) award made due to injury or disablement is disregarded in Pension Credit. Income is calculated on a weekly basis, so the disregard is £10 per week. Four additions to the W...
Answered 18 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordNirmatrelvir/ritonavirDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 12 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 13849More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will have discussions with NICE on the potential merits of offering Paxlovid to people over the age of 50.
Answer: Decisions on whether licensed medicines should be recommended for routine National Health Service funding are made independently by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), on the basis of the evidence of the costs and benefits. The D...
Answered 19 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordHome Education: Special Educational NeedsDepartment for EducationTabled 12 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 13843More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure children with special educational needs and disabilities that are educated at home receive appropriate support.
Answer: The department has collected termly data from local authorities concerning their cohorts of home-educated children since autumn 2022.The most recent published data shows an estimated 92,000 children in home education in October 2023, a rise of around 12,0...
Answered 20 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordHome EducationDepartment for EducationTabled 12 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 13841More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of recent trends in the number of families choosing elective home education for their children on (a) local authorities, (b) schools and (c) the wider educat
Answer: The department has collected termly data from local authorities concerning their cohorts of home-educated children since autumn 2022.The most recent published data shows an estimated 92,000 children in home education in October 2023, a rise of around 12,0...
Answered 20 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordHome EducationDepartment for EducationTabled 12 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 13840More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure families that opt for elective home education have access to adequate (a) resources and (b) guidance to support the educational needs of their children.
Answer: The department has collected termly data from local authorities concerning their cohorts of home-educated children since autumn 2022.The most recent published data shows an estimated 92,000 children in home education in October 2023, a rise of around 12,0...
Answered 20 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordHome EducationDepartment for EducationTabled 12 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 13839More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps the Government is taking to ensure local authorities have the necessary (a) resources and (b) training to effectively safeguard children receiving elective home education.
Answer: The department has collected termly data from local authorities concerning their cohorts of home-educated children since autumn 2022.The most recent published data shows an estimated 92,000 children in home education in October 2023, a rise of around 12,0...
Answered 20 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordPersonal Independence PaymentDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 11 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 13636More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the level of PIP to support disabled people with the extra cost of disability.
Answer: Personal Independence Payment (PIP) provides a contribution to the extra costs that may arise from a disability or health condition. There is no objective way of deciding what an adequate level of PIP should be, as everyone has different requirements refl...
Answered 15 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordAccident and Emergency Departments: Torbay HospitalDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 11 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 13568More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve accident and emergency services at Torbay Hospital.
Answer: The Government has committed to supporting the National Health Service to improve performance across the country, including in Torbay. This includes returning to the standard set out in the NHS Constitution, that 95% of patients attending accident and eme...
Answered 14 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordState Retirement Pensions: British Nationals AbroadDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 6 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 13057More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to support British pensioners residing overseas.
Answer: UK State Pensions are payable worldwide, based on a person’s National Insurance record, and are only uprated abroad where there is a legal requirement to do so, for example in countries with which we have a reciprocal agreement that provides for up-rating...
Answered 12 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordAbsent Voting: Visual ImpairmentMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 6 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 13038More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will review the postal voting system to help improve accessibility for blind and partially sighted people.
Answer: I refer the hon Member to the answer given to Question UIN 10319 on 29 October 2024.
Answered 18 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordDisabilityWomen and EqualitiesTabled 6 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 13037More
Question: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Equality Act 2010 in improving services for people with disabilities.
Answer: It is crucial that we ensure everyone is treated fairly when accessing services, so that they can thrive and reach their full potential, including people with disabilities.We believe that the Equality Act 2010 is effective in ensuring service providers ma...
Answered 11 Nov 2024
Original Parliament record
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