Every parliamentary written question tabled by Jim Shannon this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 1–20 of 131 · Department for Work and Pensions
What steps the Government is taking to support apprenticeships and youth employment within the hair and beauty sector.
Apprenticeships and employment support are both fully transferred to the Northern Ireland Executive, with funding devolved in the usual way. This response therefore provides information on apprenticeships in England only, and on Youth Guarantee measures a...
What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the implementation of menopause-related workplace policies across public and private sector organisations.
As part of the Employment Rights Act 2025, the Government committed to supporting women experiencing menopause in the workplace by encouraging employers with 250 or more employees to produce an action plan covering the steps they are taking to support emp...
What assessment he has made of the challenges to employment for people with disabilities.
The barriers that disabled people and people with health conditions are unique and complex. Our programmes are informed by DWP and external research, making sure that our support is evidence based and targets the barriers that prevent disabled people and ...
How much has been allocated to programmes supporting economic participation for people with disabilities in the last 12 months.
The information requested is not held centrally and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost. Departmental allocations and spend are published annually in the Annual Reports and Accounts. Disabled people and people with health conditions are a dive...
What steps he is taking to improve accessibility for disabled people in public services.
Awaiting answer.
What assessment he has made of the adequacy of skills levels in artificial intelligence, robotics and data science.
The recent Skills England Annual Skills Report and Sectoral Skills Needs Assessments 2026 concludes that the skills system has not kept pace with rapid technological change, with artificial intelligence (AI), automation and digital skills shortages intens...
How many apprenticeships and training placements in technology sectors were created in the last financial year.
Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only. The government publishes statistics on apprenticeship starts by sector subject area: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/5400...
What steps her Department is taking to reduce the number of benefit claimants experiencing deductions.
Deductions from Universal Credit help support customers to manage debts by paying the creditor directly from their benefit, for instance paying rent arrears to ensure the customer does not face eviction. The most effective way to reduce reliance on deduct...
What support is available for carers receiving Carer's Allowance who wish to enter employment.
Through our Jobcentres, DWP supports unpaid carers who wish to combine their caring responsibilities with paid work. Full time carers who receive Universal Credit can access voluntary employment support from a work coach, which includes identifying skills...
What assessment she has made of the adequacy of housing support available through Housing Benefit.
Households in receipt of housing support living in the social rented sector have their eligible rent paid in full, unless the level of housing support is reduced because of their income or savings, contributions from non-dependants, or limited by the bene...
What steps her Department is taking to improve access to digital services for claimants who are unable to use online platforms for Universal Credit applications and management.
Universal Credit is a digital-first service and our digital approach enables proactive communication with customers, including tailored prompts and support through their account, alongside personalised assistance from Work Coaches who can signpost to wide...
What assessment she has made of the potential impact of benefit sanctions on the mental health of claimants receiving Universal Credit.
Work-related requirements are tailored to the claimant, taking into consideration their individual circumstances such as health conditions or caring responsibilities, so they are realistic and achievable. Any requirements must be agreed between the claima...
What assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of opportunities for employment for people with long-term health conditions such as Multiple Sclerosis.
Disabled people and people with long-term health conditions have a lower rate of employment. The employment rate for disabled people was 53.1% in Q1 2026 and 64.1% for people with long-term health conditions, compared to 82.2% for non-disabled people. Dis...
How many claimants are awaiting reassessment for Personal Independence Payment.
Awaiting answer.
What the average processing time is for new claims for Universal Credit.
Monthly Universal Credit payment timeliness statistics for new claims are published in UC Households 6 - Payment Timeliness New Claims table in the Households on Universal Credit dataset on Stat-Xplore, and are currently available to February 2026. Users ...
How many households receiving Universal Credit are subject to deductions for advance repayments and other debts.
Statistics related to deductions for households on Universal Credit are published. The relevant figures can be found in tables 6 and 7 of the Universal Credit deductions statistics March 2025 to February 2026, supplementary data tables here: Universal Cre...
What the projected cost is of maintaining the state pension triple lock over the next five years.
Expenditure on State Pension, which includes triple lock, for the years up to and including 2030/31 is available in the Benefit Expenditure and Caseload tables.
What steps his Department is taking to reduce the number of households affected by the benefit cap.
One of the core principles of the benefit cap is to encourage work, with an exemption to the cap in place for households who are working and earning at least £881 each month. Households may also be exempt for a period of nine months if they have had earni...
What steps his Department is taking to increase uptake of Pension Credit among eligible households.
The Government is committed to ensuring that all pensioners receive the support to which they are entitled. That is why we have been running the biggest ever Pension Credit take-up campaign across Great Britain, promoting Pension Credit to eligible pensio...
What assessment he has made of the adequacy of payment levels under Universal Credit in meeting essential living costs.
The Government has taken important steps to improve the support available to help people with their living costs. This includes legislating to deliver the first sustained above inflation rise to the basic rate of Universal Credit since it was introduced, ...