Written questions by Coyle.

If she will review her Department's use of the term customer for claimants.

The department keeps its policies and procedures under regular review, including how it communicates with users of its services.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the China Audit will cover potential targeting of Hong Kong BNO status holders in the UK by Chinese representatives.

This Government will take a consistent, long term and strategic approach to managing the UK's relations with China, rooted in UK and global interests. We will co-operate where we can, compete where we need to, and challenge where we must. We will carry ou...

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to hold discussions with his Chinese counterpart on the (a) arrest of (i) Jimmy Lai and (ii) other democracy activists in Hong Kong and (b) targeting of acti

The Foreign Secretary raised Jimmy Lai's case in his first meeting with China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the ASEAN Summit on 26 July and his case remains a priority for this Government. We will continue to call on the Hong Kong authorities to end their...

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when he last reviewed the status of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office; when he plans next to review it;, and for what reason it has diplomatic status.

The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office Act 1996 provides the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office with certain privileges and immunities in line with the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, for the purposes of furthering economic and trade interests....

When the Occupational Health Taskforce (a) last met and (b) is scheduled to next meet.

As outlined in the previous Government’s response to the Occupational Health: Working Better consultation (published on 23 November 2023), an expert occupational health taskforce led by Dame Carol Black was established in February 2024 to explore the deve...

What assessment her Department has made of the potential implications for her policies of the report by Christians Against Poverty entitled Deficit budgets: The cost to stay alive, published in Septembe

We are committed to tackling poverty and good quality work will be the foundation of our approach. We know that good work can significantly reduce the chances of people falling into poverty, but too many people are being denied the security and dignity th...

If she will take steps to ensure that deductions from social security payments do not leave people in relative poverty.

The primary aim of deductions in Universal Credit is to protect customers by providing a last resort repayment method for arrears of essential services, such as, housing, electricity and gas. The policy also enables social obligations, such as, paying Cou...

Whether she plans to meet with the Safe Sick Pay campaign to discuss the rate of Statutory Sick Pay.

My officials met with representatives from the Centre for Progressive Change to discuss measures to strengthen Statutory Sick Pay on the day of the Employment Rights Bill introduction. As announced in the Next Steps to Make Work Pay, the Government will s...

Whether she has taken steps to ensure (a) police and (b) security services receive adequate training to (i) identify and (ii) tackle instances of transnational repression of (A) people from Hong Kong

The UK does not tolerate any attempt to intimidate and silence individuals in the UK and overseas, including people from Hong Kong with BNO status. We continually assess potential threats in the UK, and take protection of individuals’ rights, freedoms, an...

If her Department will consult stakeholders on the adequacy of its guidance on the status determination statement process.

The Government keeps all tax policy and legislation under review. To help customers make an informed decision on a worker’s status for tax, HMRC provides comprehensive online guidance that explains the relevant factors and tests and how to apply them. HMR...

How much (a) housing benefit and (b) UC equivalent allowance was paid directly to councils in each of the last three years.

The information requested for Universal Credit is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost. The information requested for Housing Benefit may be found by using the Detailed Housing Type and the Payment Destination fields i...

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a quality assurance process for status determination statements.

The Government keeps all tax policy and legislation under review. To help customers make an informed decision on a worker’s status for tax, HMRC provides comprehensive online guidance that explains the relevant factors and tests and how to apply them. HMR...

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of automating pension credit payments without an application process for claimants reaching retirement age on universal credit.

Households in receipt of Universal Credit are likely to see a significant change in their financial situation on reaching state pension age – at which point they may become entitled to retirement income such as the state pension, occupational or private p...

What plans her Department has to review exceptional circumstances criteria.

Where an applicant is not able to meet all the core eligibility requirements in the family Rules under Appendix FM of the Immigration Rules, including the financial requirement, the application will receive consideration of whether there are exceptional c...

How many people applying for pension credit have been in receipt of universal credit in each of the last five years.

The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

When the threshold for pension credit was last reviewed; and when it is next set for review.

The rates of Pension Credit were last reviewed in Autumn 2023 as part of the Secretary of State’s annual statutory review of State pension and benefit rates. Following that review, the Pension Credit standard minimum guarantee was increased by 8.5%, in li...

When the application process for Pension Credit was last reviewed.

We continually review the Pension Credit application process, with improvements made as recently as 3 September 2024. This led to the introduction of the online claim process, providing customers with a convenient alternative claim route, alongside the ex...

What assessment she has made of the potential role of (a) small and medium sized enterprises and (b) community interest companies in helping to deliver the Youth Guarantee.

Our plan to get Britain Working includes a Youth Guarantee for all young people aged 18-21 to ensure that they can access quality training opportunities, an apprenticeship or employment support. This will sit alongside; a new national jobs and careers ser...

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to his Oral Statement of 19 July 2024 on Israel and Gaza, Official Report, column 301, what discussions he has had with representatives of UNRWA on the management reforms recommended in the Final Report of the Independent Review of Mechanisms and Procedures to Ensure Adherence by UNRWA to the Humanitarian Principle of Neutrality, published on 20 April 2024, that will be supported by UK funding.

The Foreign Secretary and Minister Dodds spoke to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) Commissioner General, Philippe Lazzarini, in July. They discussed UNRWA's progress in implementing the recommendations from the Final Report of the Independent Review of Mechanisms and Procedures to Ensure Adherence by UNRWA to the Humanitarian Principle of Neutrality led by Catherine Colonna. The FCDO speaks regularly to UNRWA and other international donors on UNRWA management reforms, including at their bi-annual Advisory Commission meeting that met in June.Catherine Colonna's report found the existing UNRWA neutrality framework "robust", but neutrality issues persisted. UNRWA committed to implementing all the review's recommendations. The Foreign Secretary was subsequently reassured that UNRWA is committed to the highest standards of neutrality. £1 million of the UK's £21 million support to UNRWA this financial year will support implementation of these reforms.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with UNWRA since the publication of the Final Report of the Independent Review of Mechanisms and Procedures to Ensure Adherence by UNRWA to the Humanitarian Principle of Neutrality, published on 20 April 2024 on their vetting procedures.

The Foreign Secretary and Minister Dodds spoke to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) Commissioner General, Philippe Lazzarini, in July. They discussed UNRWA's progress in implementing the recommendations from the Final Report of the Independent Review of Mechanisms and Procedures to Ensure Adherence by UNRWA to the Humanitarian Principle of Neutrality led by Catherine Colonna. The FCDO speaks regularly to UNRWA and other international donors on UNRWA management reforms, including at their bi-annual Advisory Commission meeting that met in June.Catherine Colonna's report found the existing UNRWA neutrality framework "robust", but neutrality issues persisted. UNRWA committed to implementing all the review's recommendations. The Foreign Secretary was subsequently reassured that UNRWA is committed to the highest standards of neutrality. £1 million of the UK's £21 million support to UNRWA this financial year will support implementation of these reforms.