Written questions by Hayes.

For what purposes the Pensions Ombudsman has used artificial intelligence in the last 12 months.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is at the heart of the Government’s plan to kickstart an era of economic growth, transform how we deliver public services, and boost living standards for working people across the country. The Pensions Ombudsman has not engaged in the use of artificial intelligence in the last 12 months.

For what purposes the Office for Nuclear Regulation has used artificial intelligence in the last 12 months.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is at the heart of the Government’s plan to kickstart an era of economic growth, transform how we deliver public services, and boost living standards for working people across the country. Over the last 12 months ONR has explored the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support its efficiency and productivity. ONR’s use of AI has been exploratory and is subject to robust oversight from an internal AI governance group. Uses include:Drafting press releases and communications updates; and,Testing the capability of AI to clarify and simplify guidance documents. ONR’s exploration of AI is continuing and includes national and international collaboration on regulating AI. This is in addition to working with the wider nuclear industry to assess potential opportunities.

For what purposes the Pension Protection Fund has used artificial intelligence in the last 12 months.

The PPF has used AI over the past 12 months as a support tool to boost productivity and enable faster decision making. The PPF has put restrictions in place to control the use of AI, such as only using tools that don’t hold or store data. It continues to look at AI capabilities and what is appropriate and proportionate for the organisation. The PPF has drafted an AI acceptable use standard which aligns to the NCSC guidelines for secure AI system development.

For what purposes the Pensions Regulator has used artificial intelligence in the last 12 months.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is at the heart of the Government’s plan to kickstart an era of economic growth, transform how we deliver public services, and boost living standards for working people across the country. The Pensions Regulator (TPR) has used artificial intelligence (AI) over the past 12 months to support its regulatory functions and decision-making to better protect savers. To ensure AI is used responsibly and effectively, TPR has established an AI Accelerator Team and is exploring the creation of an AI Advisory Council. These initiatives aim to promote safe and ethical AI adoption both within TPR and across the pensions industry. Key areas where AI has been applied by TPR include detecting pension scams, monitoring market trends, predicting pension scheme health and managing website feedback.

For what purposes the Money and Pensions Service has used artificial intelligence in the last 12 months.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is at the heart of the Government’s plan to kickstart an era of economic growth, transform how we deliver public services, and boost living standards for working people across the country. The Money and Pensions Service monitors developments in AI policy and practice to understand the potential impact on financial guidance provision and broader financial service experience. A limited number of people within the organisation are using Microsoft CoPilot, with strong safeguards in place. MaPS is also testing conversational AI Copilots to support colleagues who provide our guidance services. These are not currently live.

For what purposes the Health and Safety Executive has used artificial intelligence in the last 12 months.

A team of data analysts within the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have been undertaking research activities to explore how AI approaches can be used to gain insights from HSE data whilst maintaining strict adherence to data ethics principles. HSE policy is continuously reviewed and updated as innovative technologies arise. These may then be selected for use, following scrutiny within the business to ensure they meet HSE's standards on security, ethics and benefits.

What steps her Department is taking to help improve access to employment opportunities for disabled people in (a) South Holland and the Deepings constituency and (b) Lincolnshire.

Appropriate work is generally good for health and wellbeing, so we want everyone to get work and get on in work, whoever they are and wherever they live. Disabled people and people with health conditions are a diverse group so access to the right work and health support, in the right place, at the right time, is key. We therefore have a range of specialist initiatives to support individuals to stay in work and get back into work, including those that join up employment and health systems. Measures include support from Work Coaches and Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentres and Access to Work grants, as well as joining up health and employment support around the individual through Employment Advisors in NHS Talking Therapies and Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care. As well as these initiatives, in Spalding, we support learning disabled and neurodiverse customers alongside partner organisations that we work closely with and have led and co-created the learning pathway for all sites in Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and Rutland to have Neuro Diversity champions. We liaise with Local Supported Employment (Showcase), a DWP funded programme led by Lincolnshire County Council. The Jobcentre also works closely with an employment agency working specifically with those who are Autistic and looking for work, mainly within project-based roles that can be done from home. There is also excellent links with over 20 Disability Confident Employers, and other partners including: Adult ADHD Lincolnshire and Lincolnshire Autistic Society.

For what purposes (a) Ministers and (b) officials in her Department have used AI in the last 12 months.

DWP Ministers do not use AI for their official business. Over the last 12 months, our officials have utilised AI to support them in delivering better outcomes for customers. This includes the use of AI to increase colleague productivity, improve back-office operations and processes, and to tackle fraud and error.

Whether (a) South Holland and the Deepings constituency and (b) Lincolnshire will receive additional funding as a result of the Youth Guarantee in the Get Britain Working White Paper, published on 26 November 2024.

The Get Britain Working White Paper announced £45 million funding for eight trailblazer areas to test delivery of the Youth Guarantee. The results from these trailblazers will help us to develop the most effective offer for all young people in England, including those in South Holland and the Deepings constituency and the rest of Lincolnshire. Young people in South Holland and the Deepings constituency will also continue to have access to the Department’s Youth Offer, which provides individually tailored Work Coach support to young people aged 16 to 24 who are claiming Universal Credit. This will include a new Youth Hub at Pescod Hall, in partnership with Tonic Health & Boston Brilliance, due to launch in February 2025. The hub will provide employment and wellbeing support for young people in the area. The Department will also be supporting and providing funding to develop local Get Britain Working plans to tackle inactivity, working with Lincolnshire, North Lincolnshire, and North East Lincolnshire Councils and, once established, the Greater Lincolnshire Strategic Authority.

How many full-time equivalent diversity, equality and inclusion staff are employed by the Health and Safety Executive.

There are 1.3 full time equivalent diversity, equality and inclusion staff employed by the Health and Safety Executive. Their remit extends beyond the equality, diversity and inclusion specialty, encompassing areas such as health, safety and wellbeing and includes occupational health, accessibility requirements and assessing potential equality risk factors.

What steps she is taking to tackle people fraudulently claiming Personal Independence Payments.

DWP is committed to tackling fraud and error in the benefits system and to the recovery of debts, including those generated by Personal Independent Payments. Working closely with counter fraud experts, the DWP has introduced measures to prevent fraud entering the system based on the types of cases and trends we have seen, for example:- Strengthening the Identity and Verification Process to prevent fraudulent cases entering the system- Introducing more rigorous checks for customers changing personal details, including bank accounts- Delivering awareness sessions for Case Managers and Healthcare Professionals, reinforcing action to take when suspicious cases are identified, eg fake documents DWP is delivering against key counter fraud activity, including investing in counter fraud professionals and building data analytical capabilities. The new Fraud, Error and Debt Bill will bring forward new measures to tackle fraud in the system. Details on the measures Government will be legislating will be presented to Parliament in due course. More information on how the department tackles fraud and error across all benefit streams can be found here: DWP annual report and accounts 2023 to 2024 (HTML) - GOV.UK

What steps she is taking to tackle online sites advising people to claim for sickness and disability payments they are not entitled to.

DWP collaborates with government partners, including Action Fraud, City of London Police (CoLP) and National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) to identify malicious sites that impersonate the department, enable fraudulent activity or target DWP customers. DWP investigates sites hosting potentially malicious content to assess for fraudulent activity. Sites assessed as a potential threat to DWP and its customers, are referred to the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (part of the CoLP) who triage and assess for potential takedown within a 28-day period.

How many and what proportion of Maternity Allowance claimants were not UK citizens in the last three years.

DWP does not hold data on the number of claimants that were not UK citizens when claiming Maternity Allowance. This is because the qualifying conditions for Maternity Allowance are based on a woman's recent employment and earnings, not on their nationality. For the year 2023/24 the caseload for Maternity Allowance was 48,000. For more information on caseloads, please see Benefit expenditure and caseload tables 2024 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

What steps her Department is taking to support people with learning difficulties in rural areas that are seeking paid employment.

We have a range of specialist initiatives to support people with learning disabilities and other disabled people into work. Measures include support from Work Coaches and Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentres and Access to Work grants. £12.3 million has also been invested into 23 lead Local Authority areas to provide support to autistic people and people with learning disabilities, under the Local Supported Employment Programme. As part of the Get Britain Working plan, we will be devolving more power to local areas so they can shape a joined-up work, health, and skills offer that suits the needs of the people they serve. Employers play a key role in increasing employment opportunities and supporting disabled people and people with health conditions, to thrive as part of the workforce. Our support to employers includes promoting a digital information service for employers to help them support disability at work and the Disability Confident scheme.

What steps she has taken to reduce work-related injuries in the agricultural sector.

The safety and health of people at work in agriculture is a concern to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the industry. HSE uses a blend of approaches to influence and improve the health and safety record of the industry, reduce work-related injuries and to drive up industry ownership of the challenge and influence farmer behaviour. HSE produces guidance for farmers which is freely available on its website. The guidance covers a range of topics including those that cause the most serious and fatal accidents and ill health. Between 2018 and 2024 there was an annual programme of delivering training to farmers in advance of targeted proactive inspection: they also investigate incidents and reports of risks not being managed properly, where duty holders fall below the standards required by health and safety legislation. HSE take appropriate enforcement action including prosecutions. A recent two-year HSE campaign focused on two of the main causes of fatal and serious injury in farming, namely workplace transport and cattle Work Right Agriculture – “Your Farm, Your Future”. The campaign provided guidance and direction to farmers about their legal duties. The campaign also included well-respected industry voices providing help and advice on how to control risk associated with workplace transport, vehicles, and cattle. The communications campaign reached 8.25m people in 2023/24. HSE remains committed to working with the agricultural industry and putting its resource to best use to have maximum affect in helping the farming industry to control risk and stay safe and well.

Whether her Department has made an estimate of the number of women affected by the changes to the State Pension age in (a) South Holland and the Deepings constituency and (b) Lincolnshire.

All women born since 6 Apr 1950 have been affected by changes to State Pension age, through changes brought in by the Pensions Acts 1995, 2007, 2011 and 2014. As State Pension age is now the same for men and women, following equalisation, all men born since the 6 Dec 1953 have also been affected by changes to State Pension age, through the 2007, 2011 and 2014 Pensions Acts. The oldest of the women affected by changes to State Pension age would now be 74 years old, the oldest of the men affected by changes to State Pension age would now be 70 years old. ONS population estimates suggest that in mid 2023 there were 43,216 females aged 74 or below currently resident in the South Hollands and the Deepings constituency, and 345,713 females resident in Lincolnshire aged 74 or below, who have been impacted by State Pension age increases to 65 and 66. Future State Pension age changes are set out on gov.uk, but are subject to confirmation as part of periodic reviews of State Pension age.

What recent assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of trends in the number of young people not in education, employment or training in (a) South Holland and the Deepings constituency and (b) Lincolnshire.

The department does not hold information on young people who are not in education, employment or training specific to either South Holland and the Deepings and Lincolnshire. Based on data published by the Department for Education, the proportion of 16-17 year olds not in employment, education or training for Lincolnshire is below average in England and can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/participation-in-education-training-and-neet-age-16-to-17-by-local-authority” Under our plan to get Britain Working, the new Youth Guarantee will ensure that all young people aged 18-21 in England can access quality training opportunities, an apprenticeship or employment support. This will sit alongside; a new national jobs and careers service to help get more people into work, work health and skills plans for the economically inactive, and the launch of Skills England to open new opportunities for young people. We will set out further detail in the upcoming ‘Get Britain Working’ White Paper.

How many people eligible for Winter Fuel Payments live overseas, broken down by country.

For winter 2024/25, to be paid Winter Fuel Payments abroad, customers must be in scope of the Withdrawal Agreement and equivalent agreements with the EEA-European Free Trade Association (EFTA) states and Switzerland, and the 2019 Convention with Ireland. Customers must also be in receipt of a benefit equivalent to Pension Credit or another qualifying benefit and be able to show that they have a Genuine and Sufficient Link to the UK. A Genuine and Sufficient Link to the UK can include having lived or worked in the UK and having family in the UK. Statistics for winter 2024/25 do not yet have a confirmed date for release.Annual statistics on the number of Winter Fuel Payments made to individuals and households are publicly available via GOV.UK. The latest statistics cover winter 2023 to 2024. The table below shows the number of Winter Fuel Payments paid to eligible customers living in the European Economic Area and Switzerland by country, for winter 2023 to 2024. Please note that we do not hold or publish statistics on the underlying numbers who may be eligible, only on recipients. CountryTotal paymentsIreland26,226Germany2,185Italy1,632Bulgaria778Netherlands586Switzerland497Poland381Belgium312Austria309Sweden309Hungary191Denmark156Norway129The Czech Republic123Finland113Luxembourg69Republic of Latvia62Romania52Republic of Lithuania49The Slovak Republic47Republic of Slovenia36Republic of Estonia29Croatia25Iceland8Liechtenstein[low]Total34,307

What steps she is taking to support job creation schemes in (a) South Holland and the Deepings constituency and (b) Lincolnshire.

As set out in our manifesto, we are committed to transforming our employment support system, to delivering the Youth Guarantee and to working with local areas to tackle inactivity. The Jobcentre Plus Lincolnshire Partnership Team works closely with Southeast Lincolnshire Councils Partnership team on the commissioning of specific upskilling and into work programmes using Shared Prosperity Funding. These schemes all have expected outcomes and measures of progression into and towards the Labour Market with the employment teams of the commissioned partners connecting local employers to the programmes. An example of this is the Connect to Grow Programme delivered by local area provider, Steadfast Training in the Spalding and South Holland area. The specific aim of this 13-week course is to secure employment, increase working hours (via a subsequent job) or enter self-employment. Presently there has been 135 starts, 102 completions and 40 successful outcomes with employers including Morrisons, Prezzo and Smart Cabs. On a national level Strategic Relationship Team plays a key role in supporting local communities. Recruitment Managers across the county are working with local partners to make a difference to their communities through various activity. For example, B&M recently opened a local store in Lincoln with the support of the Strategic Relationship Team.