Written questions by Evans.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of expanding online chat facilities as a means for pensioners to raise pension-related queries with the DWP.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing an investment package to support apprenticeship brokerage pilots in non-developed mayoral authorities, modelled on the £140 million fund to support mayoral-led apprenticeship brokerage pilots.

Awaiting answer.

Pursuant to the Answer of 2 July 2026 to Question 12047 on Employment: Disability, what recent assessment he has made of the impact of (a) work coaches, (b) disability employment advisers at Jobcentres and (c) access to work grants on the number of people with disabilities in work.

Awaiting answer.

Pursuant to the Answer of 2 July 2026 to Question 12047 on Employment: Disability, what recent assessment he has made of the impact of employment advisors in (a) NHS Talking Therapies, (b) Connect to Work and (c) Workwell on the number of people with disabilities in work.

Awaiting answer.

Pursuant to the Answer of 2 July 2026 to Question 12047 on Employment: Disability, what assessment he has made of the potential challenges faced by his Department to support people with disabilities into work and reduce the disability employment gap.

Awaiting answer.

Pursuant to the Answer of 2 July 2026 to Question 12047 on Employment: Disability, what recent conversations he has had with (a) other government departments and (b) third party bodies to support efforts to champion people with disabilities into work.

Awaiting answer.

With reference to the press notice entitled 50,000 more young people to benefit from apprenticeships as Government unveils new skills reforms to get Britain working, published in December 2025, if he will take steps to ensure comparable investment within non-mayoral strategic authorities for linking young people with employers for apprenticeship opportunities.

Awaiting answer.

How many prosecutions have been determined for cases of Motability Fraud in (a) England, (b) East Midlands and (c) Leicestershire during the last five recorded years.

The Department does not have information on Motability fraud such as recorded crime, prosecutions and investigations as this is a matter for the Scheme. Motability Foundation is a registered charity regulated by the Charity Commission so is wholly respons...

How many Motability Fraud cases have been classified as police recorded crime in (a) England, (b) East Midlands and (c) Leicestershire during the last five recorded years.

The Department does not have information on Motability fraud such as recorded crime, prosecutions and investigations as this is a matter for the Scheme. Motability Foundation is a registered charity regulated by the Charity Commission so is wholly respons...

How many investigations into potential cases of Motability Fraud have been opened in (a) England, (b) East Midlands and (c) Leicestershire during the last five recorded years.

The Department does not have information on Motability fraud such as recorded crime, prosecutions and investigations as this is a matter for the Scheme. Motability Foundation is a registered charity regulated by the Charity Commission so is wholly respons...

If he will make an assessment of the potential impact of differing levels of skills funding between mayoral and non-mayoral combined authorities on trends in the level of (a) educational achievement, (b

Skills provision is funded in a number of different ways including but not limited to 16-19 funding, the Adult Skills Fund (ASF), Apprenticeships funding, and Advanced Learner Loans. There are no plans to make the proposed assessment, as the costs to do s...

Whether his Department holds data on the number of (a) starts, (b) completions and (c) licences obtained from the HGV providers (i) System Group and (ii) Qube.

The government carries out assurance and financial reconciliation exercises of Skills Bootcamps across all sectors, including the HGV sector. The department publishes data on Skills Bootcamps starts, completions and outcomes by sector. This can be found here; Skills bootcamps starts, completions and outcomes, Financial year 2023-24 - Explore education statistics - GOV.UK. The department does not publish this information by provider.

Whether his Department has conducted a formal audit of funding for the HGV driving bootcamp.

The government carries out assurance and financial reconciliation exercises of Skills Bootcamps across all sectors, including the HGV sector. The department publishes data on Skills Bootcamps starts, completions and outcomes by sector. This can be found here; Skills bootcamps starts, completions and outcomes, Financial year 2023-24 - Explore education statistics - GOV.UK. The department does not publish this information by provider.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of the investigation of the pensions regulator into NHSBSA.

The Pensions Regulator (TPR) is an independent body responsible for the regulation of work-based pension schemes in the UK. TPR conducts its supervisory and investigatory functions independently of the Government. As such, it would not be appropriate for the Government to comment on an ongoing investigation being undertaken by the Regulator.

Whether she plans to launch a campaign to increase pension credit uptake before winter 2025-2026.

The Government wants all pensioners to get the support to which they are entitled. That is why since Autumn 2024 we have been running the biggest ever Pension Credit take-up campaign. The Department’s campaign to raise awareness of Pension Credit has continued in numerous stages between January and July 2025 and has included radio, print and social media adverts as well as continuing work with stakeholders. We plan to continue promotional activity from Autumn through to the end of the financial year with the campaign aimed at eligible pensioners who are not yet claiming, and their friends and family, as we work to increase the take up of Pension Credit.

What discussions she has had with (a) the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology and (b) local authorities on ensuring that people who do not have digital connectivity can access (i) the Jobs and Careers Services online portals and (ii) alternative provision.

As set out in the Get Britain Working White Paper, we are reforming Jobcentre Plus and creating a new service across Great Britain which will include a modern, joined up and enhanced digital offer where people can access support through the channels that best meet their needs. This reconfigured service will be accessible to everyone; it will use data intelligently to join up government and personalise support. The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and officials have been in regular engagement with the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology and with local areas as we develop our plans for a new Jobs and Careers Service. This builds on the vision as laid out in ‘A blueprint for modern digital government’ published in January. The new service will be digital where possible, and human when needed. A large number of those seeking employment support or careers advice will be best served digitally, however we recognise this will not be appropriate for everyone and other channels of support will be available. The department also continues to work closely with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and other government departments to deliver on the Digital Inclusion Action Plan. Its first steps were published on 29 February 2025 and outline the government’s initial actions and long-term goals to tackle digital exclusion in the UK. As we set out in the Get Britain Working White Paper, we are exploring the use of digital employment support for customers and testing how to enhance collaboration between Jobcentre Plus and the National Careers Service. This will be key to understanding how we can better integrate employment support and careers advice in England. As part of our plans to develop the new Jobs and Careers Service, Ministers and officials are working in collaboration with West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Wakefield Local Authority to design and deliver tests within our first Pathfinder that will inform the design of the new service.

What discussions the Health and Safety Executive has had with representatives of the hairdressing and beauty industry on ensuring that health and safety practices are followed when using hair dye.

Businesses in the hairdressing and beauty sector, which includes barber shops, hairdressers and beauty salons are required to comply with the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and associated regulations, which place duties on businesses to assess the risk of infection for employees and others affected by their work including members of the public. While Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has the policy lead for the hair and beauty sector, responsibility for enforcing health and safety legislation at individual businesses rests with the local authority where the premises are located. HSE is not currently engaged in discussions with the industry about the use of hair dye, however it’s use and the precautions necessary when using it are captured by the requirements of the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (as amended). Where there is evidence that risks are not being properly managed, local authorities are able to intervene and take appropriate enforcement action to ensure that employees and customers are protected.

What steps she is taking to monitor outputs arising from the £1bn for guaranteed personalised employment support to help people get back to work.

We anticipate that we will assess effectiveness of Pathways to Work measures in the usual way, including through evaluation of their implementation and the impacts that they have on employment, incomes, benefit receipt and other indicators. We will publish more information on our evaluation strategy in due course.

What discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on best practice in joined up systems supporting people with long term health issues to (a) find work and (b) achieve long term employment.

Regular cross government collaboration takes place at both Ministerial and official level. Examples of this can be seen through the publication of the Get Britain Working White Paper and the Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits, Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper, the Industrial strategy, the Joint Health and Work Directorate and the Make work pay legislation.

Pursuant to the Answer of 11 March 2025 to Question 35774 on Pension Credit: Staff, if she will make an estimate of the cost to the public purse of using (a) external providers and (b) external recruitment to process pension credit applications during Winter 2024-25.

My previous response (UIN 35775) advised we had deployed over 500 additional staff through a combination of internal redeployments, use of external providers and external recruitment. The 24/25 forecast cost of (a) external providers is £1.9 million, and (b) external recruitment is £2.2 million.