Pulse.Assent

Minister Burt said:

I am deeply concerned by the reports of air and artillery attacks by the Asad regime against the de-escalation area in south-west Syria, leading to civilian deaths and displacements in recent days.

A military offensive by the regime in this area would constitute a flagrant violation of the ceasefire and de-escalation agreement reached by Russia, the United States and Jordan last November and which the UK has supported.

We urge Russia to uphold its commitments under this agreement and ensure the Syrian regime abides by the ceasefire. Failure to do so would undermine regional stability and risk a humanitarian crisis.

Further information

• Follow Minister Burt on Twitter @AlistairBurtUK
• Follow the Foreign Office on Twitter @foreignoffice and Facebook
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The Social Security Advisory Committee (SSAC) has today launched a public consultation on proposals for moving all existing claimants of a working age income-related benefit to Universal Credit.

From next year DWP will begin the process of moving claimants in receipt of one or more of the following benefits to Universal Credit:

• Working Tax Credit
• Child Tax Credit
• income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Income Support
• Housing Benefit

The wide-ranging draft legislation, which was presented to the committee for scrutiny at its meeting on 20 June 2018, sets out the government’s proposals on:

1. requirements for claimants on existing benefits to make a claim for Universal Credit (including the deadlines for doing so) and arrangements for ending their existing benefit
2. the calculation, award and ongoing treatment of transitional protection

The task of safely moving around 3 million claimants (in around 2 million households) from legacy benefits to Universal Credit raises important questions about the delivery challenge facing the department and the potential impact on claimants.

SSAC has therefore decided to examine this draft legislation, and the impacts that flow from it, in more detail. To help inform this work, the committee would welcome evidence from a broad range of organisations and individuals who have good insight into and/or experience of the following aspects of these proposals:

• the overall migration timetable
• arrangements for contacting claimants and inviting claims from them
• issues associated with making a claim, and ending legacy benefit claims
• the calculation of transitional protection (including the treatment of earnings and capital)
• the impact of proposed transitional protection (including how easily it will be delivered and the degree to which it will be understood by claimants)
• the impact on workers, including the self-employed
• equality impact (whether there will be particular effects for different groups and how these can best be addressed), for example are there any groups that will not be covered by transitional protection?
• monitoring and evaluation

The committee would welcome responses to ensure that its advice to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions is informed by a range of perspectives. The committee would welcome real or hypothetical case studies or specific examples as part of that evidence.

Paul Gray, the committee’s Chair, said:

The planned rollout of Universal Credit is now reaching its most critical and challenging stage. The government’s draft proposals involve major issues on both detailed entitlement rules and delivery logistics, and are due to be debated in Parliament later this year. SSAC is keen to ensure that the scrutiny report it submits to ministers and Parliament is as well informed as possible, and we therefore strongly encourage all organisations and individuals with relevant evidence to take part in this consultation process.

Please note that we are not consulting on the government’s overarching Universal Credit policy, which is enshrined in primary legislation following Parliamentary scrutiny during the passage of the Welfare Reform Act 2012. Comments on this will not be considered.

Responses should be submitted to the Committee Secretary by no later than 10am on Monday 20 August:

Alternatively responses can be emailed to – ssac.consultation@ssac.gsi.gov.uk

More information

SSAC is an independent advisory body of the Department for Work and Pensions. The committee’s role is to give advice on social security issues; scrutinise and report on social security regulations (including tax credits) and to consider and advise on any matters referred to it by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions or the Northern Ireland Department for Communities.

The committee’s Chair is Paul Gray. Its membership comprises: Bruce Calderwood, David Chrimes, Carl Emmerson, Chris Goulden, Philip Jones, Jim McCormick, Grainne McKeever, Dominic Morris, Seyi Obakin, Judith Paterson, Charlotte Pickles, Liz Sayce and Victoria Todd.

Most social security regulations come before SSAC for scrutiny, the only significant exceptions being regulations which go to other advisory bodies or set benefit rates. When SSAC has considered regulations which it has asked to be formally referred, its response is made in the form of a report to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. That report must be presented to Parliament when the regulations are laid with a statement from the Secretary of State showing what has been done (or is intended to be done) about the SSAC’s recommendations (section 174(1) and (2) of the Social Security Administration Act 1992).

Further enquiries should be directed to Denise Whitehead, Committee Secretary, on 020 7829 3354.

A man who attempted to violently rob a vulnerable family friend has today had his sentence increased after the
Solicitor General, Robert Buckland QC MP, referred his sentence for being too low.

The victim let Bernie Ward, 32, into his home in January and the two had a conversation before Ward began punching the victim in the face and threatening him with a knife. The victim suffered a stab-wound to the arm, bleeding on the brain which led to an uncommon form of stroke, and serious bruising and cuts.

Ward was originally sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court in April, where he received 3 years 4 months’ imprisonment. Today, after the Solicitor General’s referral, the Court of Appeal increased his sentence to 6 years 8 months.

Commenting on the sentence increase, the Solicitor General said:

Ward targeted a victim he knew to be vulnerable and subjected him to a brutal attack in his own home. I hope that the Court of Appeal’s decision today sends a clear message to anyone despicable enough to consider abusing a vulnerable member of their community – you will not escape justice.

Communities Secretary Rt. Hon James Brokenshire MP has today (Friday 22 June) announced the appointment of Mrs Bridget Rosewell to chair the Independent Review into Planning Appeal Inquiries.

The review has been set up with the aim of reducing the time it takes to determine inquiries established to resolve disputed planning proposals, whilst ensuring quality decision making.

The review will recommend reforms by the end of the year which produce swifter decisions that will get the new homes we need built quicker. In 2017 to 2018, appeal inquiries took an average 44 weeks to complete, which delays housing and other forms of development.

Mrs Rosewell, a qualified economist, has extensive knowledge and experience in the planning sector, including previously acting as an expert witness at planning inquiries. Among her current roles, Mrs Rosewell is a Commissioner for the National Infrastructure Commission and Chair of Atom Bank.

Communities Secretary Rt. Hon. James Brokenshire MP said:

I am delighted Bridget Rosewell has agreed to lead this review into a key part of our planning system. She brings a wealth of experience to this role and I look forward to receiving her report.

We have been clear that the appeals process must work for both local communities and those taking forward housing schemes, and that involves swift and fair decisions being made to deliver the homes our communities need.

Commenting on her new role, Mrs Rosewell said:

The Planning Inspectorate’s role in arbitrating disputed planning applications is vital, but the current inquiry process is very drawn out.

I’m thrilled to be appointed the Chair of this review and look forward to exploring the real solutions that could speed up and improve the process and give greater certainty to those with an interest in a development or who are affected by it.

Further information

As Chair of this Review, Mrs Rosewell will be unpaid.

The full terms of reference for the review have been published on Gov.uk.

The independent Chair will be supported by an Inquiries Review Team of officials in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and the Planning Inspectorate. The Review expects to issue a Call for Evidence over the summer. It would welcome responses from all those with an interest in speeding up planning appeal inquiries, including developers, local planning authorities, community groups and members of the public and professional advisers involved in the process. The Inquiries Review Team can be contacted at InquiriesReview@communities.gsi.gov.uk.

Last year, public inquiries made up only 2% (282) of all planning appeals (15,742 in total). These inquiries contributed to a disproportionately large number of proposed new homes – some 20,000 dwellings a year.

Approximately 30,000 new homes were granted permission by the Planning Inspectorate through the appeals process last year.

The Planning Inspectorate is the government agency for England and Wales responsible for handling approximately 20,000 pieces of casework a year, including:

• national infrastructure planning
• planning and enforcement appeals
• examinations of local plans

More information about the Inspectorate can be found at www.gov.uk/government/organisations/planning-inspectorate