Contributions
1,127 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDSick PayThroughout the pandemic the Government have demonstrated that they can respond proportionately to the changing path of the virus, in particular through supporting jobs and…17 Jan 2022HANSARDSick PayI completely agree with the noble Baroness that people should not be forced to go to work when they are sick, especially with Covid, given the danger of it spreading. I know it…17 Jan 2022HANSARDSick PayI can confirm to the noble Baroness that there is no intention on the Government’s part to penalise anybody for where they live. The noble Baroness has asked quite a detailed…17 Jan 2022HANSARDSick PayWhile the pandemic was going on, with businesses under pressure, individuals sick and the NHS understandably struggling, we did not feel it was the right time. I think the noble…17 Jan 2022HANSARDDWP: Support for Larger FamiliesNo assessment has been made as every household has different requirements. While there is no objective way of deciding what an adequate level of support should be, the department…11 Jan 2022HANSARDDWP: Support for Larger FamiliesWe recognise that some people may require extra support over the winter as we enter the final stages of recovery. That is why vulnerable households across the country will now be…11 Jan 2022HANSARDDWP: Support for Larger FamiliesThe right reverend Prelate is always consistent in raising these important points. To start with, let me say that I quite understand, as do others, the issue of childcare. We must…11 Jan 2022HANSARDDWP: Support for Larger FamiliesOn the two-child policy, families can claim for up to two children and there may be further entitlement for other children if they were born before 6 April. There are also…11 Jan 2022HANSARDDWP: Support for Larger FamiliesNow there is a question—a rather cutting one, if I may say so. It is very important that children have an equal opportunity to healthcare, to education and to opportunities to…11 Jan 2022HANSARDDWP: Support for Larger FamiliesI will certainly look at the report if the noble Baroness will send it to me. We have a grave sense of concern about children going into care and child protection, and I can…11 Jan 2022HANSARDDWP: Support for Larger FamiliesWe do seem to be sharing today, do we not? The noble Lord’s serious point is that unless we deal with things before they become a problem, we bank up problems for the future. That…11 Jan 2022HANSARDDWP: Support for Larger FamiliesMy noble friend again makes a very good point. We understand that where children grow up with parents and healthy support, they do much better and they thrive. But the Government…11 Jan 2022HANSARDDWP: Support for Larger FamiliesI am sorry if my response was harsh. That would never be my intention in this Chamber. However, I believe in being absolutely truthful and I am reporting that the Government at…11 Jan 2022HANSARDGender Pay GapYou cannot argue with that. On transparency, I am absolutely with the noble Lord, but the issue of publishing everything on tax and salary is well beyond my pay grade. I will talk…23 Nov 2021HANSARDGender Pay GapMy noble friend has been a long-term campaigner on the gender pensions gap and the net pay issue, and I am glad that we have some good news on the horizon. It was a Conservative…23 Nov 2021HANSARDGender Pay GapI completely agree with the noble Baroness. You can sit in front of an employer and tell them what your salary is, and then they think they can get away with paying you just a…23 Nov 2021HANSARDGender Pay GapI wish I had known about this before, because somebody could have bought it for me for my birthday. I will go out and find that book, and I will read it. As for changing bias and…23 Nov 2021HANSARDGender Pay GapI thank the noble Lord for that wonderful birthday present. Let me just say that auto-enrolment has been a fantastic success, and we want that to continue. On the point he raises…23 Nov 2021HANSARDGender Pay GapThe gender pay gap is something that the Government take very seriously. The point that the noble Baroness makes about flexible working and working from home, and the impact that…23 Nov 2021HANSARDGender Pay GapLet me be very honest and straight with my noble friend: the Government have no plans to change the guidance. Gender pay is not supposed to be a data-collecting exercise, and to…23 Nov 2021