Contributions
1,127 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDCovid-19: Over-60sI am pleased to be able to confirm to the noble Baroness and indeed to the whole House that, since late March, the Health and Safety Executive has had an extra £14 million in its…12 Oct 2020HANSARDCovid-19: Over-60sShielding was paused on 1 August in England, and clinically vulnerable and extremely vulnerable people are now required to follow the same local and national arrangements as the…12 Oct 2020HANSARDCovid-19: Over-60sThe answer to the noble Baroness’s question needs to come from the Department of Health and Social Care. I will talk to my colleague and ensure that a letter is written to the…12 Oct 2020HANSARDCovid-19: Over-60sIt will come as no surprise to my noble friend that the Government at this point have no plans to review early access to state pensions, as I have already said. Where people have…12 Oct 2020HANSARDCovid-19: Over-60sMy understanding is that if somebody’s job has gone—and I take what the noble Lord says about the creative industries—they can apply for universal credit. They will get the…12 Oct 2020HANSARDCovid-19: Over-60sOn the noble Lord’s first point, I will need to write to him and clarify that answer. Secondly, the Government have recently announced their plan for jobs, doubling the number of…12 Oct 2020HANSARDCovid-19: Over-60sI respond by saying to the noble Baroness that the work coaches are exercising caution and compassion when considering sanctions. Only if there is no good reason for somebody to…12 Oct 2020HANSARDCovid-19: Low-income FamiliesAs much as noble Lords press me today, I can only confirm that matters are under constant review. I am sorry, but I am not in any position to make any commitments.08 Oct 2020HANSARDCovid-19: Low-income FamiliesWe are all aware of the difficult time that people are having in these days. I will take the noble Lord’s request for a root-and-branch review back to the Minister for Welfare…08 Oct 2020HANSARDCovid-19: Low-income FamiliesThe Government have put £9 billion into the welfare system to help the poorest. As I said in my original Answer, the bottom 10% have not had their income lessened at all. I know…08 Oct 2020HANSARDCovid-19: Low-income FamiliesI can only assure the noble Lord, and the whole House, that the excellent civil servants we have got, and the partners that we work with at DWP, are all the time trying to find…08 Oct 2020HANSARDCovid-19: Low-income FamiliesThe noble Baroness, Lady Watkins, also raised with me, outside the Chamber, the issue of food, children and holiday cover. I pledged to talk to my noble friend Lady Berridge. I…08 Oct 2020HANSARDCovid-19: Low-income FamiliesI thank the noble Baroness for bringing that important point to the notice of the House. My best response is that I will go back to my colleagues at MHCLG to get their position on…08 Oct 2020HANSARDCovid-19: Low-income FamiliesI know that my noble friend is a great champion of work coaches. They do a great job and we are proud of the work they are doing at the DWP. I am also proud of the fact that we…08 Oct 2020HANSARDCovid-19: Low-income FamiliesI acknowledge and pay tribute to the work of the organisation to which the noble Lord referred.08 Oct 2020HANSARDCovid-19: Low-income FamiliesA direct assessment of Covid-19’s impact on low-income families with children has not been made. However, we are monitoring several data sources, including Her Majesty’s…08 Oct 2020HANSARDCovid-19: Low-income FamiliesI take the noble Baroness’s point well. I assure her that we are considering all evaluations—the Trussell Trust, Joseph Rowntree and Action for Children, as well as Understanding…08 Oct 2020HANSARDCovid-19: Low-income FamiliesI can again confirm to the noble Lord that all welfare issues are under constant review and, as sorry as I am, I cannot say more than that at this time.08 Oct 2020HANSARDImmigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) BillMy Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Flight, and the noble Baroness, Lady Hamwee, for speaking to this amendment. The Government have given written assurances in every…06 Oct 2020HANSARDImmigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) BillMy Lords, I am grateful to those who have spoken to this group of amendments. I also thank Ministers from the Home Office for their stewardship of this clause to date. The EU…16 Sept 2020