Contributions
1,183 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDHealth and Disability Benefits: Spending EstimateIt is good to see the Minister back after the break, but I am sorry to hear that there are still no plans to reduce spending on personal independence payments. He has said that he…01 Sept 2025HANSARDHealth and Disability Benefits: Spending EstimateBut with no possibility of any of those entitlements coming down or any of the spending being reduced? We have 1.25 million foreign nationals claiming universal credit, most of…01 Sept 2025HANSARD Future of the Church of EnglandIt is an honour to stand here in this empty Chamber to speak about the original purpose of this space, when it was a chapel in the Church of England. The old Chamber of the House…17 Jul 2025HANSARD Future of the Church of EnglandMy hon. Friend will not be surprised to hear that I do agree with him. He makes the point very well, and I absolutely acknowledge it. The paradox of our constitution is that under…17 Jul 2025HANSARD Giving Every Child the Best Start in LifeIt is funny: I often find myself in agreement with the hon. Gentleman, which is great, and not what I expected when he was elected to this place. I was about to come to my final…16 Jul 2025HANSARD Giving Every Child the Best Start in LifeIt is a pleasure to follow the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent North (David Williams); it has been a while since I have heard the words “Stoke-on-Trent North, Kidsgrove and Talke”,…16 Jul 2025HANSARDWelfare SpendingThe story of the last 14 years is quite easily told. In 2010 there was a budget deficit of 9%, and we had almost fiscal bankruptcy. We spent 10 years very painfully restoring the…15 Jul 2025HANSARDWelfare SpendingThe difference is that child benefit is paid to everybody. Child benefit is a universal entitlement. We need to ensure that we are not adding to the incentives in the system to…15 Jul 2025HANSARDWelfare SpendingI am very grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his recitation, much of which was Conservative policy now rebranded by the Labour Government and the rest was further spending…15 Jul 2025HANSARDWelfare SpendingI will come in a moment to the matter of child poverty, and I recognise the point that the hon. Gentleman is making. I was just referring to the fact that all the parties except…15 Jul 2025HANSARDWelfare SpendingIt has been a very good debate, and I am very grateful to all hon. Members across the House who have contributed. It is still no clearer to us what the Government think or intend…15 Jul 2025HANSARDWelfare SpendingIt just doesn’t flow as well, but yes, apologies Madam Deputy Speaker.15 Jul 2025HANSARDWelfare SpendingI am grateful to the hon. Member’s archaeology in finding my previous quotes. Many things did get worse over the last decade and a half—of course I recognise that. But much of it…15 Jul 2025HANSARDNorthern Ireland Veterans: ProsecutionMy hon. Friend is making a powerful speech, and I am grateful to him. Last week, I met a number of veterans of the Northern Ireland troubles in my constituency, and they made the…14 Jul 2025HANSARD Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment BillI am not talking about explicit fraud. These awards are being given, and no doubt the assessment is judging them to be eligible. There is not necessarily a deliberate attempt to…09 Jul 2025HANSARD Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment BillI am happy to give way.09 Jul 2025HANSARD Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment BillThe fact is, in our time in government we increased the number of disabled people in work significantly. Two million more disabled people were in work at the end of our time in…09 Jul 2025HANSARD Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment BillI am sure that the hon. Lady is right. Those disorders have also increased extraordinarily in recent years. I take her point, and I was struck by the point she made in her speech…09 Jul 2025HANSARD Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment BillSo here we are. Labour has had 15 years, including 14 years spent complaining about welfare reform while the Conservative Government fixed the catastrophic mess of unemployment…09 Jul 2025HANSARDParole Board Decisions: Serious OffendersThe Secretary of State is declining to take the power to refer to the High Court on unduly lenient Parole Board decisions in cases of manslaughter, like that of Robert Brown, who…08 Jul 2025