Contributions
788 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDUniversal Credit and Working Tax CreditAs the Minister has raised press speculation, will he comment on the news in the papers at the weekend that the reason he is here and not the Secretary of State is that the…18 Jan 2021HANSARDUniversal Credit and Working Tax CreditWe believe that this uplift should stay in place during the crisis, and I do not think anyone believes that the crisis will end in April. I will make some points about long-term…18 Jan 2021HANSARDUniversal Credit and Working Tax CreditYes, it is our policy to replace universal credit—not to abolish the welfare state, as some of those videos from Conservative central office have tried to make out today. After I…18 Jan 2021HANSARDUniversal Credit and Working Tax CreditI agree. Inequality, and the differential impact on people, has been one of the defining features of this crisis. I do not think anyone can avoid that. It is relevant to make that…18 Jan 2021HANSARDTopical QuestionsI am grateful to the Secretary of State for that answer, but last week the Chancellor said that this is the biggest economic crisis for 300 years, and he is right, so I cannot…30 Nov 2020HANSARDTopical QuestionsLast week the Chancellor described the scale of the unemployment crisis in the UK when he said that we could see 2.6 million people out of work next year. The Government’s major…30 Nov 2020HANSARDPension Schemes Bill [Lords]I will not address this in detail because I will have my own opportunity to do so, but I make it very clear that the amendment does not enforce or mandate pension funds to be net…16 Nov 2020HANSARDPension Schemes Bill [Lords]I place on record my thanks to all Members who participated today and in Committee. In particular, I thank my shadow Work and Pensions team for their diligence and hard work. I…16 Nov 2020HANSARDPension Schemes Bill [Lords]I thank all colleagues for their participation in today’s proceedings and throughout the passage of the Bill. In particular, I thank the Minister; my hon. Friends the Members for…16 Nov 2020HANSARDSupporting Disadvantaged FamiliesI thank the Secretary of State for advance sight of her statement. The Opposition welcome any move that will stop children going hungry over the tough months that lie ahead. I…09 Nov 2020HANSARDTopical QuestionsAs the Government place millions of people across the country under new covid restrictions, they will be asking many people to undergo significant cuts to their income. Last week,…19 Oct 2020HANSARDTopical QuestionsSecretary of State, this is important, because it is the barrier to additional restrictions being introduced. As the Government know, people who are eligible for the job support…19 Oct 2020HANSARDPension Schemes Bill [Lords]I am grateful to be called to speak in this Second Reading debate. Since I became the shadow Secretary of State earlier in the year, I have been carefully following the progress…07 Oct 2020HANSARDSocial Security (Up-rating of Benefits) BillI thank the hon. Member for Glasgow South West (Chris Stephens) for tabling these amendments, which I would describe as probing amendments to have a wider conversation—perhaps…01 Oct 2020HANSARDSocial Security (Up-rating of Benefits) BillNot quite.01 Oct 2020HANSARDSocial Security (Up-rating of Benefits) BillWith the leave of the House, I will briefly respond to the debate on behalf of the Opposition. It is not often that we have more speakers than clauses in the legislation before…01 Oct 2020HANSARDSocial Security (Up-rating of Benefits) BillThank you very much, Madam Deputy Speaker, for calling me to speak on Second Reading of the Bill today. I would like to express my thanks to the Secretary of State and to the hon.…01 Oct 2020HANSARDTopical QuestionsIt is a tragic consequence of the pandemic that some families of NHS key workers have lost their loved ones to covid-19 after they contracted the virus while serving on the…14 Sept 2020HANSARDTopical QuestionsI find that answer lacking in reason and compassion. There was news this morning that the country’s largest food bank network has warned that UK destitution rates are set to…14 Sept 2020HANSARD Manchester Piccadilly to Rose Hill Marple TrainsI, too, thank the Minister. The most that any Ministers can do is make themselves available to listen to individual MPs about constituency issues. That is all we can ever ask, and…10 Sept 2020