Contributions
1,533 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDWinter Fuel PaymentMy Lords, £35,000 is broadly equivalent to average earnings. It means that 9 million pensioners will now benefit from this. That is roughly three-quarters of pensioners.10 Jun 2025HANSARDWinter Fuel PaymentMy noble friend is obviously right to point out that the party opposite has consistently criticised the public sector pay rises that we have given.10 Jun 2025HANSARDWinter Fuel PaymentI will look at that and discuss it with my noble friend Lady Sherlock.10 Jun 2025HANSARDWinter Fuel PaymentI am grateful to my noble friend for what he says. Over 12 million pensioners are now benefiting across the UK from the triple lock. Their state pension is set to increase by up…10 Jun 2025HANSARDWinter Fuel PaymentI thank the noble Baroness for her question, but to be clear: we are not taxing it. We are recovering it through the tax system, which is a different policy from the one that she…10 Jun 2025HANSARDWinter Fuel PaymentI do not have those numbers to hand, but I will see whether they exist. If they do, I will write to my noble friend.10 Jun 2025HANSARDWinter Fuel PaymentThat may be one option, but it is not the option we have chosen.10 Jun 2025HANSARDWinter Fuel PaymentI am grateful to my noble friend for his question. I pay tribute to him and to Age UK for the campaigning work they have done, not least to increase pension credit uptake. There…10 Jun 2025HANSARDWinter Fuel PaymentI am grateful to the noble Lord for his question. I am sorry that he does not share the consensus in the House on the new policy position. He is absolutely right in his…10 Jun 2025HANSARDWinter Fuel PaymentI am grateful to my noble friend for his support for the change—I was going to say in the means test, and that is obviously exactly what his question is about. I am not sure I am…10 Jun 2025HANSARDWinter Fuel PaymentI am happy to give the noble Baroness those commitments.10 Jun 2025HANSARDWinter Fuel PaymentAs I have said all along, we have listened to the concerns about the level of means tests. We are still means-testing the winter fuel payment, because we think it is right that…10 Jun 2025HANSARDWinter Fuel PaymentWell, the tax system stays exactly as it is now, so I do not quite understand how my noble friend’s question arises. As I said before, no one will be brought into the tax system…10 Jun 2025HANSARDWinter Fuel PaymentI am grateful to the noble Baroness for her question, and I absolutely share her commitment to tackle child poverty in this country. We have made initial steps with the free…10 Jun 2025HANSARDWinter Fuel PaymentWell, I think it is true. The noble Baroness asked specifically about the tax system. No additional pensioner will be brought into the tax system because of this change; we can…10 Jun 2025HANSARDWinter Fuel PaymentI am grateful to my noble friend for her question. As she knows much better than I do, winter fuel payments are transferred in Northern Ireland. The Minister for Pensions spoke to…10 Jun 2025HANSARDWinter Fuel PaymentI am grateful to the noble Lord for his question. On the facts about growth, we inherited forecasts from the previous Government for 2025 growth where we would have been seventh…10 Jun 2025HANSARDWinter Fuel PaymentI am grateful to my noble friend and I agree with everything that she says. I will just add to what she said at the end: low pay and insecurity at work are detrimental to growth,…10 Jun 2025HANSARDWinter Fuel PaymentI am grateful to the noble Lord for his qualified support for the policy. The Government absolutely know that their number one concern and mission is to increase the living…10 Jun 2025HANSARDWinter Fuel PaymentMy Lords, I am very grateful to the noble Baroness, Lady Stedman-Scott, and the noble Lord, Lord Palmer of Childs Hill, for their questions and comments. I am grateful to the…10 Jun 2025