Contributions
992 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARD Universal Credit: Managed MigrationI have a lot of respect for the hon. Gentleman, and I am sorry that we are ending this urgent question on a discordant note, but respectfully, I do not agree that we have not…08 Jan 2019HANSARD Universal Credit: Managed MigrationI am very happy to talk to the hon. Gentleman about this. I assume that he refers to the run-on of the DWP legacy benefits from 2020, and of course this will apply to claimants on…08 Jan 2019HANSARD Universal Credit: Managed MigrationWithout knowing the individual cases the hon. Gentleman raises I cannot comment in any detail— [Interruption.] I have been asked to answer on policy, and that is precisely what I…08 Jan 2019HANSARD Universal Credit: Managed MigrationThe assessment period is five weeks. We of course did away with the seven-day waiting period that was in place previously, and of course 100% advances are available on day one if…08 Jan 2019HANSARD Universal Credit: Managed MigrationOf course we want to support people as they come on to UC, whether they are naturally migrating or in the test phase. We have now put in place a provision with Citizens Advice to…08 Jan 2019HANSARD Universal Credit: Managed MigrationOf course we do not want to push anyone into debt, but may I just be clear that these advances are interest-free, so over a— [Interruption.] Over a 12-month period people will get…08 Jan 2019HANSARD Universal Credit: Managed MigrationWe have been fixing problems, and we will continue to do that. Again I say—I make this offer in all sincerity, not least because this is how we will learn in this process—that…08 Jan 2019HANSARD Universal Credit: Managed MigrationThe hon. Lady gets to the point of the pilot phase, as that is precisely what we want to make sure happens: we want to get this right particularly for the most vulnerable. We are…08 Jan 2019HANSARD Universal Credit: Managed MigrationI would like to think that I have a good working relationship with my opposite number in the Scottish Government and of course we will continue to work with them on a range of…08 Jan 2019HANSARD Universal Credit: Managed MigrationThe roll-out of UC has already taken place across all jobcentres. UC is continuing; I have set out the timetable, as the Secretary of State did yesterday. But the hon. Lady is…08 Jan 2019HANSARDUniversal Credit Roll-outWe do of course have the policy of new burdens funding, and in 2017-18 the Government paid out £30 million to local authorities across the country. If the hon. Lady has specific…07 Jan 2019HANSARDUniversal Credit Roll-outThe roll-out of universal credit is now complete and is available in every jobcentre across the United Kingdom. By 2023, all existing legacy claimants will have been moved to…07 Jan 2019HANSARDEmployment TrendsThat is a typically forthright question from my right hon. Friend. To compare rates, in France the unemployment rate is over 9% I believe, but of course the other incredibly…07 Jan 2019HANSARDEmployment TrendsAs I said in answer to an earlier question, 75% of the jobs created since 2010 are indeed in high-level occupations which attract higher wages, but of course we need to do more…07 Jan 2019HANSARDEmployment TrendsThe hon. Lady has raised an important point, but I should point out that there has been no particular increase in in-work poverty. Indeed, 1 million fewer people, and 300,000…07 Jan 2019HANSARDEmployment TrendsMy hon. Friend has highlighted an important point, which, of course, the Opposition never want to talk about. Under this Conservative Government, 18 new employment records have…07 Jan 2019HANSARDEmployment TrendsAbout 75% of the jobs that have been created since 2010 are full-time, permanent, high-skill occupations attracting high wages, but my hon. Friend is right to say that we need to…07 Jan 2019HANSARDEmployment TrendsLet me first wish you a very happy new year, Mr Speaker. The UK’s employment rate is at a joint record high of 75.7%, and more people are in employment than ever before. Thanks to…07 Jan 2019HANSARDUniversal Credit: Self-employmentI know the right hon. Gentleman cares very deeply about these issues, and we have had many discussions about this. It is precisely to help people with their cash flows that we…07 Jan 2019HANSARDUniversal Credit: Self-employmentMy hon. Friend highlights a very important point. Youth unemployment has almost halved since 2010, and we have the youth employment support programme to thank for that—the work we…07 Jan 2019