Contributions
511 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARD Gender Critical Beliefs: Equality Act 2010The Minister will be aware that the last Conservative manifesto committed to reforming the Equality Act to protect single-sex spaces and services for women and girls, and in…11 Mar 2025HANSARD Gender Critical Beliefs: Equality Act 2010Does the Minister agree that, on freedom of expression and those protected characteristics, we must do all that we can within policy to avoid a hierarchy where some of those…11 Mar 2025HANSARDPublic Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill (Ninth sitting)Apologies, Mr Western, because I probably should have spoken to clause 75 stand part when I made my earlier remarks—it was just 9.20 am. Thank you for letting me speak now. As we…11 Mar 2025HANSARDPublic Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill (Tenth sitting)I beg to move amendment 48, in schedule 5, page 101, line 17, leave out from “exceed” to the end of line 18 and insert— “(a) in a case to which sub-paragraph (3A) applies, the…11 Mar 2025HANSARDPublic Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill (Tenth sitting)Clause 90 makes provision for recovery of social security debts directly from the liable person’s bank account. That power is broadly similar to powers contained in the Child…11 Mar 2025HANSARDPublic Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill (Tenth sitting)In terms of the Cabinet Office powers that we debated under part 1 of the Bill, I think we are not comparing apples and apples; we are comparing apples and pears. I am not the…11 Mar 2025HANSARDPublic Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill (Tenth sitting)It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship again, Sir Jeremy. Clause 89 sets out how money is to be recovered. It specifies that the Secretary of State cannot recoup the…11 Mar 2025HANSARDPublic Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill (Ninth sitting)I was hasty in putting down my notes and I realised I left out a bit, so thank you for humouring me, Mr Western. Clause 88 also sets out that there is a right of appeal to the…11 Mar 2025HANSARDPublic Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill (Ninth sitting)Clause 88 sets out the mechanism for the recovery of non-benefit payments. This applies when a person misrepresents or fails to disclose a material fact, and as a consequence they…11 Mar 2025HANSARDPublic Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill (Ninth sitting)I thank the Minister for answering those questions. The lack of stipulation on timeframe, frequency and so on begs the question of why this provision is in the Bill. Ultimately,…11 Mar 2025HANSARDPublic Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill (Ninth sitting)Clause 87 provides for DWP investigation activity to be inspected and evaluated by an independent person or body. The Secretary of State will be able to appoint someone to inspect…11 Mar 2025HANSARDPublic Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill (Ninth sitting)Clause 86 inserts the provision for the DWP to retain the ability to issue an information notice and receive relevant documents by post. The Minister will be pleased to hear that…11 Mar 2025HANSARDPublic Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill (Ninth sitting)Clause 85 sets out that DWP’s actions under part 5 of the Social Security Administration Act 1992 must comply with existing laws relating to the use of data and with the existing…11 Mar 2025HANSARDPublic Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill (Ninth sitting)I thank the Minister for outlining the plans around the clause, which would establish the definition of a “DWP offence” to allow any offence relating to a benefit payment, credit…11 Mar 2025HANSARDPublic Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill (Ninth sitting)Clause 82 specifies that the Independent Office for Police Conduct—which oversees complaints, professional conduct matters and serious incidents involving the police and similar…11 Mar 2025HANSARDPublic Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill (Ninth sitting)Clause 81 amends the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 to deal with situations where authorised investigators cannot ascertain whether an item or material contains information…11 Mar 2025HANSARDPublic Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill (Ninth sitting)Where DWP investigators seize items from a premises, they will generally be returned to the owner if they are no longer needed for an ongoing investigation. As we have heard, it…11 Mar 2025HANSARDPublic Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill (Ninth sitting)The DWP has fewer powers than other organisations, such as His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs and the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority, which are tasked with investigating…11 Mar 2025HANSARDPublic Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill (Tenth sitting)Clause 91 makes provision for a liable person to be disqualified from driving. Any disqualification from driving will always be suspended in the first instance, subject to the…11 Mar 2025HANSARDPublic Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill (Tenth sitting)That relates to what I was going to say on amendment 43, had we got to it. I entirely appreciate what the hon. Member says about dealing with the vulnerable and protecting them…11 Mar 2025