Contributions
1,402 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDBudget ResolutionsYou are thinking of the national minimum wage. The national living wage was a Conservative decision — [ Interruption. ] You did, but it is a pleasure to correct you on this…07 Mar 2024HANSARDBenefit LevelsWelfare is there to help those who need assistance, including many of the most vulnerable, which is why we increased most benefits by 6.7% for 2024-25. That was on top of an…05 Feb 2024HANSARDBenefit LevelsAs the hon. Gentleman will know, we keep all benefits under review. I point him to various things that we have done to ensure that we look after those lower-income families,…05 Feb 2024HANSARDSaving for the FutureThe hon. Lady draws attention to savings for women. I have already stated that 40% of women invested in workplace pensions back in 2012, and that has skyrocketed to 86% today.…05 Feb 2024HANSARDBenefit LevelsThank you, Mr Speaker. The two-child cap is there for good reason: so that families in those circumstances are taking the same kind of decisions that others—the taxpayers funding…05 Feb 2024HANSARDBenefit LevelsI am not going to get involved in the crossfire between the Scottish National party and the Labour party, other than to say— [ Interruption. ]05 Feb 2024HANSARDSaving for the FutureMay I first recognise the fantastic work my hon. Friend does on financial resilience? The Government have, through very difficult times, come forward with £104 billion of cost of…05 Feb 2024HANSARDSaving for the FutureThe increase in take-up since 2012 has been extraordinary, particularly among women, for whom the rate was 40% in 2012 and is now 86% and in line with men. My hon. Friend will…05 Feb 2024HANSARDSaving for the FutureThe contribution rates of the employer and employee are a very important matter, and we keep both under review.05 Feb 2024HANSARDSaving for the FutureI think the response to that is, always take your mother’s advice. I always did—and look where it got me. At the age of 16, I would have thought the hon. Gentleman would have been…05 Feb 2024HANSARDSaving for the FutureAutomatic enrolment has succeeded in transforming pension savings, with more than 11 million employees being automatically enrolled in a workplace pension since 2012 and an…05 Feb 2024HANSARDTopical QuestionsI thank the right hon. Gentleman for his representation, and indeed would be grateful for any others that he is minded to make to me as we conduct our ongoing review on where we…05 Feb 2024HANSARDJobs: WithamThe Office for National Statistics estimates that 36,000 jobs were provided by employers in Witham in 2022.05 Feb 2024HANSARDIll Health: Economic InactivityMy hon. Friend asks what approach we can take to resolve the issues that he has raised. We have announced a doubling of universal support, a scheme with which he will be familiar;…05 Feb 2024HANSARDJobs: WithamI congratulate my right hon. Friend on the extraordinary work that she does locally to promote apprenticeships. I believe she was involved in a jobs fair on 24 January, hosted by…05 Feb 2024HANSARDIll Health: Economic InactivityI thank my hon. Friend for highlighting all the good work that has gone on in his constituency. I believe he opened a jobcentre only as recently as 30 January in his constituency.…05 Feb 2024HANSARDTopical QuestionsI congratulate Philippa’s son on the very good work that he does. We have disability employment advisers in our jobcentres. I am visiting my hon. Friend’s constituency later this…05 Feb 2024HANSARDAutism: Workplace AccessibilityThe hon. Gentleman is entirely right. Small changes can often make a big difference, not just for autistic people but for the businesses they go on to serve and work in. He will…05 Feb 2024HANSARDIll Health: Economic InactivityOn NHS waiting lists, there has been progress, in that the two-year waiting lists have almost been entirely dispensed with and those of 18 months have been very substantially…05 Feb 2024HANSARDAutism: Workplace AccessibilityAutistic people have a huge amount to offer in the workforce, which is why we set up the Buckland review in April 2023, led by my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for…05 Feb 2024