Contributions
1,402 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDBenefits System: Work IncentivesI agree entirely with my right hon. Friend. Some of the most significant measures in the Budget, particularly on helping people get into work, were the childcare measures that the…19 Jun 2023HANSARDBenefit FraudThe hon. Lady raises an important point. The Government’s record under my stewardship at the DWP is a good one. In fact, since the fraud plan was published last May, fraud across…19 Jun 2023HANSARDTopical QuestionsWhen it comes to the long-term sick and disabled, the right hon. Gentleman is right that that is the one cohort where inactivity is increasing—in others it is reducing. He will be…19 Jun 2023HANSARDTopical QuestionsI wholeheartedly agree with the hon. Gentleman on the importance of sensitive language, particularly for the most vulnerable and particularly in the circumstances he describes of…19 Jun 2023HANSARDBenefit FraudMy hon. Friend is quite right, and I wrote to him to congratulate him on his well deserved CBE. Part of the answer to his question lies in his private Member’s Bill, which we see…19 Jun 2023HANSARDEconomic InactivityThe latest data from the Office for National Statistics indicates that some 21% of the working-age population are economically inactive.19 Jun 2023HANSARDEconomic InactivityThe hon. Lady is absolutely right that economic inactivity lies right at the centre of those elements that will determine our economic success in the years ahead—the others being…19 Jun 2023HANSARDTopical QuestionsWhen I was appointed to this job, I came to the House and said that one of our key focuses would be economic inactivity, which, as we have just heard, has fallen: it is down by…19 Jun 2023HANSARDEconomic InactivityMay I first commend my hon. Friend for all the good work he is doing locally? The 12.6% figure for economic inactivity is extremely low and is a great tribute to the work he has…19 Jun 2023HANSARDBenefit FraudMy hon. Friend will know that we are investing £900 million to ensure that we prevent a total of £2.4 billion of fraud and error by 2024-25. We launched our fraud plan last May,…19 Jun 2023HANSARDTopical QuestionsWhat we are learning from our European neighbours is that this is a common problem. In fact, food price inflation in Germany, Portugal and other countries is higher than it is…19 Jun 2023HANSARDEmployment: Adur and WorthingMy hon. Friend the Father of the House is absolutely right. It is really important that we operate with all those relationships across the private and public sectors. Jobcentres…19 Jun 2023HANSARDTopical QuestionsAs my hon. Friend will be aware, the Treasury has made it clear that there will not be a significant fiscal intervention around mortgages. Unfortunately, that would serve only to…19 Jun 2023HANSARDIn-work PovertyThe Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, my hon. Friend the Member for Mid Sussex (Mims Davies) has already addressed the approach that we would recommend to those…19 Jun 2023HANSARDEmployment: Adur and WorthingMy hon. Friend the Minister for Employment recently visited the hon. Gentleman’s constituency to look into those matters and reported back very favourably. I am grateful to the…19 Jun 2023HANSARDEmployment: Adur and WorthingI have to say that I am surprised that there are so many elderly—an exemplar of the spring chicken brigade as my hon. Friend is—but he raises a very important point. There is the…19 Jun 2023HANSARDEmployment: Adur and WorthingI commend my hon. Friend for the extensive work that he does to promote skills and employment to his constituents. In his constituency, we of course have the full offer from…19 Jun 2023HANSARDIn-work PovertyIt is not appropriate to dismiss completely the significant downside of covid—we spent £400 billion supporting the economy during that—the significant impact through energy price…19 Jun 2023HANSARDTopical QuestionsI am grateful to the hon. Gentleman; I opened my door to him as soon as he requested and had him and his colleagues in for a discussion. We continue to consider those matters as…19 Jun 2023HANSARDBenefits System: Work IncentivesMy right hon. Friend will be aware that, under universal credit, there is always the incentive to work. That operates through the taper, which we reduced in recent times from 63%…19 Jun 2023