Contributions
1,402 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARD Labour Market ActivityIf the hon. Lady would drop me a line about the point she raises, I would be very happy to raise that specifically and to consider it myself as well. Could I turn to economic…28 Feb 2023HANSARD Labour Market ActivityMy hon. Friend is absolutely right, and the 1.4 million figure is depressingly true. Under the last Labour Government, over 1 million people were parked on long-term benefits. Of…28 Feb 2023HANSARD Labour Market ActivityIt is true that at certain levels of income, marginal tax rates are very high. To improve that situation, we have reduced the taper from 63% to 55%. I would like us to go still…28 Feb 2023HANSARD Labour Market ActivityI think the main point—I do not know the specific example to which the hon. Gentleman refers—is that under UC the whole driving principle is that work always pays. As someone gets…28 Feb 2023HANSARD Labour Market ActivityIt took the right hon. Gentleman a little bit of time to get going, but he certainly got going at the end of his speech—he was both Pinky and Perky at the finish there, which was…28 Feb 2023HANSARD Labour Market ActivityThe hon. Lady points to an issue that is a focus within the Department. We have taken on more staff, and we are in the process of taking on still more staff. We are also looking…28 Feb 2023HANSARD Labour Market ActivityThe hon. Lady is tempting me to plunge into the Department of Health. I certainly hear what she has to say, but let me make a general point about mental health. The most important…28 Feb 2023HANSARD Labour Market ActivityMy right hon. Friend is absolutely right, and that is why we have stood up important programmes, such as sector-based work programmes, and it is why skills and apprenticeships are…28 Feb 2023HANSARD Labour Market ActivityI think it is the hon. Gentleman who has misunderstood what has been said here. There is a distinction between payroll employment, which is clearly those who are on PAYE employed…28 Feb 2023HANSARD Labour Market ActivityMy hon. Friend is absolutely right. The constituency and part of the country that he represents has quite a preponderance of more elderly residents, and there is certainly scope…28 Feb 2023HANSARD Labour Market ActivityIt is a fact that we are going through an estate rationalisation programme, and there are very good reasons for that. During the pandemic, we stood up a lot of additional…28 Feb 2023HANSARD Labour Market ActivityMy right hon. Friend makes a really important point, and this Government are absolutely committed to encouraging self-employment. I think it is fair to point out that in the past…28 Feb 2023HANSARD Labour Market ActivityI give way to my right hon. Friend the Member for Wokingham (John Redwood).28 Feb 2023HANSARDAdditional Jobcentre Support: Pilot Roll-outI wish to inform the House that today the Department for Work and Pensions will start expanding the additional jobcentre support pilot following testing in Coalville, Crawley,…27 Feb 2023HANSARDSocial Security (Additional Payments) (No. 2) BillI beg to move, That the Bill be now read a Second time. A hallmark of a civilised society is that it looks after the most vulnerable and those who are most in need. That lies at…21 Feb 2023HANSARDSocial Security (Additional Payments) (No. 2) BillThe hon. Gentleman will be aware that a series of payments were made last year right up until the autumn. The energy price guarantee and various other payments of which he will be…21 Feb 2023HANSARDSocial Security (Additional Payments) (No. 2) BillMy hon. Friend is entirely right, and I am pleased to hear his personal experience of the measure. He is right to point out that there is great flexibility in how it can be…21 Feb 2023HANSARDSocial Security (Additional Payments) (No. 2) BillAs the hon. Lady will know, the disability employment gap is a key measure on which we are focused. It has more recently increased a little, which I think is the point that she is…21 Feb 2023HANSARDSocial Security (Additional Payments) (No. 2) BillI give way to the Chair of the Work and Pensions Committee.21 Feb 2023HANSARDSocial Security (Additional Payments) (No. 2) BillThe right hon. Gentleman raises a valid point and we looked at instances where anomalies can occur in what is known in the legislation as the “qualifying period”. The reality is…21 Feb 2023