Contributions
1,402 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDState Pension Triple LockI thank the hon. Lady for that clarification and I accept the point she makes. I would be happy for the Minister for Pensions to meet her to discuss the issue she has raised.08 Nov 2022HANSARDState Pension Triple LockI will of course come on to the issue of the impact of the Government’s huge commitment to pensioners over the years on issues such as poverty that the hon. Lady has raised.…08 Nov 2022HANSARDState Pension Triple LockMy hon. Friend is entirely right. That is precisely the point I am making. It would be entirely irresponsible for any member of the Government to prejudge or give a running…08 Nov 2022HANSARDState Pension Triple LockAs I have set out, we are facing what is being called a Budget. It is a major fiscal event and many decisions will be taken within it. It would not be right for a member of the…08 Nov 2022HANSARDState Pension Triple LockThat is a truly constructive intervention because, as my hon. Friend points out, not everybody who would be qualified for that benefit has applied. About 70% of those who we…08 Nov 2022HANSARDState Pension Triple LockI welcome the question from the Chair of the Work and Pensions Committee. As a former Pensions Minister, he will know that, in the situation we are in at the moment, right hard up…08 Nov 2022HANSARDState Pension Triple LockThat is simply an ingenious way—I congratulate the hon. Member—of asking precisely the same question. I have noticed that Members do that in this House from time to time,…08 Nov 2022HANSARDState Pension Triple LockI thank the hon. Lady for that intervention and I recognise the solid and important work that she has done in this area. I can correct her, and hopefully please her, by saying…08 Nov 2022HANSARDCold Weather PaymentsI welcome the hon. Gentleman’s question, because these are very important payments. They are automatic, as he will know. Typically, they are received within 14 days and they are…31 Oct 2022HANSARDTopical QuestionsI look forward to appearing before the hon. Gentleman and his fellow members of the Committee. He raises a specific point, and I will look into it and come back to him.31 Oct 2022HANSARDTopical QuestionsI am in the process of reviewing just that matter and many of the others that we have discussed, so we will have to wait, but it is one of the matters that is under review.31 Oct 2022HANSARDTopical QuestionsI admire my hon. Friend’s persistence on this matter, but I am afraid I must give her the same response that I have given on numerous occasions this afternoon, namely, that we…31 Oct 2022HANSARDTopical QuestionsGiven that I never made that statement, I do not agree with it, no.31 Oct 2022HANSARDTopical QuestionsThe right hon. Gentleman is inviting me, in a whole host of areas, to break with what has been a very long-standing and quite correct convention that Ministers simply do not…31 Oct 2022HANSARDTopical QuestionsI reassure the House that I always agree with myself. That is not the same thing as saying that I am always right, incidentally, but at least I am always consistent in that…31 Oct 2022HANSARDTopical QuestionsThe hon. Gentleman has been in the Chamber during questions for long enough to know that I cannot comment on the uprating or otherwise of benefits. However, he should take into…31 Oct 2022HANSARDTopical QuestionsI thank my hon. Friend—I will call him an hon. Friend, certainly—and colleague from Devon for his question. I know of the excellent work he has been carrying out with Barnardo’s…31 Oct 2022HANSARDUprating of BenefitsI am afraid that, unfortunately, I need to refer my hon. Friend to my previous reply.31 Oct 2022HANSARDUprating of BenefitsThe hon. Gentleman will be aware of the various answers given from the Dispatch Box about the support that the Government are giving, particularly to those who are most…31 Oct 2022HANSARDTopical QuestionsI am honoured to have been appointed as the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. I can inform the House that I have two early key missions: to focus on those who are…31 Oct 2022