Contributions
1,125 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARD Welfare SpendingI enjoyed listening to the shadow Secretary of State’s fierce critique of the state of the benefits system that was left behind after 14 years of Tory government. She made some…04 Nov 2025HANSARD Welfare SpendingI will make a little more headway. The review will be co-produced with disabled people, to ensure that the system supports disabled people to achieve better health, higher living…04 Nov 2025HANSARD Welfare SpendingI will make a bit more headway first. Connect to Work will go to the end of the decade to support 300,000 disabled people and people with health and other complex barriers to…04 Nov 2025HANSARD Welfare SpendingI do envisage that, as people get back to work, there will be savings on social security. I think we will see at the Budget projections from the Office for Budget Responsibility…04 Nov 2025HANSARD Welfare SpendingWe have made major changes in the Universal Credit Act 2025, which will take effect in April of next year. We are making the changes that are needed. Lastly, when building a more…04 Nov 2025HANSARD Welfare SpendingThe hon. Gentleman raises a good, practical point. Quite a lot of GP surgeries certainly do have space and welcome work coaches or an adviser on to the premises, but he is right…04 Nov 2025HANSARD Welfare SpendingIt is vital that we make sure that those in real need do not miss out, and I can reassure the hon. Lady that I am in fairly regular contact with her colleague in the Northern…04 Nov 2025HANSARD Welfare SpendingThe hon. Gentleman makes another interesting reflection on the state of the system left behind by 14 years of Tory government. We are going to be making progress, as I said. Our…04 Nov 2025HANSARDTimms Review: Updated Terms of Reference and Next StepsIn June, the Government announced it would launch the Timms review, the first ever full review of personal independence payment, with the aim of ensuring we have a system that…30 Oct 2025HANSARDTopical QuestionsI can reassure my hon. Friend that the review of the PIP assessment, including the mobility element of that benefit, will be undertaken fully in co-production with disabled people…27 Oct 2025HANSARDAccess to Work SchemeI am very happy to meet the hon. Gentleman again, but I assure him that the policy has not changed. In fact, just last week we published the spending figures on Access to Work,…27 Oct 2025HANSARDAccess to Work SchemeI am aware that a big chunk of Access to Work funding goes on British Sign Language interpretation, and it is not unusual for people who draw on that support to hit the cap, which…27 Oct 2025HANSARDTopical QuestionsI would be very happy to look into the particular case the hon. Member raises. Of course, an appeal process is available, so I hope that her constituent has submitted an appeal.…27 Oct 2025HANSARDCarer’s AllowanceSome 975,000 people are being paid carer’s allowance in England and Wales, including some 900 people in the hon. Member’s constituency.27 Oct 2025HANSARDTopical QuestionsThe hon. Member raises an important point, and I agree about the importance of not wasting talent in the future. That is the reason for the reforms we are introducing. Earlier…27 Oct 2025HANSARDEmployment: People with Health ConditionsYes, appropriate checks are in place. As I have just mentioned, we are undertaking a review of the PIP assessment, and we will need to look carefully, together with disabled…27 Oct 2025HANSARDTopical QuestionsTransitional protection is available for people making the transition across, and I spoke earlier about the support being provided through the enhanced support journey to people…27 Oct 2025HANSARDEmployment: People with Health ConditionsI can assure my hon. Friend that there will be no changes to the eligibility conditions for the mobility component of the personal independence payment, or indeed other aspects of…27 Oct 2025HANSARDTopical QuestionsDemand for Access to Work has risen sharply. I mentioned earlier that spending went up by 17% over the past year, but I do not think Access to Work can replace a well-designed…27 Oct 2025HANSARDEmployment: People with Health ConditionsMy hon. Friend is absolutely right. The disability employment gap has been stuck at around 30 percentage points ever since 2010. What he refers to in his constituency sounds like…27 Oct 2025