Contributions
1,125 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARD Work Capability Assessment TimescalesI am delighted to serve under your chairmanship this morning. I congratulate the hon. Member for North East Fife (Wendy Chamberlain) on securing this debate. I welcome the…04 Mar 2026HANSARDWork and Pensions…The Department publishes quarterly statistics on the benefit cap, which includes the number of households that are capped and how that changes over time. The most recent…02 Mar 2026HANSARDWork and Pensions…Removing the two-child limit does not undermine work incentives. From time to time, the Conservatives suggest that it does, but actually it does not. Removing the two-child limit…02 Mar 2026HANSARDWork and Pensions…Removing the two-child limit does not substantially undermine work incentives. From time to time, the Conservatives suggest that it does, but actually it does not. Removing the…02 Mar 2026HANSARDWork and Pensions…The Department publishes quarterly statistics on the benefit cap, which includes the number of households that are capped and how that changes over time. The most recent…02 Mar 2026HANSARD Universal Credit (Removal of Two Child Limit) BillI am not sure what the effect will be. It is often said that a Labour Government has the effect of increasing the birth rate, but whether that will prove to be the case this time,…23 Feb 2026HANSARDWork and PensionsFor 2026-27, the standard allowance in universal credit will be uprated by September’s consumer prices index plus an additional 2.3%. That represents the first ever permanent…23 Feb 2026HANSARD Universal Credit (Removal of Two Child Limit) BillI beg to move, That the Bill be now read the Third time. Scrapping the two-child limit is an investment in the future of children and of the country. Two million children will…23 Feb 2026HANSARD Universal Credit (Removal of Two Child Limit) BillI thank all Members who have contributed to the debate. Interventions in the child poverty strategy will lead to the biggest expected reduction in child poverty over a Parliament…23 Feb 2026HANSARD Universal Credit (Removal of Two Child Limit) BillI am sure that the hon. Lady will raise that matter with the Department for Education. That is a very important point. We are extending free school meals to all children in…23 Feb 2026HANSARD Universal Credit (Removal of Two Child Limit) BillOne of the new clauses touches specifically on disabled people. That new clause was not moved, but, as the hon. Lady knows, we are undertaking a review of personal independence…23 Feb 2026HANSARD Universal Credit (Removal of Two Child Limit) BillI am sure that we will turn to the points that my hon. Friend makes in a few moments, but I reassure her that we will undertake a thorough evaluation of the impacts of the…23 Feb 2026HANSARD Universal Credit (Removal of Two Child Limit) BillWe are confident that we can do that from April onwards. Reinstating support for all children in universal credit is a key step to tackling the structural drivers of child…23 Feb 2026HANSARD Universal Credit (Removal of Two Child Limit) BillIt is a privilege to bring this Bill back before the House. This Government believe that everybody should have opportunity in life: opportunity to achieve their potential and…23 Feb 2026HANSARDWork and PensionsFor 2026-27, the standard allowance in universal credit will be uprated by September’s consumer prices index plus an additional 2.3%. That represents the first ever permanent…23 Feb 2026HANSARD Universal Credit (Removal of Two Child Limit) BillWe have set out estimates of the effects that we think will result from the removal of the two-child limit, and there will be more information in the baseline evaluation report…23 Feb 2026HANSARD Universal Credit (Removal of Two Child Limit) BillMy right hon. Friend is right that raising wages has been a crucial part of the Government’s strategy, but removing the benefit cap would reduce work incentives. My hon. Friend…23 Feb 2026HANSARD Pensions and Social SecurityThe question of how the tax system operates is a matter for His Majesty’s Treasury rather than for me. However, the hon. Gentleman might take some comfort from the reassurance…10 Feb 2026HANSARD Pensions and Social SecurityI am grateful for the opportunity to wind up this debate. I thank everyone who has taken part for their constructive and helpful contributions, and I want to make a number of…10 Feb 2026HANSARD Pensions and Social SecurityI am grateful to the right hon. Gentleman for raising this point. It might be of some comfort to him to know that it was not only the last Government who failed to do anything…10 Feb 2026