Contributions
1,831 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDHealth: MigrainesMy Lords, NHS England estimates that 10 million people live with migraine in the UK, and that 3 million workdays are lost every year due to migraine-related absenteeism, which…24 Oct 2023HANSARDEmployment and Support AllowanceI have listened very carefully to my noble friend and have every sympathy. It might help to know that we are looking very carefully at the descriptors for those who are disabled…18 Oct 2023HANSARDEmployment and Support AllowanceI should remind the noble Baroness that we uprated by 10.1% in 2023, and I take her point. I can reassure her that the process leading up to April 2024 is beginning; I have no…18 Oct 2023HANSARDEmployment and Support AllowanceThe House will not be surprised when I say that that is one of the Government’s biggest challenges—that is very clear. People with long-term sickness are some of the hardest to…18 Oct 2023HANSARDEmployment and Support AllowanceMy Lords, in 2017 the Government set a goal to see 1 million more people in work by 2027. Last year, we surpassed that goal five years early. The Government have a range of…18 Oct 2023HANSARDEmployment and Support AllowanceI am not sure about the definition of “even-handed”, but I reassure the noble Lord that it includes training the experts in the jobcentres in dealing with the individuals they are…18 Oct 2023HANSARDEmployment and Support AllowanceThat is exactly what we are doing. We have been recruiting at pace more experts for the jobcentres and, as the noble Baroness will know, are consulting on the conditionalities and…18 Oct 2023HANSARDState Pensions: Canada Free Trade AgreementYes, and I understand how they might wish to make that connection, but I reiterate again that we see no connection. In fact, the agreements that have been put in place in the past…18 Oct 2023HANSARDState Pensions: Canada Free Trade AgreementThe rate of contribution paid has never earned entitlement to indexation of pensions payable abroad. This reflects the fact that the UK scheme is designed primarily for those…18 Oct 2023HANSARDState Pensions: Canada Free Trade AgreementMy Lords, state pensions are not in the scope of the negotiations on a free trade agreement with Canada. The UK state pension is payable worldwide to those who meet the qualifying…18 Oct 2023HANSARDEmployment and Support AllowanceThere are a few initiatives, such as the Disability Confident scheme, which I have alluded to. Increasing access to occupational health is a very important initiative which…18 Oct 2023HANSARDEmployment and Support AllowanceThis is much more of a health matter, but we in the DWP are focusing on getting the 2.5 million back into work, should they wish to.18 Oct 2023HANSARDEmployment and Support AllowanceAlthough I do not have information on that specific programme here, I will certainly write to the right reverend Prelate. It no doubt fits in well with and complements many of the…18 Oct 2023HANSARDState Pensions: Canada Free Trade AgreementI can reassure my noble friend that I have received my own letter: actually, it happened to be today, because we have been away. I am already on it and I will certainly be…18 Oct 2023HANSARDState Pensions: Canada Free Trade AgreementYes, I can certainly give some reassurance on that to my noble friend. She may know that the policy has been challenged in the courts, and the Government’s long-standing position…18 Oct 2023HANSARDState Pensions: Canada Free Trade AgreementI cannot deny that the noble Baroness makes a very good point. I will certainly go back and look at the specific case she has raised. I think she is saying that it extends to…18 Oct 2023HANSARDState Pensions: Canada Free Trade AgreementThis issue goes back to what has happened in the past. The distribution of reciprocal agreements with countries is based on historic ties with those countries and the levels of…18 Oct 2023HANSARDState Pensions: Canada Free Trade AgreementIf I have not said it before, I assure the noble Viscount that actually the two are separate: social security arrangements linking to pensions are separate from free trade…18 Oct 2023HANSARDState Pensions: Canada Free Trade AgreementI am certainly very aware—this perhaps adds to the Answer I gave to the noble Lord, Lord Thomas—that the Department for Work and Pensions has received requests for a reciprocal…18 Oct 2023HANSARDState Pensions: Canada Free Trade AgreementMy Lords, whether there are brackets or not, obviously I will need to go back and check myself what the website says. As I say, people move abroad for many reasons and, before…18 Oct 2023