Contributions
959 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDUniversal CreditI thank the hon. Lady for her question. As the Prime Minister set out last week, we will introduce, as part of the Department of Health and Social Care’s emergency Bill,…09 Mar 2020HANSARDUniversal CreditAbsolutely not, and discretion will, of course, be used.09 Mar 2020HANSARDUniversal CreditI thank the hon. Gentleman for his question. We are a Government who listen. Let us look at the improvements that have already been made to UC: increased advances, of up to 100%…09 Mar 2020HANSARDUniversal CreditI thank my hon. Friend for his question and for visiting the jobcentre, and he describes the same feedback that my Front-Bench colleagues and I receive when we visit jobcentres.…09 Mar 2020HANSARDUniversal CreditI thank the Chairman of the Select Committee for his question. I start from the premise that we do not believe anybody has to wait five weeks for a payment under universal credit.…09 Mar 2020HANSARDUniversal CreditI thank my hon. Friend for his question and for all the work he does in this area, and I welcome him back to his place. In recent years, the Government have made significant…09 Mar 2020HANSARDUniversal CreditUniversal credit has been designed to be as quick and easy as possible for the user, ensuring claimants receive money at the earliest available opportunity. It is designed to be a…09 Mar 2020HANSARDUniversal Credit and State Pension PaymentsThe Government recently announced that anyone reaching state pension age while claiming universal credit can receive a run-on until the end of the assessment period in which they…09 Mar 2020HANSARDUniversal CreditI thank my hon. Friend for his question and for visiting his local jobcentre. All jobcentres have wi-fi and computers available for claimants to access the internet. For those who…09 Mar 2020HANSARDWorking-age Social Security Benefits: Four-year FreezeAs I have just said, the Government have already announced that working age benefits will rise in line with inflation next month. As the hon. Lady will know, the Secretary of…09 Mar 2020HANSARDTopical QuestionsAs the Secretary of State said a moment ago, local housing allowance rates are not intended to meet all rents in all areas. The LHA is designed to ensure a fair balance between…09 Mar 2020HANSARDTopical QuestionsAdvances are an important tool to help the most vulnerable claimants receive the money they need to live on. As part of the application process, proposed repayments and advance…09 Mar 2020HANSARDSurplus EarningsThe surplus earnings policy was introduced to prevent people who are paid large amounts of earnings on an irregular basis from receiving a greater amount of benefit and earnings…05 Mar 2020HANSARDChild PovertyI think I have already answered that question—I will look at it very closely. If the Scottish Government are serious about addressing child poverty more broadly, they should be…12 Feb 2020HANSARDChild PovertyWe do not want to see one individual family or child in poverty. The hon. Gentleman talks about in-work poverty. We are taking action, as a Government, to tackle in-work poverty.…12 Feb 2020HANSARDChild PovertyThe hon. Gentleman will not be surprised to hear that I disagree with him. Since 2010, there are over 3.8 million more people in work and 730,000 fewer children growing up in…12 Feb 2020HANSARDChild PovertyThe Government are committed to tackling poverty so that we can make a lasting difference to long-term outcomes. This Government have lifted 400,000 people out of absolute poverty…12 Feb 2020HANSARDChild PovertyI am looking very closely at that measure and its impact. I gently suggest to the hon. Lady that this is in fact evidence of devolution working. There is no monopoly on good…12 Feb 2020HANSARDChild PovertyI thank my right hon. Friend and recognise his huge expertise in this area. The Scottish Government, and indeed this Government, want to address these issues, and I am committed…12 Feb 2020HANSARD Social SecurityI beg to move, That the draft Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order 2020, which was laid before this House on 30 January, be approved. In my view, the provisions in these…10 Feb 2020