Topical Questions 2025-03-17
2025-03-17
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Direct Answer
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Context
The Secretary of State co-chairs the child poverty taskforce, aiming to address issues related to children in poverty.
The Secretary of State co-chairs the child poverty taskforce. Will she confirm that its brief will be very wide-ranging, including looking at children in poverty in dispersed rural communities such as mine, but also taking practical steps to tackle poverty among migrant children whose parents have no recourse to public funds?
Absolutely. The child poverty strategy is looking widely at how we can: increase people’s incomes, including through work; reduce costs; ensure families are more financially resilient, looking at issues like debt and savings; and give all children the best start in life, no matter their background or where they live.
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Assessment & feedback
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Q2
Direct Answer
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Context
The JobsPlus pilot program is designed to address employment barriers for residents in specific social housing communities.
Will the Minister provide an update on the JobsPlus pilot and what assessment has been given to its future roll-out, including widening it to include Suffolk Coastal?
JobsPlus pilots were launched in July 2024 and are helping to address employment barriers for the residents of 10 social housing communities. We plan to publish our initial evaluation in the summer, which will help us to understand more about how this type of innovative community-led employment might support our vision to get Britain working. I look forward to working with all Members, especially my hon. Friend, on the next steps for this project.
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Assessment & feedback
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Q3
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP references several organizations in Bromsgrove that support young people, including Legacy Martial Arts, the Basement Project and the Scouts.
There are many fantastic organisations across Bromsgrove and the villages, including Legacy Martial Arts, the Basement Project and the Scouts, which do fantastic work to support young people. The work done by the committed individuals behind those organisations bolsters the confidence, skills and mental health of young people. Will the Minister join me in thanking those organisations for the work they do across my constituency? Will she outline what support is available to those organisations to support them in the valuable work they do?
I absolutely join the hon. Member in thanking all the organisations he mentions. If he could link them up with his local jobcentre, we can help make the connection between young people who have suffered disadvantage and that really positive community support that is available for them in his constituency.
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Assessment & feedback
Working With Partners
Response accuracy
Q4
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP notes that nearly one in seven young people in the UK are not in education, employment or training, which is an 11-year high.
Nearly one in seven young people in the UK are not in education, employment or training. That is an 11-year high. Given that Slough is the youth capital of Britain, what are the Government doing to ensure that young people there have the opportunities to build the successful careers and futures that they so fully deserve?
As my hon. Friend mentions, there are important opportunities in Slough that the young people growing up there need to be able to take advantage of. That is why we launched our youth guarantee as part of our plan to get Britain working. It will be there for 18 to 21-year-olds. Again, I encourage my hon. Friend to work with his local jobcentre in Slough as we improve the support available for young people.
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Assessment & feedback
Working With Partners
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Q5
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP describes a case where a woman's ex-partner denied parentage, delayed matters, claimed special expenses, and declared nil earnings despite having bought a house with a mortgage.
My constituent Sarah left an abusive relationship but, after she applied for maintenance, her ex-partner denied parentage, putting the children through DNA tests; delayed matters; claimed special expenses; and then declared nil earnings, despite having just bought a house with a mortgage—all accepted with no investigation. He is now being asked to pay back his arrears of thousands of pounds at £1 per month. What is being done to review the burden of proof on income, to support parents and children who are being financially abused even after they have left relationships?
As the hon. Lady may know, the Department recently consulted on a range of proposals for future improvements to the child maintenance service, such as how we can protect people from financial abuse and better support victims of domestic abuse. I am obviously not familiar with the specifics of the case she references, but I would be more than happy to follow up if she writes to me about it.
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Assessment & feedback
Will Follow Up
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Q6
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP notes that pension credit claims have increased by 64%, and questions whether the government will review the cap on benefits when a fiscal situation arises.
Pension credit claims, as we have heard, have increased by 64%, and I commend the Minister and the Department for making that happen, as well as Citizens Advice in Stroud and bureaux throughout the country. However, there are 800,000 people who earn just above that limit and live in poverty. I wonder whether, when a fiscal situation arises, the Government will review the cap, and indeed the gradient of this benefit.
My hon. Friend is absolutely right to highlight both the progress that has been made and the hard work of the voluntary sector, including citizens advice bureaux across the country. We must continue recent progress, and we shall certainly do so.
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Assessment & feedback
Will Continue Progress
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Q7
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP mentions a concern from small businesses about employees being pushed into self-employment due to national insurance contribution rises and extra employment laws.
At a constituency meeting last week, I was told that small businesses are starting to ask employees to go self-employed as they cannot otherwise keep roles open because of forthcoming national insurance contribution rises and extra employment laws. Will the Department watch out for this trend in its data, in case it was not the Government’s intention to make workers less secure with these new taxes and more regulations?
Since we took office, we have published research, reports, data and other bits of information that the Department for Work and Pensions had previously been sitting on. The hon. Lady can rest assured that we monitor employment trends and are keen to ensure that the DWP is far more transparent about data than it has been.
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Assessment & feedback
Monitoring Trends
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Q8
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP describes two constituents, one earning less than when on benefits after finding work, and another struggling to find permanent work despite disabilities.
My constituent Heidi recently moved off benefits and back into work, only to find she is earning less than when she was on benefits. Meanwhile, my constituent Tyrone is blind, autistic and has cerebral palsy, and, although he is an aspiring DJ, may struggle to find permanent work. What steps is the Minister taking to ensure that we take a balanced approach, supporting those who cannot work with protection, dignity and security while ensuring that those who can go back into work?
My hon. Friend sets out exactly the balance that we need to strike with our plan: proper employment support on the one hand, which has not been available in the past, and dealing with work disincentives in the current system on the other. When he sees the proposals shortly, I think he will welcome the measures we are planning.
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Assessment & feedback
Future Plans
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Q9
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP asks about the impact of upcoming announcements on people with disabilities or serious health conditions.
Can the Minister reassure people who have had an amputation or have schizophrenia, terminal cancer or uncontrolled epilepsy that tomorrow’s announcements will not mean a cut in their social security?
As we have already made clear today, we are absolutely determined to protect those who need to be protected in the proposals we are bringing forward. I think the hon. Lady will welcome and be reassured by the proposals when she sees them.
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Assessment & feedback
Future Proposals
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Q10
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP inquires about disabled individuals across the country who are unable to access their childhood tax funds.
There are currently thousands of disabled children and adults across the country, including in Hyndburn and Haslingden, who cannot access their childhood tax funds. How is the Minister working to address this issue with the Ministry of Justice to help families to gain quick and easy access to these funds? Will he give further consideration to increasing the scope of the DWP appointee scheme to cover child tax funds and junior individual savings accounts up to £5,000?
I welcome my hon. Friend’s interest in this subject, which she and I have met to discuss. She is absolutely right: there should be no barriers to young people and their families accessing these funds. The Ministry of Justice has made some progress already. I do not think the answer will be altering the DWP appointee scheme, but there will be further progress to make things easier.
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Assessment & feedback
Future Progress
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Q11
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP asks about the number of pensioners who are eligible for but not receiving their full pension credit.
How many pensioners in North Durham have not taken up all or part of their entitlement to Pension Credit? How much is this costing the Treasury?
The DWP’s estimate, based on HMRC tax credits data, suggests that around 59% of people entitled to Pension Credit are not claiming it. The Department has published a table showing the number of people who have claimed but could claim more (as they have additional entitlements) and how much this would be worth for them in North Durham, which is available here.
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Assessment & feedback
Published Data
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Q12
Direct Answer
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A significant number of constituents have contacted the MP's office with concerns about welfare cuts.
Supporting people back into work is not only the right thing to do for the UK economy, but the fair and compassionate thing to do for people stuck in the welfare system. However, over the past few days, a significant number of people have contacted my constituency office with profound concerns about what they have heard and read in the press. Does the Minister agree that by removing the culture of fear and creating a nurturing environment, we can help people back into work and give them the support they need not just to survive but to thrive?
My hon. Friend is absolutely right. We are determined to provide proper support, which existed in the past but disappeared after 2010. We want to provide that support again because so many people would thrive if they had it. At the moment there are 200,000 people out of work on health and disability grounds who would love to be in a job if they just had the support.
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Q13
Partial Answer
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Context
Disabled people in Brighton Pavilion have written to the MP with genuine fears about proposed benefit cuts.
For weeks, the Government’s active trailing of welfare cuts has generated genuine fear. Disabled people in Brighton Pavilion are writing to me in terror. Will the Secretary of State apologise for this and reassure the public that benefit changes will not take place this calendar year or without parliamentary votes in this House?
First, I recognise that there has been a good deal of anxiety, and I regret that. But there will not be long to wait. The proposals will soon become clear. The hon. Lady will welcome a great deal of the changes that we want to make.
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Assessment & feedback
The Minister did not apologize for generating fear or confirm no welfare cuts this year without parliamentary votes.
But There Will Not Be Long To Wait
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Q14
Direct Answer
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Context
The MP is concerned about the involvement of disabled individuals in welfare reform decisions.
As a human rights city, York believes that disabled people should be at the heart of all decision making. How have disabled people formed the Minister’s views in making these changes? Have they been at the heart of the decision making?
My hon. Friend is right. Our manifesto has a firm commitment that the views and voices of disabled people should be at the heart of everything that we do. Over the past week I have had discussions with a number of disabled people’s fora. When we come forward with our proposals shortly, we will consult extensively with disabled people and their organisations about the right way forward.
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Assessment & feedback
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Q15
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP is questioning the credibility of the Secretary of State’s original welfare plans.
The Government announced billions of cuts to the Department; then, over recent days, Ministers have made U-turn after U-turn, and in the media round over the weekend were spinning out of control. Is there anything meaningful left to announce from the Secretary of State’s original welfare plans?
The Conservative party, which left a broken welfare system that is failing the people who depend on it and taxpayers, had 14 years to put it right. We know what their legacy is. Hon. Members will see the proposals soon, but we will not shy away from the decisions that we believe are right to give opportunities to people who can work, security for those who cannot, and to get the welfare bill on a sustainable footing.
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Assessment & feedback
The Minister did not confirm or deny substantial remaining announcements.
We Know What Their Legacy Is
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Q16
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP criticizes the media for negative portrayal of poverty in her constituency.
Today’s Telegraph has done a right hatchet job on the most socially deprived ward in my constituency. The people of the East Marsh are sick and tired of journalists taking a day trip to write their poverty porn stories about people who are proud and keen to play their part in society in every way that they can. They have sought to pit older people against younger people, highlighting the NEET record. The young people in that ward are as keen to work as anyone else, but they need the jobs to do it. What discussions is the Secretary of State having about that?
There will be no greater representative for her constituents than my hon. Friend, who rightly said that they want the right chances, choices and support to work, as anyone else does. That is why we are creating good jobs in every part of the country through our modern industrial strategy. We are improving the quality of work and making work pay through our Employment Rights Bill. Our get Britain working plan will give the work, skills and—
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Assessment & feedback
The Minister did not specify any discussions on negative portrayal.
That Is Why We Are Creating Good Jobs In Every Part Of The Country
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Q17
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP raises concerns about social media influencers teaching people to game the Motability system.
It is right that the welfare system supports those with disabilities. However, does the Secretary of State agree that social media influencers who are teaching people to game the Motability system in order to get free vehicles is a disgrace? If so, what does she intend to do about it?
The hon. Gentleman will be aware that this issue falls under the umbrella of wider fraud. We inherited an appalling level of fraud in the welfare system under the previous Government. Our fraud Bill goes some way to tackling that, as part of a broader package of £8.6 billion—the largest ever package for tackling fraud.
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Assessment & feedback
The Minister did not directly address the issue of social media influencers teaching people to game the Motability system.
This Issue Falls Under The Umbrella Of Wider Fraud
Response accuracy
Q18
Direct Answer
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The MP is concerned that proposed cuts will push more disabled households into poverty.
Given that nearly half of families in poverty have a disabled member and that without PIP an additional 700,000 disabled households could be pushed into poverty, I am concerned that the rumoured cuts will not help people into work but instead drive them further into destitution. What assurances can the Minister give me that the voices of disabled people have been heard and reflected on in the upcoming Green Paper?
I give my hon. Friend a firm assurance that not only have we been listening, but we shall continue to listen once the proposals have been published.
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Q19
Partial Answer
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The MP questions the Department for Communities in Northern Ireland about its pursuit of benefit fraud.
I have previously urged the Secretary of State to liaise with the Department for Communities in Northern Ireland over its pitiful pursuit of benefit fraud. In the same vein, is the Minister aware that of the 39,000 new vehicles registered in Northern Ireland last year, 18,000 were under the Motability scheme? Is that not indicative of appalling abuse of that scheme? Will he raise with the Department for Communities what it is doing about that?
The Motability scheme is highly valued by disabled people around the UK. If the hon. and learned Gentleman has examples of misuse of that scheme, I would very much like to see them, but it is a scheme that is greatly prized right across the House. I think he would discover that if he talked to other Members about it.
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Assessment & feedback
The Minister did not confirm or deny issues with the Motability scheme in Northern Ireland.
If The Hon. And Learned Gentleman Has Examples Of Misuse
Response accuracy