Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Covid-19: Employment Support

Wednesday 14 October 2020 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Ministerial discussions with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions have occurred frequently.
  • At least 510,000 people in Wales have been directly supported by measures put in place.
  • Discussions have touched on updating legacy benefits such as jobseeker's allowance.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Rosie Cooper Lab
Employment Wales
Context

The MP is concerned about the impact of the pandemic on employment in Wales and seeks to understand discussions between government departments.

Question

What recent discussions has he had with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on support for people in Wales whose employment has been adversely affected by the COVID-19 outbreak?

Answer from Simon Hart

I have frequent discussions with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. At least 510,000 people in Wales have been directly supported by measures so far put in place. However, the best possible support we can provide is to get behind the national effort and public health guidelines to ensure that we overcome this crisis sooner rather than later.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer mentions discussions but does not provide specific details about the content or outcomes of these discussions.

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Q2 Rosie Cooper Lab
Employment Benefits & Welfare
Context

The MP points out that many workers in Wales will rely on social security due to high unemployment and asks whether the government agrees with updating certain benefits.

Question

With the UK's unemployment rate at its highest level in three years, it is clear that many workers in Wales will need to rely on social security in order to get back on their feet. Does the Secretary of State agree that it is only fair to update legacy benefits such as jobseeker's allowance and employment and support allowance to match the increase in universal credit?

Answer from Simon Hart

I thank the hon. Lady for her comments. Conversations I have had with the Department for Work and Pensions, and indeed the Chancellor, have touched on this very issue. This is why the arrangements on universal credit have been as flexible as they can be. The Department is making an effort to ensure that everybody is accounted for and that those who might fall into the gaps we referred to earlier are properly looked after.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer discusses efforts but does not directly commit to updating legacy benefits or provide specific details about matching increases in universal credit.

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