Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Topical Questions

Monday 25 January 2021 · 17 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 5 Partly answered 10 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Chi Onwurah congratulated the Newcastle United fans food bank for their efforts and mentioned the additional 170 million winter grant for Newcastle City Council.
  • Stephen McPartland inquired about the Government's plan for jobs and how it helps people acquire new skills, with the response highlighting sector-based work academy programmes and the flexible support fund.
  • Robert Largan asked about steps being taken to ensure pension funds make more environmentally sustainable investments, to which the response included UK legislation for occupational pension scheme investments, including climate risk assessment.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Chi Onwurah Lab Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West
Benefits & Welfare
Context

The question follows the statement on departmental responsibilities. It addresses concerns raised by Newcastle United fans about food bank donations.

Question

This weekend, Newcastle United fans food bank launched a virtual bucket to help meet the massive increase in demand from hungry families due to the universal credit cut that will force many of the 16,000 claimants in Newcastle further into destitution. Will the Secretary of State congratulate the food bank organisers on their hard work and ingenuity, and explain why she will not cancel this cut?

Answer from Therese Coffey

Of course I congratulate the organisation through the football club to which the hon. Lady refers: it is of great worthiness to undertake that. The support that has been ongoing, and also the additional £170 million winter grant from which Newcastle City Council will be benefiting in order to help to make sure that no child goes hungry and every child stays warm this winter.

Partly answered

How: Changed Subject

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Q2 Stephen McPartland Con
Employment
Context

The question addresses the impact of the pandemic on certain sectors and the need to help people looking for new jobs requiring new skills.

Question

How does the Government's plan for jobs help people who are now looking for new jobs that require new skills?

Answer from Therese Coffey

We have provided an unprecedented economic support package to protect and create jobs through the pandemic. The sector-based work academy programmes offer training, work experience and a guaranteed job interview to help people learn industry-specific skills. Our flexible support fund has been boosted by an extra £150 million so that work coaches can help individuals facing redundancy through retraining and overcoming barriers to work.

Answered
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Q3 Jonathan Reynolds Labour (Co-op) Stalybridge and Hyde
Benefits & Welfare
Context

The question addresses the Government's policy on reducing universal credit in April, supported by MPs, charities, campaign groups, and the public. The Under-Secretary stated that it was too early to make a decision.

Question

Will the Secretary of State clarify what is Government policy on reducing universal credit in April, what criteria will affect the decision, and who in Government will ultimately make that decision?

Answer from Therese Coffey

The situation would be reviewed in the new year. The Chancellor and I are actively working on proposals to support people most badly affected by the pandemic, and decisions will be made based on ongoing discussions.

Partly answered

How: Changed Subject

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Q4 Jonathan Reynolds Labour (Co-op) Stalybridge and Hyde
Climate Benefits & Welfare
Context

The question follows a previous inquiry about the Government's policy on reducing universal credit in April. It addresses concerns over reports of a one-off payment to universal credit claimants while cutting unemployment support.

Question

Does the Secretary of State agree that it would be not only unfair, but a very poor use of public money to pay a lump sum to people on universal credit now, while cutting unemployment support to its lowest level for 20 years?

Answer from Therese Coffey

My right hon. Friend the Chancellor and I are actively working on proposals on how we can continue to make sure that we support people most badly affected by the pandemic, including considering climate risk assessment for pension schemes.

Partly answered

How: Changed Subject

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Q5 Robert Largan
Economy Climate Benefits & Welfare
Context

The question addresses the role of pension funds in making environmentally sustainable investments and tackling climate change.

Question

What steps are being taken to ensure that pension funds make more environmentally sustainable investments in future?

Answer from Therese Coffey

The UK is leading the way on this issue with legislation for occupational pension scheme investments, including assessing climate risk and disclosure into statute for pension schemes. This is part of our commitment to tackling climate change ahead of COP26.

Answered
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Q6 Mike Hill Lab
Employment Benefits & Welfare
Context

TUC polling shows that 40% of workers would need to go into debt or arrears if their income dropped to £96 per week, equivalent to SSP level.

Question

According to TUC polling, two fifths or 40% of workers say they will have to go into debt or into arrears on their bills if their income drops to £96 per week, which is the equivalent level of statutory sick pay. What steps is the Department taking to ensure that SSP is set at a level that does not require people to take on extra debts or avoid paying bills?

Answer from Justin Tomlinson

I thank the hon. Member for that question. As set out earlier, SSP is only part of the wide range of support that could be available, including universal credit, new-style ESA and support through local authorities. It will depend on each individual claimant's circumstances. Wider SSP was increased as part of the annual uprating. As part of “Health is everyone's business”, we continue to review the rates, structure and support provided through SSP.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not specify concrete steps or timeline for ensuring SSP adequacy

How: As Set Out Earlier, It Will Depend On Each Individual Claimant'S Circumstances

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Q7 David Davis Con Goole and Pocklington
Benefits & Welfare
Context

A constituent has been waiting over a year for an investigation into their complaint by the independent case examiner, now without universal credit or tax credits.

Question

Over a year ago, one of my constituents had her complaint accepted for investigation by the independent case examiner. Today, she is still waiting for that investigation to start. She is a single parent and is now without universal credit or tax credits for her children. This kind of hardship is often the situation for those taking their cases to the independent case examiner, and the delay is not uncommon. The average time between a complaint being accepted by the examiner and an outcome being provided is a year and a half. That is completely unacceptable, so can the Secretary of State urgently look into the operation of the case examiner and drastically reduce waiting times and ensure that complainants are properly supported throughout the complaints process?

Answer from Therese Coffey

My right hon. Friend raises an important issue. Within the last year, we have reviewed parts of the complaints process. I am also conscious that my noble Friend Baroness Stedman-Scott, who leads on this, has arranged for more resources to go into the independent case examiner. It would be helpful if my right hon. Friend could share with me or with the noble Baroness the precise details, so that we can investigate what has happened.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not commit to drastic reduction in waiting times

How: It Would Be Helpful If My Right Hon. Friend Could Share...

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Q8 Peter Grant SNP
Benefits & Welfare
Context

Due to specific rules set by the Department, pensioners in Peter Grant's constituency do not qualify for cold weather payments despite others receiving them.

Question

Most of my constituency has hardly seen temperatures above freezing since before the turn of the year. Pensioners in around 200 other parts of the United Kingdom are now getting the cold weather payments they are entitled to, but because of rules set out by the Department, thousands of pensioners in my constituency do not qualify for a single penny. Could the Secretary of State explain how that is fair?

Answer from Therese Coffey

I am not sure which specific payments the hon. Gentleman is referring to. I have highlighted, as has the Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, my hon. Friend the Member for Colchester (Will Quince), the warm home discount scheme. There are other winter grant schemes, which have specific criteria. If the hon. Gentleman would like to contact one of the Ministers in the Department directly, I am sure that we can look into that casework for him.

Not addressed: Did not explain why certain areas' pensioners cannot receive cold weather payments

How: I Am Not Sure Which Specific Payments...

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Q9 Theresa Villiers Con
Benefits & Welfare
Context

Government schemes have helped many but there are gaps in support, especially for PAYE freelancers and self-employed individuals.

Question

The Government's emergency income support schemes have helped millions of people, but unfortunately there are gaps in support. Will the Government look again at how to help PAYE freelancers, the newly self-employed, directors of limited companies, and particularly women for whom periods of maternity leave have made it even more difficult to come within these covid emergency schemes? They need help; they are suffering real hardship.

Answer from Mims Davies

We are providing £15 million for local authorities to make discretionary payments to people not eligible for the self-employment income support scheme. The DWP has temporarily relaxed the minimum income floor for self-employed UC claimants affected by covid-19. The self-employed have also benefited from other parts of our support package, such as increased local housing allowance. However, I urge anyone who thinks they may need further support to check the benefits calculator on gov.uk.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not commit to reviewing gaps in support for specific groups mentioned

How: We Are Providing £15 Million...

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Q10 Emma Lewell Lab South Shields
Benefits & Welfare Children & Families
Context

Food banks, schools, charities mobilised to feed hungry children due to inadequacy of welfare state; analysis shows £5 weekly increase in child benefit would lift 680,000 children out of poverty.

Question

The Secretary of State should be ashamed that right across the UK, food banks, schools, charities and communities have had to mobilise to feed hungry children because of the inadequacy of the welfare state. Analysis from the House of Commons Library shows that 680,000 of these children could be lifted out of poverty if universal credit was not cut and child benefit was increased by just £5 per week. Why will she not implement those changes?

Answer from Will Quince

We keep all policies under review, including the uplift to universal credit, which is under active discussion between our Department and the Chancellor of the Exchequer. I would gently push back on what the hon. Lady said and alert her to the fact that in 2020-21, we will spend more than £120 billion on benefits for working-age people. That is £120,000 million—around £1 in every £8 that the Government spend; three times the defence budget, and nearly as large as the NHS budget. We continue to support people throughout this country during the pandemic.

Not addressed: Did not commit to increasing child benefit by £5 a week

How: We Keep All Policies Under Review, I Would Gently Push Back...

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Q11 Andrew Percy Con
Benefits & Welfare Standards & Ethics
Context

With upcoming health and disability Green Paper and national strategy for disabled people, it is crucial that those with lived experiences shape policy.

Question

I am actually in Goole, Mr Speaker. With the upcoming health and disability Green Paper and the national strategy for disabled people, it is vital that those with real lived experiences are able to shape Government policy in this area. Can the Minister assure me that that will be the case?

Answer from Justin Tomlinson

I thank my hon. Friend, who is a champion of real lived experience through his casework and his speeches in Parliament. I can reassure him that both the DWP health and disability Green Paper and the national strategy for disabled people will be shaped by those with real lived experiences. I know that, as a proactive Member of Parliament, he will be happy to host his own stakeholder engagement event with his local advocacy groups.

Answered

Not addressed: null

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Q12 Helen Hayes Lab Dulwich and West Norwood
NHS Benefits & Welfare
Context

Research from TUC indicates that statutory sick pay covers less than a fifth of annual earnings, impacting people's ability to self-isolate. Dido Harding stated low levels of SSP act as financial barriers.

Question

Research from the TUC shows that statutory sick pay currently covers less than a fifth of annual earnings. Does the Secretary of State agree with Dido Harding's statement about low levels of statutory sick pay acting as a barrier for self-isolation? What steps is she taking to ensure SSP provides sufficient support?

Answer from Justin Tomlinson

This is part of a menu of support including universal credit, new style ESA, local authority support, and £500 from the test and trace scheme. Through 'Health is everyone's business', measures to reform SSP are being looked at, focusing on rate, structure, lower earnings threshold, and phased return to work.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific steps or timeline for reforms of SSP not provided

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Q13 Henry Smith Con
Employment Benefits & Welfare
Context

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented economic challenges for people of all ages in Crawley.

Question

What support has the Department for Work and Pensions put in place to help workers get back into work across my constituency?

Answer from Mims Davies

Additional jobcentre at Forest Gate, a response hub at Gatwick airport, and the existing Crawley youth hub provide support. The Department for Work and Pensions estates expansion programme is enhancing these facilities.

Answered

Not addressed: null

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Q14 Chris Matheson Lab
Benefits & Welfare
Context

A constituent has been sanctioned for a total of 1,100 days over two and a half years.

Question

Does the sanction regime not work effectively for some individuals, becoming cruel? Will Ministers look at ways to treat those suffering more respectfully?

Answer from Mims Davies

Sanctions are used when reasonable commitments are not met without good reason. The UC sanction rate is very low, at a record low level. Further review of the specific issue raised can be conducted.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific changes to make sanctions more respectful and dignified not addressed

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Q15 Ian Levy
Business & Trade Benefits & Welfare
Context

The kickstart scheme has been successful in providing work placements but is currently only available to businesses with more than 30 employees.

Question

Will the threshold be lowered to allow smaller businesses access to the same opportunities?

Answer from Mims Davies

The kickstart scheme now allows for any number of roles and sole traders can apply directly to DWP. The minimum threshold has been cut, allowing smaller businesses to offer placements.

Answered

Not addressed: null

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Q16 Wendy Chamberlain Lib Dem North East Fife
Benefits & Welfare
Context

People on legacy benefits were excluded from the universal credit uplift, but now an April uplift of 0.5% is announced.

Question

Will the Secretary of State provide a similar uplift for those on legacy benefits as part of her review?

Answer from Will Quince

Legacy benefits are being increased by 0.5% this year, and 1.7% last year. Claimants can apply for universal credit; entitlements to legacy benefits cease upon application.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Commitment to similar uplift not explicitly given

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Q17 Mark Pawsey Con
Economy Housing
Context

A constituent working intermittently is not eligible for SMI and would be better off without working at all.

Question

What assessment has been made of the support level for homeowners?

Answer from Will Quince

Homeowners should make arrangements with lenders and contact them for support. No plans to amend the qualifying period for SMI.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Changes to SMI qualification not addressed

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