Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Social Security: Tackling Poverty in Wales

Monday 12 May 2025 · 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 1 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • UK Labour Government confirmed plans for welfare cuts worth billions of pounds.
  • New fair repayment rate caps Universal Credit deductions at 15%.
  • Welsh Government's young person's guarantee scheme helps over 48,000 young people.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Ann Davies PC Caerfyrddin
Wales Benefits & Welfare Children & Families
Context

New figures revealed an increase in child poverty in Wales, prompting criticism of the UK Labour Government's plans for welfare cuts. The Welsh First Minister has also criticised these measures.

Question

Just a day before new figures showed a rise in child poverty in Wales, the UK Labour Government confirmed plans for billions of pounds-worth of welfare cuts, pushing tens of thousands more children into hardship. Given that data is not robust enough to know the poverty impact on Wales, and considering criticism from the Welsh First Minister, will the Secretary of State now listen to the First Minister of Wales, conduct a Wales-specific impact assessment and scrap these cruel measures?

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Andrew Western)

I am sorry to disappoint the hon. Lady, but I am sure she would not want us to produce a potentially inaccurate assessment of the impact on Wales. The levels of poverty in Wales are unacceptable, which is a result of 14 years of the Conservative party failing to address long-term industrial decline in many communities across Wales. The best way to get people out of poverty is to get them into work, so I am sure she will welcome the recent launch of the inactivity trailblazer in Wales.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Conducted a partial response by addressing industrial decline and work as solutions but avoided discussing a specific impact assessment or scrapping welfare cuts.

How: Changing Subject To Long-Term Industrial Decline, Saying The Best Solution Is Getting People Into Work

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Q2 Catherine Fookes Lab Monmouthshire
Wales Benefits & Welfare Children & Families
Context

The new fair repayment rate caps universal credit deductions at 15%, alongside the Welsh Government's youth guarantee scheme to help young people gain skills and find jobs.

Question

Does the Minister agree with me that the new fair repayment rate, which caps universal credit deductions at 15%, along with the actions of the Welsh Government to help more than 48,000 young people gain skills and find jobs through the young person’s guarantee scheme will help alleviate poverty in Wales, and therefore should be welcomed?

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Andrew Western)

I of course agree with my hon. Friend, about both the benefits of the youth guarantee and the specific impact of the fair repayment rate, which across the country will support 1.2 million of the poorest families, including 700,000 families with children.

Answered
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