Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Topical Questions

Monday 1 September 2025 · 3 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 3 Partly answered 0 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Johanna Baxter welcomed the Government's improvements to workers' rights, particularly for the lowest-paid employees.
  • Kirsty Blackman questioned the Labour Government's action on child poverty, highlighting Scotland's progress in reducing child poverty.
  • Debbie Abrahams inquired about the link between the disability advisory panel and the co-production in the Timms review.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Johanna Baxter Lab Paisley and Renfrewshire South
Employment
Context

The MP, with a background in trade union work, welcomes the government's improvements to workers' rights.

Question

As someone who proudly served the trade union movement for two decades before entering this place, I warmly welcome the Government’s improvement to workers’ rights. Will the Minister set out what steps are being taken to ensure that no one is left behind in the vital reforms to statutory sick pay?

Answer from The Minister for Employment (Alison McGovern)

I know that so many of my hon. Friends will, like her, welcome the changes we are making to statutory sick pay, which will improve eligibility for 1.3 million of the lowest-paid employees and remove the waiting period. Many of those who will benefit are low-paid women. The removal of the waiting period will mean that all employees receive at least £60 more at the start of their sickness absence compared to the current system, but we will continue to evaluate the measures as they are implemented.

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Q2 Kirsty Blackman SNP Aberdeen North
Scotland Children & Families
Context

Scotland is the only part of these islands where child poverty is falling, due to specific local measures.

Question

Scotland is the only part of these islands where child poverty is falling, as a result of the Scottish child payment and the mitigation of the bedroom cap. When will the Labour Government move from empty words to actual action to take children out of poverty?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Liz Kendall)

We are already extending free school meals to all families on universal credit. We have extended the holiday activities and food programme, so that we feed poor kids not just during school but in the holidays, too. We have introduced a new fair repayment rate in universal credit. We have made the first ever multi-year settlement for the crisis and resilience fund to help struggling families. We are introducing and rolling out breakfast clubs. Our child poverty strategy will be published in the autumn. We are already taking action to tackle poverty and we will do more.

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Q3 Debbie Abrahams Lab Oldham East and Saddleworth
Benefits & Welfare
Context

The MP is pleased about the establishment of a disability advisory panel.

Question

I was delighted to see the establishment of the disability advisory panel a week or so ago. How will the advisory panel link with the co-production in the Timms review?

Answer from The Minister for Social Security and Disability (Sir Stephen Timms)

I am grateful to my hon. Friend. We have announced that Zara Todd will be the chair of the Department’s disability advisory panel. The panel was announced in the “Get Britain Working” White Paper last year. Separately, we will set up a group to work with me on the review of the PIP assessment. I will, of course, talk to the disability advisory panel about the arrangements, but they will be separate structures.

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