Esther McVey appears to have misled Parliament in misrepresenting the findings of the NAO report - Margaret Greenwood

Margaret Greenwood MP, Labour’s Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, responding to the National Audit’s Office letter to Esther McVey this morning, said:

“This is a very serious matter. Esther McVey appears to have misled Parliament in misrepresenting the findings of the NAO report.

“She sought to rubbish the NAO report, rather than respond to its findings, which were damning of her Government’s flagship social security policy, even though her own department had agreed the report prior to its publication.

“She must now make a full apology to the NAO, to Parliament and to the people who rely on Universal Credit for support. If she won’t then she should consider her position because people’s lives are being ruined by this botched policy rollout.”

Ends

Notes to editors

• ·         Ministerial code 1.3.c is very clear that: “It is of paramount importance that Ministers give accurate and truthful information to Parliament, correcting any inadvertent error at the earliest opportunity. Ministers who knowingly mislead Parliament will be expected to offer their resignation to the Prime Minister.”