Job Vacancies: Stroud Siobhan Baillie (Stroud) (Con) 1. What steps
he is taking to help fill job vacancies in Stroud
constituency.(900697) The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
(Mel Stride) I had the great pleasure of visiting my hon. Friend’s
jobcentre in April. Since then, it has been closed temporarily, I
believe, and moved to Gloucester. I am sure there is no connection.
[Interruption.] I am really sure, I can reassure the hon. Member
for Cambridge...Request free trial
Job Vacancies: Stroud
(Stroud) (Con)
1. What steps he is taking to help fill job vacancies in Stroud
constituency.(900697)
The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions ()
I had the great pleasure of visiting my hon. Friend’s jobcentre
in April. Since then, it has been closed temporarily, I believe,
and moved to Gloucester. I am sure there is no connection.
[Interruption.] I am really sure, I can reassure the hon. Member
for Cambridge (). Of course, it does a
fantastic job in matching jobs through work coaches, jobs fairs,
recruitment days and an extensive skills offering.
Work experience is often really hard to nail down—places go to
those with friends and family in the sector, and employers are
really busy. That is particularly so for small skilled
manufacturing businesses in Stroud, so I am working with
employability experts Finito to launch a campaign for low-fuss
shadowing work experience across the board. We want to allow
everybody, young and old, to find out more about weird and
wonderful jobs, and to allow employers to assess candidates. Is
that something my right hon. Friend is interested in, and will he
meet me to discuss it?
I thank my hon. Friend for the question, and I would be delighted
for either me or the relevant Minister to meet her. I know the
terrific work she has done, particularly with organisations such
as Finito, in getting young people ready for work. Indeed, I
believe she set up the all-party parliamentary group on the
future of employability. I am very happy to have a meeting.
Access to Work
(Cambridge) (Lab)
2. What steps his Department is taking to reduce waiting times
for Access to Work assessments.(900698)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
()
Access to Work remains in high demand. We are increasing the
number of staff processing Access to Work claims, and
prioritising renewal applications for those with a job start
within four weeks. We are improving the service through increased
digitisation to improve the time from application through to
decision.
I thank the Minister for her answer. Back in September, I asked
the then Minister about the impact of long waiting times for
Access to Work assessments on the neurodiverse, and I would like
to press further on the impact of long waits for assessments in
the NHS. What analysis has been done, and does the Minister
appreciate the cost to the economy of not making the right
adjustments to unlock such unused potential?
I thank the hon. Member for his point. I, too, pressed the
previous Minister on this matter, and I shall be pressing myself
going forward. In fact, we met and fed in work involving Thriiver
in my constituency, and we have been working with stakeholders,
partners and employer organisations to make sure this link is
joined up. We are determined that Access to Work will continue to
be fit for purpose, and that we will deliver a modern and
efficient digital service. Our new online portal is part of that.
I think it is key to hear the experiences and to link up with
other Departments.
(Romsey and Southampton
North) (Con)
I welcome my hon. Friend to her new expanded role in the
Department for Work and Pensions. The last time I raised Access
to Work with her, it was about a particular blockage in my
constituency, and I thank her for resolving that. She will know
as well as I do that one of the biggest challenges for young
disabled people is the transition into work. What reassurance can
she give me that she is prioritising the applications of young
people, so that when they move into their first job, that is not
impeded by too slow a reaction from Access to Work?
I thank my right hon. Friend, and I hope I am the Minister for
getting things done in this brief, as I have been in all my other
briefs in my almost five years at the DWP. I will be leaning very
much into those details. I will be very clear with the House that
the focus on youth transitions is really important for the sector
and for the individual people we are talking about. I agree with
my right hon. Friend, and I will be looking into that in the new
year.
Mr Speaker
I call the shadow Minister.
(Lewisham, Deptford)
(Lab)
It is a pleasure to welcome the new Minister to her post. After a
week of no news, I was starting to worry that the Prime Minister
was not going to appoint anyone. I think she is aware of the huge
Access to Work backlog her predecessor failed to tackle. Over the
last year, it has reduced by only 942, with a staggering 24,339
still waiting, so hardly a dent has been made. What will she do
to speed this up and ensure that thousands of disabled people are
not left waiting months to start work?
I thank the hon. Lady for her welcome to this post, and I hope
that I have already spelled out my commitment to delivering in
this brief. I think that prioritising the process of Access to
Work claims, renewals and job starts within four weeks is key, as
is making sure that those with mental health support needs get
additional support and that those who are deaf or hard of hearing
also get that focus and that reach. I assure the hon. Lady that
we have increased the number of staff in this space. On my
handover from the previous Minister, I would take issue with the
hon. Lady about the focus he had on reforming Access to Work and
making sure it was fit for purpose, but I am happy to engage with
her further.
All we see from this Government are delays: delays processing
Access to Work applications; delays publishing the disability
action plan; and now delays in appointing the new Minister. When
her new role was finally announced, it had been downgraded from
Minister of State to Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State. What
message does she think that sends to disabled people, and will
she push to be made Minister of State like her predecessor?
I thank the hon. Lady for lobbying for my elevation and rank in
this House. I am delighted to respond by making it clear to the
lobby and to those we are talking about and looking after that
that makes no material difference to their day-to-day life. There
is no difference in my convening power or in the day-to-day work.
Our next cross-Government ministerial disability champions
meeting is in the new year. Let me be clear: this is not about
rank. We are sent to this House to serve people and to engage and
listen, and I will do that whatever the title or rank.
Long-term Unemployment
Mr (Old Bexley and Sidcup)
(Con)
3. What steps his Department is taking to support the long-term
unemployed into work.(900699)
(Buckingham) (Con)
7. What steps his Department is taking to support the long-term
unemployed into work.(900704)
The Minister for Employment ()
It is a pleasure to be back, Mr Speaker. We are delivering a
suite of measures as part of the back to work plan, supporting
customers on their journey to employment. That is focused on
developing skills and building confidence through interventions
such as the restart scheme. We are working across Government to
support those with health conditions get back to work, with
programmes such as our WorkWell service.
Mr French
As a Conservative MP from a working-class background, I believe
fundamentally in aspiration, hard work and fairness. Does my hon.
Friend agree that the benefit system must be a safety net for
those in genuine need, and that those people who can work should
work?
I thank my hon. Friend because he speaks perfectly for those of
us across the Conservative family. Work is positive, a force for
good, and the system should be fair to the taxpayer and the
claimant, with checks and balances. It is right that, on average,
those in work are some £6,000 better off per year. Universal
credit was introduced and further rolled out because it is a
welfare system that makes work pay.
Skills are clearly key to supporting the long-term unemployed to
find work. Buckinghamshire Council is launching a series of
skills bootcamps, targeted at the long-term unemployed. For
example, one bootcamp will provide construction skills, including
a construction skills certification scheme card, plus support to
reach self-employment and wraparound support on how to set up a
company. Will my hon. Friend congratulate Buckinghamshire Council
on that initiative, and say what more she can do to ensure that
those who need to upgrade their skills base are able to do
so?
I am delighted to congratulate not only Buckinghamshire Council
but my hon. Friend on the fantastic work he does in his
constituency. Upskilling jobseekers, particularly in areas such
as construction where we need more domestic workers, is vital.
The Department for Work and Pensions continues to support
individuals into employment through back to work programmes such
as the restart scheme, which provides tailored training
programmes and sector-based work academy programmes similar to
those mentioned by my hon. Friend. It offers training, work
placements, and guaranteed job interviews, and I am committed to
exploring what more can be done.
(Bristol East) (Lab)
Earlier today I met Everyone’s Environment, and we talked about
how we can ensure that people with disabilities benefit from some
of the new green jobs and training that are coming on board. I
know that the Minister’s predecessor as Minister for employment
sat on the green jobs delivery group, so will she say what
involvement she has had with that group to date?
I have already had a meeting of the inter-ministerial group on
green jobs, and I have met many of those from across the
disability sector. When I was a Minister in the Department for
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, I sat on the
inter-ministerial groups for green jobs and for disability
access. It is vital that we use everybody’s talents, because work
is a force for good. Someone’s disability should not stop their
talent shining, and I will not let it do so.
Mr Speaker
Here’s somebody who will shine. I call .
(Strangford) (DUP)
Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. I thank the Minister for that
response. Many of the long-term unemployed have disabilities.
Some of them cannot work, but some wish to work, and they need
flexible hours because they do not know the times and days that
they will not be able to work and will be off. What can be done
to help those who have disabilities get into work, so long as
their health can dictate when?
We have a whole suite in the back to work plan and the investment
of £2.5 billion so that we can work with individual people to
tailor plans for them. It is vital that if, for example,
someone’s health condition restricts when they can travel on
public transport, we work with them to ensure that they can
travel after rush hour. They might need a taxi or some other
tailored support. That can be done, and it will be done.
Employment Rate: OBR Forecast
(Ogmore) (Lab)
4. What assessment he has made of the potential implications for
his policies of the employment rate forecast in the Office for
Budget Responsibility’s economic and fiscal outlook published in
November 2023.(900700)
(Bradford South) (Lab)
17. What assessment he has made of the potential implications for
his policies of the employment rate forecast in the Office for
Budget Responsibility’s economic and fiscal outlook published in
November 2023.(900716)
The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions ()
The Government are committed to increasing employment. Payroll
employment is at a near record high of 30.2 million, which is up
1.2 million on the pre-pandemic level. The Office for Budget
Responsibility forecasts that our back to work plan will see
30,000 more people in work over the forecast period.
The OBR revealed at the time of the autumn statement that after
more than 13 years of this Conservative Government, 600,000 more
people will be on health and disability benefits by 2028-29. Far
from it being a back to work Budget, the Secretary of State knows
that that is not anything like the truth and that the Tories are
failing the employment market in this country.
I cannot agree with that. In fact, I point the hon. Gentleman to
the figure of 371,000, which is the number of people fewer the
OBR forecasts will be on those very long-term sickness and
disability benefits because of the reforms that this Government
are bringing in.
Last week, the Office for National Statistics published figures
showing that 6.6% of people of working age in Bradford are
claiming out-of-work benefits, which is the highest rate in the
Leeds city region. Does the Secretary of State believe that the
Government’s back to work plan is working for people in my
constituency of Bradford South?
The back to work plan has billions of pounds-worth of investment
behind it, including the £3.5 billion announced by the Chancellor
in the spring Budget. Such things as extending restart, bringing
forward mandatory placements after 18 months to ensure that
people get into work and doubling universal support are important
measures that will see increased numbers in work.
Mr Speaker
I call the shadow Minister.
(Wirral South) (Lab)
All we hear from the Secretary of State on employment is smoke
and mirrors, but thankfully the OBR has published the numbers. We
have just heard what he believes is happening with employment
because of his policies, but when the OBR looked at his policies,
did its forecast show the employment rate, compared with today,
to be going up or down in 2024-25?
I have already shared the figures with the House, which are that
payroll employment is at a near historic high and unemployment is
at a near historic low. As the hon. Lady will know, we have never
had a Labour Government leave office with unemployment lower at
the end of their term than when they started. Youth unemployment
went up 45% under the Labour party, whereas under this
Conservative Government it has reduced by 45%.
You can always tell the Conservatives are struggling to answer
the questions, Mr Speaker, because they go back to those same old
things about what happened under the last Labour Government.
After 13 years, they have nothing to be proud of. If what the
Secretary of State said was true, we might expect that after a
little time some of his policies would work, but is it not true
that it is not just next year that the OBR forecasts the
employment rate to be down, but the year after that, too?
We will continue to bear down on the level of unemployment. As
the hon. Lady knows, economic inactivity has reduced, and we have
300,000 fewer people in economic inactivity than at the peak
during the pandemic. We have a plan. Is it not the reality that
the Opposition have no plan and no ideas as to how to get those
numbers down? We do, and it is working.
Welfare Fraud and Error
(Amber Valley) (Con)
5. What steps his Department is taking to reduce levels of fraud
and error in the welfare system.(900701)
The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions ()
In 2022-23, fraud and error fell by 10%. We are investing £900
million in addition to that which we have already put forward to
prevent £2.4 billion of fraud and error by 2024-25.
I thank the Secretary of State for his answer and welcome the
measures the Government are taking. On the new powers to search
through bank accounts to look for fraudulent transactions, can he
confirm that the Government will seek to use them only where
fraud is suspected and will not, as some people have suggested,
search every state pensioner’s bank account to look for something
that almost certainly will not be there?
I thank my hon. Friend for what is a very important question,
because there has been a great deal of scaremongering about what
exactly these powers are about. I can make it categorically clear
from the Dispatch Box that these powers are there to make sure
that, in instances where there is a clear signal of fraud or
error, my Department is able to take action. In the absence of
that, it will not.
(North East Fife)
(LD)
The cost of living payments are a vital means of support during
the cost of living crisis, but my constituent has lost out,
through no fault of her own, because of the well-known issue
whereby two of her work paydays fell within the assessment period
used to assess eligibility. Will the Government review the
eligibility process for the third cost of living payments to
ensure that no one else misses out?
This is a long-standing issue that crops up every few years. It
is not something on which the Government intend to take specific
action. We trust people to manage their finances, such that they
can cope with the occasional eventuality where there is an
additional year within any one calendar year.
Insecure Employment and Poverty
(Weston-super-Mare) (Con)
6. What assessment he has made of the potential impact of
insecure employment on people in poverty.(900703)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
()
This Government have made it clear that we believe that work is
the best route out of poverty. It is important for different
types of work to exist, as each individual worker’s circumstances
are personal to them, and DWP has an in-work progression offer to
support low-paid claimants to progress into better-paid and more
secure employment.
Does the Minister agree that the difference between insecure or
exploitative work and going plural with a portfolio of well-paid
freelance or part-time roles depends on how valuable someone’s
skills are? Ministers are rightly offering fresh opportunities
for jobseekers to improve their skills, but in a post-pandemic
world that is very different from what went before, what plans
does she have to revisit and update the recommendations of the
Taylor review to protect people whose skills have not yet been
upgraded?
I thank my hon. Friend for making that point. As someone who was
self-employed for not far off 15 years, I understand where he is
coming from. Our work coaches at Jobcentre Plus offices engage
with claimants to support access to skills provision. They get a
comprehensive range of support, which includes apprenticeships,
skills bootcamps, vocational and basic training skills, and
careers advice, so that they can work in a way that suits them.
Less than 1% of workers on zero-hours contracts want more
hours—it is more about caring or other flexibilities—but I am
happy to look at the points he has raised in the Chamber
today.
Mr Speaker
I call the Chair of the Select Committee.
Sir (East Ham) (Lab)
Last week, Uber came to Parliament to brief MPs on partnerships
it has set up to support its drivers, including its recognition
agreement with the GMB trade union. All Uber private hire drivers
are now auto-enrolled into a pension, but legal uncertainty means
that that is not the case for Uber’s competitors. Is it not high
time for the Government to bring forward their employment Bill,
which was promised after the Taylor review, to provide a level
playing field for employers and to tackle these problems of
insecurity in the gig economy?
I thank the Chair of the Select Committee for his question. In
fact, I have an Uber T-shirt from my time as employment Minister,
which the company gave me when it brought in the pension. I
applaud the work that Uber has done to support its workforce. The
right hon. Gentleman makes an important point, which is actually
for another Department, but I will take those messages away.
Child Poverty
(Stretford and Urmston)
(Lab)
8. What steps his Department is taking to help reduce the number
of children in poverty.(900705)
(Lewisham East) (Lab)
11. What steps his Department is taking to help reduce the number
of children in poverty.(900708)
(North Tyneside) (Lab)
20. What steps his Department is taking to help reduce the number
of children in poverty.(900720)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
()
In 2023-24 we are spending around £124 billion through the
welfare system on people of working age and children. Evidence
shows the importance of work in reducing the risk of child
poverty. With over 900,000 vacancies across the UK, our focus is
on supporting parents into, and to progress within, work. Our
recent autumn statement announcements, which included the back to
work plan, increasing benefits and increasing the national living
wage, are all part of our clear approach to ensuring that
everybody gets the right support to progress and thrive.
I hear what the Minister says, but a recent report from UNICEF
showed that of 39 OECD and EU countries, the UK came last in
terms of improvements in child poverty between 2012 and 2021. As
a result, one in five children in my constituency of Stretford
and Urmston are growing up in poverty. What more can the Minister
do to address this truly appalling situation?
I thank the hon. Gentleman for raising that report. I have looked
at it, and it is important that we react to it. I point to our
record of action. When it comes to further support for households
with low incomes, we have heard in the Chamber—indeed, the
Secretary of State mentioned this—about raising local housing
allowance back to the 30th percentile, which will benefit 1.6
million low-income households by, on average, £800 a year in
2024-25. When that is added to the national living wage, the
uprating of benefits and the availability of work, we are
determined that those families will progress.
According to End Child Poverty, 30% of children in Lewisham East
were in poverty in 2021-22, while Lewisham food banks have seen a
42% increase compared to 2022. That comes after 13 years of this
Conservative Government. To make matters worse, the reported cut
to the national household support fund means that more than £13
million for households across Lewisham have been taken away. Is
the Minister really serious about showing the leadership needed
to stop families in my constituency from falling into
destitution?
I am really serious about supporting our young people. In fact,
in Lewisham the household support fund, which is my domain, has
allocated an additional £13.3 million to support the hon. Lady’s
constituents. There are local hubs for debt management and
engagement with the local authority, and warm welcome hubs. I say
to anybody struggling in her constituency to look at the benefits
calculators, and indeed help for households, on gov.uk.
Figures from the Trussell Trust show that in the six months
between April and September, food banks in the north-east
provided a record 26,000 emergency food parcels for children,
with the need having doubled over the past five years. The
majority of families who turn to food banks do so because their
income, whether from social security or from wages, is too low to
afford the basic essentials. Will the Minister explain why the
current design of universal credit is failing these families?
As we have heard from the Secretary of State, 400,000 fewer
children are in absolute poverty, and we thank our food banks for
the work they do in supporting our communities. We do take this
seriously. We have added food security questions to the family
resources survey, and we will absolutely look at that. I would
point to the hon. Member’s constituency having been allocated an
additional £8 million in the last household support fund for
exactly those families.
Mr Speaker
I call the shadow Secretary of State.
(Leicester West) (Lab)
On Friday, pupils at Shaftesbury Junior School in my constituency
gave me the lovely Christmas earrings that I am wearing, which
they made themselves using computer-aided design. I am so proud
of all their achievements, especially when more than a third of
Leicester’s children are growing up in poverty, with all the
challenges that brings. As my hon. Friends have said, figures
from UNICEF show that under this Government the UK has had the
biggest increase in child poverty out of the world’s 40
wealthiest countries. My question is simple: what is the Minister
going to do about it?
The hon. Lady will have heard about our work on the LHA. I am
extremely proud of the difference that it will make to families
in her constituency and mine. With almost 1 million job vacancies
across the UK, our firm believe is that supporting all families
to progress and do well is the right thing to do. That comes with
the full uprating that we have done this year on working-age
benefits and supporting the LHA. The hon. Lady made the point
that it has been a difficult time, and the household support fund
and the cost of living payments, which start again on 6 February,
will assist.
The Minister is completely out of touch with the reality facing
families in Britain today: 3.8 million people face severe
hardship this year, including 1 million children. Quite frankly,
that is a shameful figure that has almost trebled since this
Government abolished Labour’s Child Poverty Act 2010. Millions of
parents are now worried about how they will feed, clothe or keep
their children warm this Christmas, let along how they will buy
them presents. When will the Minister change course, follow
Labour’s lead and deliver a cross-Government child poverty
strategy that gives every child the start in life that they
deserve?
We will absolutely not follow Labour’s lead—let us look at their
record. People might be worried ahead of Christmas. Cost of
living payments, the household support fund, the benefits
calculator and help for households are all out there. I want the
people watching now to know that support is there. Progression
will vary depending on circumstances; we have a tailored
approach. We have 37 district progression leads to help exactly
those families that the hon. Lady talks about.
Mr Speaker
I call the Scottish National party spokesperson.
(Glasgow East) (SNP)
The actions that we take to lift children out of poverty say an
awful lot about our values. In Scotland, we have lifted 90,000
children out of poverty, with measures such as the game-changing
Scottish child payment. Here in London, we have a Westminster
Government, supported by the Labour party, wedded to a two-child
policy that pushes 250,000 children into poverty. What does the
Minister think it says about Westminster’s values on child
poverty that they are wedded to a two-child policy with a rape
clause?
Adults in workless households are seven times more likely to be
in poverty than those in working households. That is why our
focus is on work. The Scotland Act 2016 gave the Scottish
Parliament the powers that have been invoked, including on the
child payment, and that is very pleasing for us. The Act
transferred those powers for carers and disability benefits,
worth £3.3 billion. The hon. Gentleman and his Government can
make the decisions that suit their communities. That is the right
approach.
Cost of Living: Pensioners
(Southport) (Con)
9. What steps his Department is taking to help pensioners with
the cost of living.(900706)
(Ruislip, Northwood and
Pinner) (Con)
18. What steps his Department is taking to help pensioners with
the cost of living.(900717)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
()
More than 8 million pensioner households will receive a £300
payment this winter to top up their winter fuel allowance
payment. The 1.4 million pensioners currently in receipt of
pension credit may also receive cost of living payments totalling
up to £900 in 2023-24.
In Southport we have a significant number of pensioners who,
having lost their partners, now face the added challenge of
managing increased living costs alone. Can the Minister kindly
elaborate on what specific initiatives or support mechanisms are
in place to assist people in those financially difficult
circumstances, to ensure that they get the support they
deserve?
Anyone who suffers a bereavement at any time will potentially be
in severe financial difficulties. I direct my hon. Friend to the
funeral expenses payment, which is part of the social fund. I
would also point to the wider measures that we have taken, such
as applying the triple lock—there will be an 8.5% increase in the
state pension next year. We will also include cost of living
payments in the winter fuel payment, of £500 or £600, depending
on the age of the recipient.
Despite the welcome fall in inflation, my constituent Deborah
Garrard speaks for herself and many pensioners who are concerned
about a second winter of high fuel prices. Will my hon. Friend
outline what further measures the Department is considering to
help reduce pensioners’ financial burden?
I know that Mrs Garrard will not be the only older resident in
the country concerned about energy prices this winter. I just
mentioned the increased cost of living payment that we are adding
to the winter fuel payment. In addition, we have increased the
warm home discount to up to £150, and there is a whole suite of
cold weather payments that can be made in the event of seven days
of sustained cold weather. We have a wide range of measures to
help support people when faced with cold weather and high energy
costs.
Work Incentives
(South Basildon and East
Thurrock) (Con)
10. What steps his Department is taking to help ensure that
people are financially incentivised to work.(900707)
The Minister for Employment ()
Universal credit is specifically designed to make work pay, with
strong financial incentives such as the 55% earnings taper and
work allowances. Working families can also get support with up to
85% of their childcare costs. The maximum amounts have been
increased by 47%, up to £950 for one child and £1,630 for two or
more children. Additionally, the rise in the national living wage
from April means that some 2.7 million workers will be £1,800
better off, on average, as well as benefiting from national
insurance cuts.
I thank the Minister for her answer and welcome her back to the
Front Bench. Basildon jobcentre recently hosted two health and
social care recruitment events, which resulted in the filling of
20 vacancies, helping to reduce local unemployment. Does the
Minister agree that work is the best route out of poverty and
that it is this Government who are helping more people into work
and aligning vacancies with employees?
First, I would just like to take a minute to thank Basildon
jobcentre, and indeed all jobcentres, for the work they do, from
Chorley to the west country and back to the east. Targeted
recruitment fairs are a great way to work with specific sectors
that have shortages, including health and social care,
construction, manufacturing, and hospitality. My hon. Friend is
right that getting more people into work is a top priority for
the Department and across Government. We know that it is good for
wellbeing, both personally and financially, and those in work are
on average £6,000 better off a year.
UNICEF Report on Child Poverty
(Stockton North) (Lab)
12. Whether he has made an assessment of the potential
implications for his policies of UNICEF’s report entitled “Child
Poverty in the Midst of Wealth”.(900709)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
()
The overall number of children in absolute poverty after housing
costs remained stable between 2020-21 and 2021-22. The latest
statistics show that in 2021-22 there were 400,000 fewer children
in absolute poverty, after housing costs, than in 2009-10. The
Government continue to provide comprehensive support to help
people find, progress in and thrive in work, recognising that
that has to be sustainable in tackling poverty.
(Stockton North) (Lab)
A couple of weeks ago, when I asked the Prime Minister why 34% of
children in Stockton North live in poverty, he claimed that child
poverty was down. But even if we rely on his and his Government’s
unique measuring tool, child poverty is still up, considerably,
across every part of the north-east under his watch. According to
the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, 1 million British children have
suffered destitution in the past year. When will the Prime
Minister and his Ministers stop pretending that they care and
make way for a Labour Government who will sort out the mess that
shames the Tories?
The Government are determined to ensure that all children,
wherever they come from, have the best start in life. We are
committed to supporting families and helping them into work. The
full uprating, this year and last, is the signal.
Destitution
(Leeds East) (Lab)
14. What steps his Department is taking to help reduce the number
of people experiencing destitution.(900712)
The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions ()
The Government are, of course, fully committed to protecting the
most vulnerable, which is why we rolled out £104 billion in cost
of living payments across the period from 2022 to 2025. It is
why, as the Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, my
hon. Friend the Member for Mid Sussex (), has repeatedly stressed, we
increased the rates for the LHA housing support, and why benefits
increased by the full 6.7%.
It is absolutely heartbreaking that in the world’s sixth-richest
country we now have 4 million people living in destitution. We
know that disabled people are more likely to live in poverty, yet
this winter disabled people will not be getting any additional
help with the cost of living after the separate disability cost
of living payment was quietly dropped. The cost of living for
disabled people is still going up, so will the Secretary of State
commit to reinstating the payment, and at a level that meets the
extra living costs faced by disabled people?
I am not sure precisely which disability payment the hon.
Gentleman is referring to, but certainly the cost of living
disability payment has been paid this year, in addition to the
increase in the national living wage, tax cuts and national
insurance tax cuts, all of which help people, particularly those
on low pay. That is why, under this Government, the level of
absolutely poverty has fallen by 1.7 million since 2010, with
400,000 fewer children in poverty.
Flexible Working
(East Worthing and Shoreham) (Con)
15. Whether he has made an assessment of the role of flexible
working arrangements in supporting people to take up
employment.(900714)
The Minister for Employment ()
Flexible working can play an important role in supporting people
to start, stay in and succeed in work, and for businesses to
grow. I have already seen at first hand examples of good
employers offering tailored roles or changed hours to support
workers, particularly parents, who have caring responsibilities.
Flexibility has made a difference and drives success for all.
As the Minister mentioned, the hospital industry—especially in
coastal constituencies such as mine—is suffering
disproportionately from high vacancy levels exacerbated by covid
and the shift in working patterns. What more can the Government
do to encourage smarter working and job sharing? For example,
students and younger people could work some of the later and
weekend hours—the less social hours—sharing with parents with
family responsibilities, who could work more regular hours during
the daytime.
The UK hospitality industry does a fantastic job, particularly at
this time of the year when it is helping us to enjoy the festive
season. I am providing help and collaboration by delivering pilot
schemes across the industry. In particular, we are developing a
more standardised approach to training, which includes a proposal
to award a hospitality skills passport. We need to do all we can
with workers to build confidence and the right skills. I am
interested by my hon. Friend’s idea of helping employers to
refocus where the needs are, and I shall be happy to work with
him, because hospitality offers a great career and transferable
skills.
Defined-benefit Pension Schemes
(Orkney and Shetland)
(LD)
16. Whether he has had recent discussions with the Pensions
Regulator on the adequacy of the administration of
defined-benefit pension schemes.(900715)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
()
I am fortunate in having already been able to meet
representatives of the Pensions Regulator twice since my
appointment to discuss the full gamut of their
responsibilities.
Mr Carmichael
Members of the BP pension scheme, a defined-benefit scheme, have
seen the value of their pensions fall by 11% in real terms as a
consequence of their senior management’s refusal to upgrade them
in line with the cost of living, although the pension fund itself
has a £5 billion surplus. Does the Minister agree that if the
rules allow companies such as BP to deal from the bottom of the
deck when it comes to their own pensioners, these are rules that
need to be changed?
That is certainly something I need to look into. When people
raise the issue of specific pension schemes, I am always
conscious of just how many thousands of scheme members are
potentially watching, so I do not wish to speak off the cuff and
raise hopes that I may not be able to fulfil. However, I shall be
happy to meet the right hon. Gentleman to discuss the
circumstances in greater detail and see what can be done.
Mr Speaker
I call . He is otherwise engaged. I
call .
Long-term Sickness and Disability
(Ynys Môn) (Con)
21. What steps his Department is taking to encourage people who
are economically inactive owing to long-term sickness and
disability to return to work.(900721)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
()
The Government have a range of initiatives to help disabled
people and people with health conditions to start, stay in and
succeed in work. We built on that in the autumn statement by
expanding universal support, launching WorkWell pilots, reforming
the fit note and establishing an expert group on occupational
health.
Does the Minister agree that the Disability Confident jobs fair
that I am hosting in Holyhead with my brilliant Anglesey DWP team
is an opportunity for excellent local businesses such as Hafan y
Môr and Llechwedd Meats, and organisations such as Môn
Communities Forward and the Menter Môn enterprise hub, to help
people with disabilities back into work, and will she lobby the
Secretary of State to visit Ynys Môn in February to open the
disability jobs fair?
I do not want to commit the Secretary of State, but I have a
feeling that he will be in Ynys Môn in February. I thank my hon.
Friend for the huge amount of work that she does in respect of
local jobcentres, and for her work with those employers. I met
her just last week to discuss her focus on young people. Her
Local Jobs for Local People campaign is a great example of her
tireless work for the future of the community in Ynys Môn—so,
iechyd da!
Topical Questions
(Stroud) (Con)
T1. If he will make a statement on his departmental
responsibilities.(900722)
The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions ()
May I begin by welcoming my new team to the Front Bench? Joining
the Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, my hon.
Friend the Member for Mid Sussex (), and Lord Younger in the
other place are the new Minister for Employment, my hon. Friend
the Member for Bury St Edmunds (), and the Under-Secretary of State for Work and
Pensions, my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool North and
Cleveleys (). I know that they will make a
great contribution to the Department. Let me also thank those who
have departed, my right hon. Friend the Member for Sevenoaks
() and my hon. Friends the
Members for Corby () and for Hexham (), who have important other duties in Government.
This has been a year of considerable achievement for my
Department. We have already heard about the cost of living
payments, the support for the most vulnerable, the 6.7% increase
in working-age benefits, the 8.5% increase in respect of the
triple lock for pensioners, welfare reform, near-record levels of
payroll employment and almost historically low levels of
unemployment, and rising real wages.
I welcome the Government’s decision to boost childcare payments
for parents on universal credit by almost 50%, which the Work and
Pensions Committee pushed for. I have asked the Department to
review childcare rules for parents in training and education, but
can my right hon. Friend outline the other ways in which the
Government are supporting low-income families in Stroud?
My hon. Friend is being too modest in laying all the progress at
the door of the Select Committee, because it was she in
particular who pushed for those reforms to childcare within
universal credit, and I believe that she was quite rightly
name-checked by the Chancellor in his Budget statement. We of
course have the back to work plan, the extension of restart, the
doubling of universal support, the greatest-ever increase in the
national living wage and the reductions in employee national
insurance, all of which are there to drive further
employment.
Mr Speaker
I call the Scottish National party spokesperson.
(Glasgow East) (SNP)
During the recent covid inquiry, the former Health Secretary, the
right hon. Member for West Suffolk (), said that statutory sick pay
was “far too low” and that if he had a magic wand, he would fix
it. Given that the Secretary of State has the magic wand, as the
Minister responsible for this, when is he going to fix it?
I am certainly not going to start making policy up on the hoof at
the Dispatch Box this afternoon or promising more money for
statutory sickness pay. That would require discussions across
Government, but I note the point that the hon. Gentleman has
made.
(Banff and Buchan) (Con)
T2. I welcome this Government’s back to work plan and the
emphasis on work being the most effective way out of poverty.
What support can be made available for people in high
unemployment areas to travel or relocate to areas of low
unemployment such as Banff and Buchan, which have high numbers of
vacancies, particularly in the seafood processing
sector?(900723)
The Minister for Employment ()
I thank my hon. Friend and note his relentless support for the
seafood industry more broadly and the processing industry in
particular. I understand that the former Minister for Employment,
my hon. Friend the Member for Hexham (), visited Scotland earlier this year to look at that
industry. Work coaches offer tailored employment support to all
jobseekers and the flexible support fund is available at the
discretion of jobcentres to purchase goods and services,
including travel, to support claimants to move from one area to
another in order to take up job opportunities. I know that my
hon. Friend is working hard in his local area to find solutions,
and I am always happy to discuss ideas with him.
(Somerton and Frome) (LD)
T4. Many people took the decision to pay for pension top-ups in
2020 and 2021, but in numerous instances this has not led to any
increase in their state pension; nor have they received any
explanation or a refund. Has the Department made an assessment of
the average delay in people receiving their pension
top-ups?(900725)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
()
The advice to anyone seeking to top up their pension or buy extra
national insurance credits would be to ring the Future Pension
Centre in advance of making any payments, to determine whether
they would actually enhance their pension by making them. It is
always best for people to check before they make those payments,
to make sure that they will improve their pension.
(Weston-super-Mare) (Con)
T5. Ministers are rightly putting a great deal of money and focus
behind back to work programmes across the country. What progress
have they made towards transparently publishing the outcomes so
that we can see which programmes perform better or worse in
different parts of the country and why?(900726)
The DWP regularly publishes statistics on its employment
programmes, and the latest statistical release of the restart
programme was published on 7 December. The back to work plan
announced further measures to tackle long-term unemployment, such
as mandatory placements for those who complete restart without
securing a job. The policy detail, including the reporting, is
yet to be worked through.
(Blaydon) (Lab)
T6. It is vital that local authorities such as Gateshead and
voluntary community organisations know as soon as possible
whether the household support fund will be extended beyond March.
Can the Secretary of State confirm when they will finally get a
definitive answer on this?(900727)
As the hon. Lady will know, these are matters for the Treasury,
and specifically for the Chancellor of the Exchequer. He and I
have conversations on these matters and others. Announcements
will be made in due course, but of course the household support
fund will be in place until the end of March.
(Amber Valley) (Con)
T7. At this time of year, the Department gives benefit recipients
a generous Christmas gift of £10, which has not been increased
for, I think, 51 years. Will the Secretary of State look to make
it at least £20 next year, to help people a bit more with the
extra costs at Christmas?(900728)
As pensions Minister, my main focus is on making sure that we
have a high-quality, sustainable pension system that, year on
year, keeps the value of the overall state pension as high as
possible and that meets our manifesto commitment to the triple
lock. That is the best way of focusing on the value of the state
pension.
(Oldham East and
Saddleworth) (Lab)
Twenty months ago, the Equality and Human Rights Commission
issued a section 23 agreement request to the Department,
following concerns regarding breaches and potential
discrimination against disabled people. Why has the Department
still not reached an agreement?
As the hon. Lady will know, there are ongoing discussions on
these matters. By virtue of the legislation that underpins those
interactions, the discussions are necessarily held in private. I
am informed that they have resulted in positive engagement, and
that the Department and the EHRC will come forward with a
response as soon as possible.
(South West Bedfordshire)
(Con)
T8. The world’s biggest Lidl warehouse, in Houghton Regis, is not
only half a kilometre long and can deliver 9,400 pallets a day;
it is also creating 1,500 jobs. What specific help can Jobcentre
Plus give to employers such as Lidl, which has a huge number of
vacancies to fill in my constituency?(900730)
It is fantastic to hear of the job opportunities created by Lidl
in South West Bedfordshire. I know my hon. Friend will be working
hard with Lidl and his local jobcentre to make sure the vacancies
are filled with local talent. Jobcentres can work closely with
large employers, as I have recently seen at Morrisons, which has
a specific neurodiversity pilot to bring people into the job
market. The barriers that restrict neurodiverse people are often
challenges around confidence and so on. Jobcentres are a
brilliant force for good, and I recommend that everybody engages
with them on bespoke schemes for neurodiversity or any other
focus on tackling long-term unemployment.
Mr Speaker
Order. I hate to say it, but I have a lot of people to get
in.
(Weaver Vale) (Lab)
In 2010 there were 117,000 16 to 24-year-olds on long-term
sickness and health benefits. That figure now stands at a massive
235,000. Why is that, and what are the Government doing about
those appalling figures?
The hon. Gentleman is right. There has been a marked increase in
the prevalence of mental health conditions, particularly among
those aged 16 to 24, which is why we are bringing in measures
such as universal support and talking therapies within the
national health service, for which 400,000 additional places were
announced by the Chancellor at the autumn statement. We have
introduced measures such as WorkWell, and others, to address
exactly these issues.
(Hemel Hempstead) (Con)
I have patiently sat through questions, and I have not heard
Disability Confident mentioned once. Disability Confident was,
and I hope still is, a very successful scheme that I launched
when I was a Minister—I went around the country with Simon
Weston. Can I have confidence that the scheme is still in
place?
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
()
My right hon. Friend will be delighted to know it is at the heart
of the work that the Employment Minister spoke about today. It is
at the heart of our disability action plan, which Members will
hear more about in the new year. I advise all employers to focus
on being disability confident and employing with confidence,
rather than just writing about it on a website.
(Motherwell and Wishaw)
(SNP)
After the UK Government appallingly downgraded the dedicated role
of disabilities Minister, Scope’s executive director, , wrote to the Prime Minister
saying that
“the UK’s 16 million disabled people deserve so much better than
this treatment.”
It is a clear message that the UK Government do not view disabled
people as a priority. Will this Government urgently reverse their
decision and reinstate the role?
That is a complete misunderstanding; the hon. Lady refers to
reinstating the role, but all the responsibilities of the
previous disability Minister have been taken over by the current
one, the Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, my hon.
Friend the Member for Mid Sussex (), who happens to be the most
experienced Minister in my Department. She is extraordinarily
capable; she absolutely understands the issues and will do a
fantastic job.
Sir (South Swindon) (Con)
I warmly welcome the new disabilities Minister, as I know she
shares my passion for closing the autism employment gap. Will she
work with me, as we reach the closing stages of my independent
review of autism and employment, to make sure that the
publication of the report will be the beginning of a process
whereby we can dramatically tackle the scandal of having fewer
than three in 10 autistic adults in employment?
I thank my right hon. and learned Friend for the opportunity to
build on that incredible work, which will be life-changing for
many of our constituents. The people we are talking about today
are not statistics; they are humans, and they need to have a real
difference in their lives. For Opposition Members, and everyone
else listening today, let me say that I am determined to make
sure that those people have a voice across Government and that I
use my experience to deliver.
(Strangford) (DUP)
Further to the point made by the hon. Member for Leeds East
(), a recent report by the
National Institute of Economic and Social Research suggested that
destitution in Northern Ireland is set to rise to 67%. That is a
truly horrific and worrying figure. What discussions has the
Minister had with partners back home in Northern Ireland on this
matter?
I thank the hon. Gentleman for raising this point. Our focus is
on tackling poverty and making sure that work supports everyone
across the UK. I am delighted to be coming to Northern Ireland
fairly soon, when I will pick up those discussions further.
(Gloucester) (Con)
The great working city of Gloucester has a high employment rate,
but we still have some people who could help to fill vacancies in
both city and county. So the Gloucester opportunities fair on 23
February provides a great opportunity not just for all my
constituents, including to get free advice on debt, volunteering
and benefits, but perhaps for the new Employment Minister, whom I
welcome to her place, to come to join us in celebrating the
availability in Gloucester and the support for those working
there.
If my diary allows, I would be delighted to join my hon.
Friend.
(Ruislip, Northwood and
Pinner) (Con)
My constituents Susan and David Cfas have made representations to
me about the situation facing them and many other pensioners who
are having to access benefits and other Government support
because they are stuck in an annuity trap, whereby at retirement
they posted an annuity, which has remained fixed. Will my right
hon. Friend meet me to discuss the plight of pensioners in that
situation to see whether more can be done to encourage them to
access different approaches to increase their income?
That is certainly one reason why we are trying to get people to
engage in a more considered way with what they do at the point of
the decumulation of their pension funds, but I am more than happy
to meet my hon. Friend to discuss his specific concerns about
annuities in due course.
(Stretford and Urmston)
(Lab)
The Trussell Trust has recently reported that in the past year
there has been an 80% increase in the number of children in
Stretford and Urmston being supported with food parcels. Can the
Minister tell me why it believes that is the case?
The record speaks for itself: this Government have been behind
£104 billion-worth of support for the most vulnerable over the
period 2022 to 2025; poverty in absolute terms, after housing,
has fallen by 1.7 million since 2009-10, when the hon.
Gentleman’s party was last in office; we have 400,000 fewer
children and 200,000 fewer pensioners in absolutely poverty—under
the last Labour Government, we had the fourth highest level of
pensioner poverty in Europe; and we have put the national living
wage up by 9.8% and cut taxes as well.
(East Worthing and Shoreham) (Con)
May I add my warm welcome to my near neighbour, the
Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, my hon. Friend
the Member for Mid Sussex, as the new disabilities Minister? Does
she acknowledge that one feature of covid has been a big increase
in the incidence of mental health issues, particularly among
younger people? What is her Department doing to tailor its
programmes to get those non-working parts of the population who
have not been working since covid and are suffering from mental
health challenges back into the workforce?
I thank my hon. Friend for welcoming me to this brief. I will
still be very much focused on young people and those key
transitions in their lives. We have our reform relating to
universal support, our fit note reform and our WorkWell
partnerships, which launched on 16 November and will support
60,000 long-term sick and disabled people to start, stay and
succeed in work. The youth hubs we have at the Department for
Work and Pensions, which are focused on the under-25s, zero in on
this issue in particular.
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