Live Work and Pensions Questions House of Commons


Live Work and Pensions Questions

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Order, order. Questions to the Secretary of State for Work and

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Pensions, Sir David a mess. Question number one, Mr Speaker. The

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Secretary of State, Stephen Crabb. I will answer questions one, 11 and 20

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together. This government is committed to tackling disadvantage

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and extending opportunities so everyone has the chance to realise

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their fuel potential. We will focus on tackling the root causes of

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poverty, such as worthlessness and family stability. Whilst I welcome

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my right honourable friend's recognition that strong and stable

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families need an enormous impact on the life chances of our children,

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will he spell out to the house precisely what his department is

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doing to ensure that those relationships are fostered and

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strengthen, particularly in the coastal town such as Southend? My

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honourable friend is exactly right, family stability is a really

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important part of our mission to tackle entrenched disadvantage that

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is why we have doubled funding for relationship support the ?70 million

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and why we are significant lease expanding support preferred --

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support for parents. We are working with 12 local authorities to learn

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how best to strengthen support they offer to families. As he knows,

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there is a 12 year difference in life expectancy from one side of my

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city of Plymouth to the other. Can I ask what advice of my right

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honourable friend gave to ensure that the chances in life and the

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could be improved in Plymouth? The first thing I would say to him is he

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is right, that kind of inequality is just unacceptable in Britain today

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and that is why our life chances approach includes this set of

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indicators that would drive action to tackle this wide range of factors

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that can trap people into poverty, damaging their health and preventing

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them from making the most of their life. I would like to thank the

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Prime Minister for it the amazing work he has done on the life chances

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strategy. Can I ask the Secretary of State, the troubled families

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programme has been a huge success. Does he agree with me that it could

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be more positively labelled the supported families initiative? I

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agree very much with a point about the leadership role that the Prime

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Minister has played in this. It has been critical in driving this agenda

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forward. I hope the future by Minister also shares that

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commitment. She is right about the troubled families programme, it is

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important that we do stay positive is about these changes and we should

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not stigmatise any community or household. The Secretary of State

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has mentioned support for working parents a number of times and those

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hit hardest by this government's at stake and work support for parents

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are single parents. Those who deserve the least. Can I ask him on

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helping single parents to think again. I share her passion for

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helping single parents. What the current statistics all demonstrate

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an underlying is that when lone parents are supported back into work

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they achieve remarkable things in bringing children in those

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households out of possibly and the trends are moving in the right

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direction and she should welcome the initiative is that what we have

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taken forward with Universal Credit and the supported child care costs.

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Does the Secretary of State agree that efforts to improve the life

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chances of disadvantaged children and families will be undermined by

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neglecting the importance of current income levels? I have always been

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clear that income levels are important. If you are a family in

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difficult circumstances that regular sum of money coming in that you rely

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on is vital but it is important that we look beyond that and for the

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first time as a nation start to tackle the underlying root causes of

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entrenched poverty. Last year, child poverty increased by 200,000 as a

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direct result of this government's tax and social security policies.

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Two thirds of these children living and working households. I 2020 it is

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estimated 3.6 million people children will be living in poverty.

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There is evidence that child poverty is caused by... Given that we have

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seen a catastrophic consequence of government policy implemented on

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scant evidence will the Secretary of State to the right thing and

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repealed the damaging effects of the 2012 and 2016 welfare reform act

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which threatens the life chances of these children? Let me start by

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welcoming the honourable lady to her new position on the front bench.

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Given the work that she did on the Select Committee I am sure she will

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do an excellent job. About the 200,000 figure she refers to, it

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exactly points to what was wrong with the previous relative income

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approach which are government took to tackling poverty. In real wages

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grow poverty rates increase despite people's income not falling. It is

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more important that we tackle the underlying causes of poverty,

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worthlessness, educational failure, family stability, problem debt and

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addictions. My right honourable friend will know that Norwich is

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challenged by the social index as of this year. But it's all part of the

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community to come together to address these problems, including

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the third set the hand that the constituency MPs can play a key role

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in leading these things. I agree with my honourable friend. The work

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that she has championed in Norwich is a good example of local action

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and we are local -- where a local MPs can be a champion of that. As

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much as we might want to talk about the national levels of poverty and

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social mobility it is more important that we understand what is going on

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at a local level and drive the collection with effective

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partnerships. Many disadvantaged families include those with older

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disabled relatives, including 2,000 my constituency. The government says

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it will scrap attendance allowance. When will the government consultant

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those plans formally? The government has not said it will scrap

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attendance allowance. We are looking at options to devolve that a local

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authority level that we have been absolutely clear that this does not

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mean a cut to supporting attendance allowance. It is about looking at if

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there are more perfect ways of delivering it at a local level.

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Question number two, Mr Speaker. There will be no immediate changes

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in the circumstances of British pensioners living overseas as the

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result of the referendum. Negotiations with the future of

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relations with Europe will begin under the new Prime Minister. What

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discussions has he had with other countries in Europe regarding the

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exchange rate and its effect on pensioners abroad? As a saint, the

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negotiations proper will begin when we have a new Prime Minister but in

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the meantime we have a European unit which has been set up in the Cabinet

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Office which will report to the new Cabinet in due course. Wouldn't it

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make sense for the Department for Work and Pensions to be doing some

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investigative work now because there are millions of British pensioners

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living elsewhere in the European Union who have access to the NHS in

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those local areas without contributing for free the may

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suddenly their finances in dire jeopardy intending to come back to

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this country. Shouldn't you be working King acting immediately?

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Waiting as if the new Prime Minister is going to be some way away might

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be a bit of a mistake? I can assure the honourable gentleman that we are

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working very closely with the new European Union at -- the new

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European unit set up in the Cabinet Office. This is about what is right.

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Why not remove that uncertainty, why not guarantee what they are entitled

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to? It is about doing the right thing and with the new Prime

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Minister let's cut off on the right is the dementia this happens. We to

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need to make sure it's that the new Prime Minister is in place before

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those negotiations start proper. The role of pensioners is a very

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sophisticated and complex one. Many of them depend on support from the

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relatives in this country. Has he not looked at this in some detail

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already? The result of the referendum is only a few days ago

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but I can assure him that there is detailed conversations going on with

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the Cabinet unit. Britain still remains a member of the EU and I

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want to reassure British people living in EU countries that there

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will be no immediate changes in the circumstances. Number three, Mr

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Speaker. Automatic enrolment has been a great success with nearly 6.3

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million people automatically enrolled into a workplace pension I

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almost 143,000 employers. We will continue with our programme to get

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many more people enrolled. Thank you, autoenrolment has met or

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exceeded all its targets but to maximise pensions in the long term

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we need to deal with charges. The Government put in a cap of 2.5%, but

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the Government also said they would review the level of that cap, with a

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view to it being lower in future. Could the Minister update us on that

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I'm grateful to my honourable friend and I can give a assurance that yes

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in 2017 we'll review whether the level of the charge cap should

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change and whether to include some or all transUK costs in the count.

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The Minister will know that in September last year the Economic

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Secretary gave evidence to the DWP Select Committee and said that if

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there wasn't transparency and comparability in fees, the

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Government would legislate. Does he believe there has been transparency,

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and if not, when is he going to legislate? The honourable gentleman

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raises a good point. We are committed to transparency and

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openness and committed when legislation, when opportunity allows

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we'll be putting that into place in legislation. Thank you Mr Speaker, I

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congratulate the Minister on the successful roll-out of

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autoenrolment. What more can be done to help the self employed to engage

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in the process? We are working closely with the pensions regulator

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to make sure that the programme of autoenrolment is easily understood

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particularly for small self employed people and those with one or two

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employees, so the rules are clear on the website in easy to use language,

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and with literature. Question 4 Mr Speaker. With permission Mr

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Speakerly answer questions 4 and 9 together. Transitional arrangements

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are already in place. We committed over ?1 billion to lesston impact of

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these changes for those worst affected so that no-one will see

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their pension age change by more than 18 months compared to the

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previous timetable. We have no plans for further changes. Mr Speaker, my

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constituent who turned 60 which year hasn't received any information

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about the changes. The primary carer of her children and now can't work

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because of her disability and has to work another six years. The Minister

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has been presented with many proposals, including transitional

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arrangements. When will the Government give these women the gist

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they deserve? She refers to notice. Can I say at the time of the 2011

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pensions Act over 5 million people did receive notification and that

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was using the addresses that HMRC then had. As far as the proposals

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put forward are concerned, regrettably they will cost a huge

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amount of money and therefore we have no plans to go down that route.

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Thank you Mr Speaker, but in reality, it's the women, the 1950s

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born women bearing the costs. My constituent is 62 years old and is

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about to be made redundant in July, suffers with diabetes and has COPD.

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She worked part time and couldn't contribute to a pings. She is

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anxious she will never be able to secure another job, she won't

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receive her state pension until she is 66. She has a large black hole in

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her life. How does the Minister advise her on facing that bleak

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future? I can assure the honourable lady that under the coalition

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Government and under the present Government we have record levels of

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employment for women, including women who are older and that is

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something to bear in mind. We are working ex-tensively with employers

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to make sure they appreciate the value of pool. Workers, and they

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door. That's why we have record levels of employment, particularly

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for women. Thank you Mr Speaker, I suspect that most honourable members

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have been acquainted with these difficult cases such as the one

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which the honourable lady mentioned just now. Ky ask my honourable

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friend to keep an open mind on pension credit arrangements for

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these type of people, which are after all means-tested and could

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deal with the worst hardship cases? What I would say to my honourable

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friend is that we do have particularly criteria and where

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people fit that criteria of course they will qualify for whatever

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benefit it is that they are seeking guidance on. Mr Speaker, 2,000 women

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in dudply North worked hard to save and plan for their retirement but

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have been affected by these changes. Will he meet Hillary Henderson, my

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constituent, and other women will Dudley North, meet me and them to

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discuss these changes in detail. And if he won't, why not? Mr Speaker, I

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can tell the honourable gentleman I recently met with the leaders of the

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campaign and I have also met with a lot of members of the campaign in my

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own constituency, so I'm very well aware of all the details and facts.

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And he'll be aware also there've been a huge number of debates in the

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chamber as well in recent weeks. Thank you Mr Speaker, with take-over

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by the new Prime Minister who herself falls into the category of

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women affected by these pension changes, would now be the ideal

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moment to look again at the various proposals put forward for much

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fairer transitional arrangements, such as those from Marian Robinson

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in Wales, for all women who don't have a prime ministerial pension to

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fall back on? In 2012, only 6% of women due for retirement in the next

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ten years were unaware of an increase in the pension age. The

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Government has no plans to review this matter. Thank you Mr Speaker, a

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little over a week ago thousands of women from across the UK came to

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Parliament in a display of solidarity that very much reminded

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me of the Dagenham Women some decades earlier. Isn't the Secretary

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of State's refusal to revisit the financial issues faced by the 2.6

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million women who've had their pensions age brought forward without

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adequate notice a slap in the face of those women? Given that the

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former Pensions Minister admitted that they got it wrong, why is he

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being so unreasonable. Mr Speaker, it is deeply regrettable that

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opposition parties speak make capital out of the dispatch box and

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from the backbenches when they do not have a proposal that is solid.

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They do not have, they cannot give a proper, credible solution which will

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ensure that the financial position of the country is taken into

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account. I might also say that if the opposition parties are so, so

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very keen on this, the pensions Act was actually in 2011, yet this issue

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has not raised in any of their manifestos. Question 5, Mr Speaker.

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With permission Mr Speaker I will answer questions 5, 12, 21 and 22

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together. The British people have Croated to leave the European Union

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and the referendum decision must be respected and delivered. My

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department is working closely with the EU unit that's been set up in

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the Cabinet Office and we'll be working with the next Prime Minister

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and the cabinet as we forge a new path for the country. Thank you Mr

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Speaker, the provided number of legal protections of inequality and

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human rights for disabled people. What plans has hit department put in

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place to protect these rights following Brexit? Nobody with a

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disability ar long-term health condition should have any fear

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whatsoever about what's going to be happening in the coming months and

:18:23.:18:26.

years as we negotiate Britain's exit from the European Union. We were

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absolutely committed to protecting rights for disabled people in this

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country. Our green paper, which we'll publish this autumn, will

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outline our proposals for reforming systems to better support people

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with disabilities and long-term health conditions. Last week the DWP

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Under-Secretary of State for disabled people confirmed that the

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green paper on the long promised work and health programme for

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disabled people remained a priority for the Government. Will the

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Minister today give us an assurance and a clear commitment in light of

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the current uncertainty... When she reads the green paper which

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we hopefully will publish this year she'll see how we are going to use

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it to better support people with disabilities and close the

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disability employment gap which I think is cross-party support for in

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this House. Support for people placed on the ESA from April 2017,

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left many disabled people in the dark and without the protections of

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the EU. Will the Minister give a assurance the Government have a plan

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for the green paper to give back so that those, those being affected by

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these changes are accurately assessed and recognised in value by

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the state? I absolutely do agree with him about recognising people

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with these health conditions and protecting them. We are committed to

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doing that. I would just, without repeating the answer I gave

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previously, we do have money set aside. We have a green paper we'll

:20:19.:20:23.

publish this year and that will set out clear reform options which I

:20:24.:20:27.

hope will command support from both sides of the House and disability

:20:28.:20:35.

organisations themselves. Does my right honourable friend agree that

:20:36.:20:39.

one of the most important policy developments of the fact that once

:20:40.:20:44.

we have left the European Union, decisions of his department relating

:20:45.:20:48.

to eligibility for benefits will no lower than be at risk of being

:20:49.:20:53.

overturned by the European Court of Justice? My honourable friend is

:20:54.:21:00.

absolutely right. There will be that freedom in the future. There are

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more options we can develop now even while we are still in the European

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Union for further ensuring we have a fair benefits system that doesn't

:21:09.:21:12.

act as an unnatural draw for move migrants coming into this country.

:21:13.:21:15.

We absolutely want people to come here and work and bring their

:21:16.:21:21.

talent, but we don't want the benefits system inflating the

:21:22.:21:24.

immigration numbers. The impact of uncertainty on the economy following

:21:25.:21:27.

the Brexit vote is already being felt and ultimately will affect

:21:28.:21:30.

jobs, tax revenues and public spending. Before the referendum, the

:21:31.:21:34.

Government predicted 500,000 jobs may be at risk. So what does the

:21:35.:21:38.

Secretary of State doing to protect these jobs? And what is his estimate

:21:39.:21:43.

on the impact on social security spending? I think it's really

:21:44.:21:49.

important that none of us talk up the risks and the dangers to the

:21:50.:21:52.

economy. I think we need be clear sighted about what the risks and the

:21:53.:21:56.

challenges are but we shouldn't be doing anything to talk down the

:21:57.:21:59.

British economy. The truth is our economy is fundamentally strong. We

:22:00.:22:03.

have record numberses of people in work. The announcement by Boeing

:22:04.:22:07.

today, continued investment in creating jobs in our country. The

:22:08.:22:13.

lack of planning this will impact on pension funds.

:22:14.:22:25.

Given that 5,000 of the 6,000 DB pension schemes are currently in

:22:26.:22:28.

deficit and the pensions regulator has raised the concerns of

:22:29.:22:32.

additional risks to these schemes following the Brexit decision, what

:22:33.:22:34.

is the Secretary of State doing to protect the pensions of millions of

:22:35.:22:43.

people who will be affected by this? Nothing fundamentally has changed

:22:44.:22:45.

sings the outcome of the referendum vote. The economy still continues to

:22:46.:22:52.

perform well. As I said, we need be careful that we don't do our bit in

:22:53.:22:56.

talking down the economy at the moment. With respect to this

:22:57.:23:00.

specific issue of DB pension scheme, I agree with the honourable lady

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there's a systemic issue we need to look at there and that's something

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my department will be discussing more in the months ahead. One thing

:23:09.:23:13.

we do know has happened is the fall in the pound. That's resulted in our

:23:14.:23:21.

exports being made much cheapered and exports more expensive. That

:23:22.:23:25.

will lead to more business and more jobs. Wouldn't that help the

:23:26.:23:29.

Minister in reduces the number of unemployed? But isn't the truth, Mr

:23:30.:23:36.

Speaker, that right in front of us now we have a mixture of

:23:37.:23:40.

opportunities and challenges? It is income bent upon us and we are

:23:41.:23:46.

determined as a Government to turn those challenges do opportunities.

:23:47.:23:51.

They can do their bit not to talk down the economic at this time. Mr

:23:52.:23:58.

Speaker, already during this Parliament the Government austerity

:23:59.:24:01.

cuts have taken ?12 billion out of the pocket of low income households,

:24:02.:24:09.

mostly through changes initiated through the DWP. With many

:24:10.:24:15.

predicting a further... And the pound less stable than bitcoin, will

:24:16.:24:25.

I have set out the broad approach I take to welfare reform. With regards

:24:26.:24:33.

to issues in Scotland, which I know she is prime air little concerned,

:24:34.:24:36.

with I had a constructive meeting last week with her colleague, the

:24:37.:24:39.

welfare Minister in the Scottish Parliament. We remain committed to

:24:40.:24:43.

giving the Scottish Government the new welfare powers agreed to the the

:24:44.:24:48.

Scotland Act. In the last week for the fourth year in a row the

:24:49.:24:52.

infrastructure and projecting authority has given the roll-out of

:24:53.:24:58.

personal independence payments an amber rating indicating with major

:24:59.:25:01.

risks apparent in a number of key areas and urgent action needed to

:25:02.:25:04.

address those problems. What's the Secretary of State going to do to

:25:05.:25:09.

fix these problems and protect his department's project from the

:25:10.:25:16.

impending doom of a cabinet full of Brexiteers?

:25:17.:25:23.

I have been committed to driving through approvals to the PIP

:25:24.:25:30.

process. It still has huge support over disability organisations.

:25:31.:25:37.

On the one hand you have lush cosmetics who had just announced the

:25:38.:25:42.

point it was the production overseas because they say their workers don't

:25:43.:25:47.

feel welcome here. In the film and farming where 38% of the workforce

:25:48.:25:51.

at the moment comes from overseas they say they would simply go out of

:25:52.:25:55.

business because it would not be able to find the workforce. What is

:25:56.:25:59.

his department doing to protect jobs in the south-west after the Brexit

:26:00.:26:05.

vote? As a department we have clear plans in place for any significant

:26:06.:26:08.

increase in unemployment whether that is in a local or particular

:26:09.:26:15.

region or across the UK. We have contingency plans. What I would say

:26:16.:26:21.

is we need to be really careful that we don't exaggerate the bad news

:26:22.:26:27.

that she may think is out there. The opportunities for this country to

:26:28.:26:35.

securing new investment. There are risks and challenges we need to be

:26:36.:26:38.

clear-sighted and unprepared for those. Number six, Mr Speaker. The

:26:39.:26:45.

number of workers households is not the lowest on record. Since 2010 it

:26:46.:26:49.

has fallen by more than three quarters of a million. In real and

:26:50.:26:57.

district the number of people needing support fire the work

:26:58.:27:04.

programme for long-term unemployed has dropped in the last 18 months.

:27:05.:27:12.

While this is good news, claimant rates remain concerning imports of

:27:13.:27:17.

Rhyl. Can the Minister assure me that the new work and health

:27:18.:27:20.

programme will take particular account of individuals who are less

:27:21.:27:24.

receptive to intervention and need more intensive input? I absolutely

:27:25.:27:30.

do agree with him. The new work and help programmes are being designed

:27:31.:27:33.

to have those people with multiple and complex barriers to getting into

:27:34.:27:38.

work. Our Green Paper will look at the ways we can reduce the

:27:39.:27:45.

disability and employment gap. I look forward to meeting with him and

:27:46.:27:50.

his GP collects to discuss these important issues. Given that the

:27:51.:27:54.

Secretary of State... That the work programmes have been cut by 87% and

:27:55.:27:58.

the Secretary of State nine knows who the next Prime Minister will be

:27:59.:28:03.

the confirmed that he will lobby her to increase the funding for the

:28:04.:28:08.

Green Paper and the resulting system that produces and confirm a

:28:09.:28:14.

timetable for its roll-out today? I am pleased to tell the honourable

:28:15.:28:18.

gentleman that the next Prime Minister of this country absolutely

:28:19.:28:21.

shares a passion and commitment for a one nation vision of our society,

:28:22.:28:26.

breaking down barriers to disadvantage and ending

:28:27.:28:29.

inequalities. We await the specific decisions that the new Prime

:28:30.:28:33.

Minister takes on the important issues we are discussing today. Just

:28:34.:28:38.

building on the point about the significantly reduced amount of

:28:39.:28:42.

funding made available for what could and health programmes, what

:28:43.:28:46.

assurance can he give us that if we do in later Brexit see a significant

:28:47.:28:49.

increase in the number of general people looking for work high world

:28:50.:28:53.

that's programmes serve everybody? The important point to make is that

:28:54.:28:58.

the work and health programme is just one part of a wider package of

:28:59.:29:02.

initiatives that we are taking forward to closing the disability

:29:03.:29:06.

employment gap and better supporting people with long-term health

:29:07.:29:11.

conditions. Without repeating what I have said in previous questions the

:29:12.:29:15.

Green Paper that we will this year will outline the full range of

:29:16.:29:19.

possible reform options that we are interested in taking forward? Amber

:29:20.:29:26.

seven, Mr Speaker. We know that work is the best route out of poverty.

:29:27.:29:31.

The number of people in workers at a record high and the number of

:29:32.:29:34.

children living in the household were no one works has fallen since

:29:35.:29:40.

450,000 since 2010. My constituency has the third highest level of child

:29:41.:29:46.

poverty in the country and 13,600 families currently receive tax

:29:47.:29:49.

credits leaving them vulnerable to the government cuts to Universal

:29:50.:29:54.

Credits. In his aborted bid for Tory leadership he said that he had a

:29:55.:29:57.

strong grasp of the social and economic divisions in our country.

:29:58.:30:01.

If that is true, will he agree with me that cuts to Universal Credits

:30:02.:30:05.

will only compound social and economic divisions in our country

:30:06.:30:08.

and will he not committed to reversing these changes so that our

:30:09.:30:12.

children don't pay the price of his government's political choices? I

:30:13.:30:19.

absolutely stand by what I said. What I would say is we have this

:30:20.:30:24.

massive expansion of tax credits under previous Labour governments

:30:25.:30:28.

and did not do a single thing to tackle the underlying causes of

:30:29.:30:33.

poverty. The Universal Credit, that is just one part of what we are

:30:34.:30:38.

doing. Also look at the National Living Wage which the Labour Party

:30:39.:30:41.

is to support at one time, increasing personal alliances. We

:30:42.:30:45.

are in the business of transforming the landscape for people on low

:30:46.:30:48.

incomes. That is why the figures are moving in the right direction.

:30:49.:30:53.

Whatever the recent changes have been to benefit it does not seem to

:30:54.:30:58.

have dealt with the big issue around the tip. I have had to deal with

:30:59.:31:04.

that horrendous case where a person should have got temp one and didn't

:31:05.:31:07.

have to go through the whole process. What is the government

:31:08.:31:15.

doing to make to the people he deserved to get Pip Gattaca and not

:31:16.:31:22.

wallowing? My colleague will be happy to meet with you to discuss a

:31:23.:31:28.

particular case. In terms of the broader issue, we are including the

:31:29.:31:33.

PIP process. We are speeding up decisions and appeals. If there are

:31:34.:31:36.

specific concerns that the honourable member has I would be

:31:37.:31:40.

happy to meet with him to discuss it further. Number eight, Mr Speaker. I

:31:41.:31:46.

will answer questions eight, 15 and 16 together. This government is

:31:47.:31:51.

committed to having the disability employment gap. We announced a real

:31:52.:32:00.

spending inks. In the last three years many disabled people have

:32:01.:32:04.

entered employment under paper will set out our plans to support more

:32:05.:32:08.

disabled people into work. In my constituency over 99% of that rated

:32:09.:32:14.

enterprises are small and medium-size enterprises. Can he tell

:32:15.:32:22.

us what he is doing to help SMEs bring people with disabilities into

:32:23.:32:26.

work? I understand that point. We have three successful pilots

:32:27.:32:30.

concentrating on a small employer offer matching up those with a

:32:31.:32:34.

disability to the 45% of jobs that are available through SMEs. In

:32:35.:32:43.

Britain there is an astonishing 30% between disabled and non-disabled

:32:44.:32:47.

people in work. What steps are being taken -- taken to make sure that

:32:48.:32:51.

disabled people are being afforded the same professional opportunities

:32:52.:32:57.

as those without disabilities? We are committed to having the

:32:58.:33:02.

discipline -- disability unemployment. There will be named

:33:03.:33:08.

coach, upscaling our job centre support staff. We are also

:33:09.:33:11.

recognising that we need to create opportunities so we're working with

:33:12.:33:15.

businesses through the access to work scheme, the small employment

:33:16.:33:21.

offer under the reverse job fairs. I recently attended a celebration at a

:33:22.:33:26.

college in North Devon to thank the employers and congratulate the

:33:27.:33:30.

students who have been taking part in the successful supported

:33:31.:33:33.

internship programme which provides valuable work experience for young

:33:34.:33:37.

people with additional needs. Will the Minister join me in

:33:38.:33:47.

congratulating everyone concerned? I would like to pay tribute to my

:33:48.:33:50.

honourable friend because I had the pleasure of meeting the students and

:33:51.:33:54.

staff at the college at his own reverse jobs they the one he took a

:33:55.:33:57.

proactive approach to linking employers with a good opportunities

:33:58.:34:01.

provided by organisations like the college. Given the prominent Brexit

:34:02.:34:11.

campaign has called for a bonfire of EU protections for workers what

:34:12.:34:14.

guarantee will the Minister give that all of the current protections

:34:15.:34:18.

extended to disabled people by our membership of the EU will be safe?

:34:19.:34:23.

As a government we have a proud record. We spent over ?50 billion

:34:24.:34:29.

supporting people with disabilities. Up 2 billion since the last

:34:30.:34:31.

Parliament and we will continue to work in this area. Question number

:34:32.:34:40.

ten, Mr Speaker. The Minister for pensions, Aramis Altman and I met

:34:41.:34:47.

with representatives to listen to their concerns. We made clear the

:34:48.:34:50.

position of the government that we will not be unwinding past decisions

:34:51.:34:53.

and there are no plans to change the policy. The Minister will be aware

:34:54.:35:03.

that in my constituency alone between 2016 and 17 and 2025 and

:35:04.:35:09.

26/5000 women will be affected by these changes. Some of them will

:35:10.:35:13.

need to work six years longer than they anticipated. For the last time,

:35:14.:35:19.

will the today show some leadership and Radovan shrugged his shoulders

:35:20.:35:22.

step up to the mark an end this injustice? No one is shrugging

:35:23.:35:30.

shoulders. There is no credible alternative that has been put

:35:31.:35:34.

forward by any of the parties. It was not in their manifestos. May I

:35:35.:35:38.

say to honourable members that they don't help the woman by leaving them

:35:39.:35:44.

to have expectations when the position of the government is clear.

:35:45.:35:49.

There was a 1.1 billion concession made in 2011. The period involved

:35:50.:35:54.

was reduced from two years to 18 months and 81% of the women

:35:55.:35:59.

affected, the period concerned is no more than 12 months. 81% of women

:36:00.:36:04.

will not be affected by more than 12 months. A few moments ago his

:36:05.:36:14.

Secretary of State made a statement saying that Britain's economy was

:36:15.:36:20.

booming, or words to that effect. If it is that good why doesn't he make

:36:21.:36:29.

sure that women get the proper pensions and not this load of clap

:36:30.:36:35.

that they are chucking out now? Can I correct the honourable gentleman.

:36:36.:36:42.

My right honourable friend said this economy was fundamentally strong. It

:36:43.:36:46.

would've been helpful if he had listened to some of the answers I

:36:47.:36:49.

gave earlier on while he was this question. If he had listened to the

:36:50.:36:53.

questions he would have appreciated... He would have find

:36:54.:37:02.

that it 1.1 1p concession was made, in 2011. Number 13, Mr Speaker. In

:37:03.:37:12.

the east of Finland the number of people in employment has increased

:37:13.:37:16.

by nearly 300,000 since 2010 and the employment rate is close to the

:37:17.:37:21.

highest on record. In my constituency unemployment has come

:37:22.:37:27.

down from 4.3% to 1.5% last month? Only last Friday March three and

:37:28.:37:32.

most are very welcome ?23 million investment in the King's Lynn plant

:37:33.:37:37.

thus creating more well-paid skilled jobs. Does he agree that in this

:37:38.:37:41.

post Brexit climate all of us should be doing what we can to flag up such

:37:42.:37:48.

successes? This is yet another sign of just how fundamentally strong our

:37:49.:37:53.

economy is, which is what is helping us deliver record numbers of people

:37:54.:37:58.

in employment. I did not study geography at University at the

:37:59.:38:02.

honourable gentleman's constituency is a little bit away from East

:38:03.:38:12.

Anglia. I am in a generous mood, but they do need the honourable

:38:13.:38:16.

gentleman that if he wants to persuade me that Bedford and Clemson

:38:17.:38:20.

is a hop, skip and jump away from the honourable gentleman's

:38:21.:38:28.

constituency he has a taxing task. As a lifelong watcher of Anglia

:38:29.:38:34.

television, from the heart of Bedford, we are very proudly members

:38:35.:38:42.

of East Anglia. I would like to say that in Bedford, which is a small

:38:43.:38:46.

town, we have only small employers. We don't have a large employment

:38:47.:38:53.

company. What steps is the government taking to encourage small

:38:54.:38:55.

businesses to take up young people and others who are unemployed? I

:38:56.:39:03.

would never have done anything like the honourable gentleman has just

:39:04.:39:07.

done when I was a backbencher. 45% of private sector jobs are created

:39:08.:39:11.

by small businesses so the key to the success of trading

:39:12.:39:14.

opportunities. This will be at the heart of the Green Paper, making

:39:15.:39:18.

sure they are aware of the initiatives. Number 17, Mr Speaker.

:39:19.:39:30.

The DWP have received my honourable friend from Racal north's

:39:31.:39:35.

recommendations and agree that the requirement to achieve level one

:39:36.:39:40.

English and mouth in an apprenticeship as a hurdle for those

:39:41.:39:43.

with learning disabilities. We will look to adjust this requirement to

:39:44.:39:46.

entry-level three as soon as possible and monitor the impact.

:39:47.:39:51.

Last month I received a wonderful letter from a 13-year-old

:39:52.:39:55.

constituent, Eleanor, who wrote to me about 20 world brother. Richard

:39:56.:39:59.

has autism and learning difficulties and struggles to find work. The news

:40:00.:40:05.

about the educational assistance there is very welcome. He has met

:40:06.:40:09.

with frustration and discrimination in employment. She wrote to me,

:40:10.:40:14.

seeing how the public and treat him is terrible and it is hard on him

:40:15.:40:19.

and the family. Please help him and people with disabilities to have a

:40:20.:40:22.

fairer life with implement opportunities. Does he agree with me

:40:23.:40:26.

that the enormous contribution of disabled employees are not only

:40:27.:40:27.

being recognised by employers? That's right, the point about

:40:28.:40:37.

employers. That's why we've worked with Autism Alliance across our

:40:38.:40:41.

network. We have specialist teams in this area for access to work, and

:40:42.:40:46.

the small employer offer will match employers with the support and help

:40:47.:40:52.

to get more disabled opportunities. Question 17, Mr Speaker.

:40:53.:40:58.

THE SPEAKER: 18, indeed. Provided performance is measured across a

:40:59.:41:02.

range of service level agreements setting out the expectations for

:41:03.:41:10.

quality service, this ensures that audit and others are in place. Given

:41:11.:41:16.

the infrastructure and project authority's rating of his

:41:17.:41:19.

department's pit programme once again is marked as amber red,

:41:20.:41:22.

meaning successful delivery of the project is in doubt, with major

:41:23.:41:27.

risks or issues apparent in a number of areas, what urgent a is he taking

:41:28.:41:31.

to ensure problems in assessment are addressed and that disabled people

:41:32.:41:36.

do not continue to bear the brunt manufacture his policies? Actually

:41:37.:41:41.

we've seen that those who go through the pit process, 22.5% of claimant

:41:42.:41:47.

secure the highest rate of benefit compared to 16% under DLA. We have a

:41:48.:41:53.

constant revalue, and a claimant would expect to have their

:41:54.:41:57.

assessment process through 13 weeks median end to end, well within

:41:58.:42:02.

expectations. Thank you Mr Speaker. Will the Secretary of State

:42:03.:42:07.

personally intervene in a case of one of my constituents, who suffered

:42:08.:42:14.

a stroke, has severe eyesight problems, is almost fully wheelchair

:42:15.:42:20.

bound, was refused PIP. As a result his wife has been refuse carer's

:42:21.:42:24.

allowance. He hasn't had a reassessment since November last

:42:25.:42:28.

year. That is not acceptable. I would be happy to meet with the

:42:29.:42:32.

honourable member to discuss this specific case. Question 19, Mr

:42:33.:42:41.

Speaker. The Government set out assessment of the impacts of the

:42:42.:42:45.

welfare policies in the welfare reform and work Act on 20th July

:42:46.:42:49.

2015, with similar assessments for previous changes. Spending to

:42:50.:42:53.

support people with disabilities and health conditions will with higher

:42:54.:43:02.

in real terms to every year in 2010. Scotland and my constituency of

:43:03.:43:07.

Glasgow East has higher levels of long-term health problems compared

:43:08.:43:11.

to the UK as a. People living with disabilities tend to be more

:43:12.:43:15.

dependent on benefits from a lower than period of time and are more

:43:16.:43:18.

vulnerable to changes to disability benefits. Given that Government and

:43:19.:43:29.

predecessor embarked on the biggest overhaul, the Government take

:43:30.:43:33.

regular cumulative impacts assessments, it is vital to do so.

:43:34.:43:45.

Her Majesty's Treasury already publishes cumulative analysis,

:43:46.:43:48.

including welfare spending, health spending, income support. We need to

:43:49.:43:56.

consider increases in employment, personal credit, PIP, and investment

:43:57.:44:00.

in infrastructure. THE SPEAKER: Topical questions, Mr

:44:01.:44:05.

Speaker Richard Graham. On 6th July I appoint Paul Grey to lead the

:44:06.:44:09.

second independent review of PIP. A call to evidence has been published

:44:10.:44:14.

today. Seeking evidence from individuals to reform the review.

:44:15.:44:18.

The review will consider how further evidence is being used to assist the

:44:19.:44:25.

claim decision. As well as building on recommendations from the first

:44:26.:44:29.

review. I am announcing the department's intention to conduct an

:44:30.:44:33.

evaluation of PIP with initial find position be published by pearl 2017.

:44:34.:44:38.

To help deliver our manifesto commitment of #13wri7k million

:44:39.:44:42.

people with disabilities into work, will my right honourable friend

:44:43.:44:48.

consider extending the come. Pumpings for apprentices to

:44:49.:44:52.

additional apprentices and full-time employees with disabilities, so that

:44:53.:44:56.

like the US, the Netherlands and Ireland, our tax system benefits

:44:57.:45:01.

employers who see the abilities as well as the disabilities of all our

:45:02.:45:06.

constituents? Mr Speaker, when it comes to closing the disability

:45:07.:45:09.

employment gap I'm clear there are no options left off the table. We

:45:10.:45:16.

want to look at the widest range of solutions, including financial

:45:17.:45:19.

incentives, like our employment offer, to increase local job

:45:20.:45:24.

opportunities for disabled people. In May after a two-year fight the

:45:25.:45:29.

Government published redacted reports of 49 social security

:45:30.:45:33.

claimants who died between 2012 and 2014, revealing that ten of the 49

:45:34.:45:38.

had died followings a sanction and 40 of the deaths were associated

:45:39.:45:45.

with a suicide or suspected suicide. Another nine social security

:45:46.:45:49.

claimants have died since 2014. When will the Secretary of State publish

:45:50.:45:53.

their reports into their deaths, lor we have to wait in the two years for

:45:54.:45:58.

these as swell? I hear the point that the honourable lady is making.

:45:59.:46:03.

It is important not to infer too many causal links in the factors

:46:04.:46:09.

that she is raising. She is being extremely careful in how she

:46:10.:46:12.

describes these changes at the dispatch box. I am happy to discuss

:46:13.:46:18.

these with the honourable lady on another occasion. Can my right

:46:19.:46:21.

honourable friend say what support his department is offering to those

:46:22.:46:26.

in late and middle age and older seeking work? My honourable friend

:46:27.:46:31.

raises a good point. Mr Speaker, we are doing a number of things in this

:46:32.:46:35.

area. For example, as well as access to full Jobcentre Plus offer of

:46:36.:46:41.

personalised support, DWP introduced older claimant champions in each of

:46:42.:46:48.

the Jobcentre Plus groups to raise the profile of older workers,

:46:49.:46:52.

highlight the benefit of employing older job seekers and share good

:46:53.:46:58.

practices. Could the Secretary of State explain to the was pi women

:46:59.:47:04.

from the North East some of whom are already retired in the mistaken

:47:05.:47:08.

belief they would be receiving their state pension sooner, in a region

:47:09.:47:12.

that continues to have the highest level of unemployment in the

:47:13.:47:16.

country, how are they to make ends meet? Can I say to the honourable

:47:17.:47:22.

lady she is well aware there are a number of benefits involved here.

:47:23.:47:26.

The DWP suffer carried nowt 2012 found that only 6% of the women who

:47:27.:47:31.

were due to retire within ten years were unthat were the state pension

:47:32.:47:36.

age had increased. Thank you Mr Speaker, thanks to the work hof the

:47:37.:47:43.

Government the night rate in Bath is just 1.5%. As well as providing a

:47:44.:47:50.

stead income working provides health benefits physical and mental? I

:47:51.:47:56.

fully think that being in work has many benefits. It gives us a sense

:47:57.:48:01.

of value and can greatly benefit our mental and physical wellbeing.

:48:02.:48:04.

That's why this Government is championing the role of work, with

:48:05.:48:07.

more people in work than inferior before we are making sure shah the

:48:08.:48:14.

whole society benefits. With an 87% Budget cut by the UK Government in

:48:15.:48:18.

the first year of predict services in Scotland, could the Secretary of

:48:19.:48:21.

State tell us the what his Government is doing to support

:48:22.:48:24.

people back into work in Scotland and perhaps the Secretary of State

:48:25.:48:27.

could take this opportunity to congratulate the Scottish Government

:48:28.:48:31.

on the ?20 million of extra support they've been given to help people

:48:32.:48:35.

back in works whereas this Government has let the people of

:48:36.:48:40.

Scotland down? I disagree with the honourable lady's question. We are

:48:41.:48:44.

continuing to roll out universal credit in Scotland. The early

:48:45.:48:48.

results from positive. I had a constructive and useful meeting with

:48:49.:48:52.

Angela Constance, the Scottish welfare Minister, last week. I

:48:53.:48:55.

recognise that Scottish Government have separate choices and

:48:56.:48:59.

priorities. We are committed to giving them to powers to help them

:49:00.:49:02.

take them forward. Starting a new business is one of the best ways out

:49:03.:49:05.

of worklessness. Will the Secretary of State join me in encouraging the

:49:06.:49:10.

entrepreneurial job seekers from across the country to apply for the

:49:11.:49:14.

Government's new enterprise allowance? We absolutely do wont to

:49:15.:49:24.

support more want to develop the entrepreneurs of the future. The new

:49:25.:49:29.

enterprise allowance has helped the start of 25 thousand new businesses.

:49:30.:49:33.

I look forward to seeing some of these businesses in action. Mr

:49:34.:49:40.

Speaker, for obvious reasons refugee families and children don't usually

:49:41.:49:47.

require to meet residency requirements, so why are the

:49:48.:49:54.

Government trying to deny disabled refugees, including children, access

:49:55.:49:59.

to DLA. Many of them have been resettled here because of their

:50:00.:50:02.

disability? This is an issue we are considering legal advice on at

:50:03.:50:08.

present. As Paralympians from Cardiff, Wales and across the United

:50:09.:50:13.

Kingdom prepare tore the Paralympics in Rio, how we can use the Minister

:50:14.:50:18.

to change the perception of disabled people and what the Government are

:50:19.:50:21.

doing to prepare for this? I would like to thank for hosting the

:50:22.:50:25.

announcement of the tennis Paralympic team for Rio. I wish the

:50:26.:50:30.

pay tribute to Channel 4, who will be showing over 700 hours of the

:50:31.:50:34.

Paralympics. A 75% of their presenters having a disability. It

:50:35.:50:37.

is a fantastic opportunity to showcase the ability. We are all in

:50:38.:50:43.

for a real treat next Friday when Channel 4 launch their fantastic

:50:44.:50:49.

video. THE SPEAKER: I'm extraordinarily

:50:50.:50:52.

grateful for the Minister giving me my cue. May I take this opportunity

:50:53.:50:59.

to warmly congratulate Gordon Reid on his success at Wimbledon

:51:00.:51:02.

yesterday. I'm sure the House will want to join me in congratulating

:51:03.:51:09.

most warmly Andy Murray... Hear, hear.. On an outstanding performance

:51:10.:51:18.

on womening his second Wimbledon title and third Grand Slam so far.

:51:19.:51:23.

Diana Johnson. The disabilities Minister just agreed to meet with a

:51:24.:51:26.

Member of Parliament and their constituent about an issue they were

:51:27.:51:30.

concerned about. Can I try with the Pensions Minister? Will me meet with

:51:31.:51:35.

me and some of the 0,000 women affected by the pension changes

:51:36.:51:38.

being born in the 1950s and come to Hull and meet some of these people

:51:39.:51:43.

and hear directly from them? Mr Speaker, I have met with the

:51:44.:51:48.

leadership of the campaign. Very met my constituents. She has Arctic

:51:49.:51:53.

lated the views of her constituents, as have many other MPs on a regular

:51:54.:51:57.

basis. I know all the facts. The issue here, Mr Speaker, is that

:51:58.:52:04.

members like her should not be given expectations to women when the

:52:05.:52:08.

position has been made absolutely clear at the dispatch box, the

:52:09.:52:12.

Government has no intention of change its policy. Can I thank the

:52:13.:52:18.

disabilities Minister for accepting the recommendations of the review

:52:19.:52:26.

that I chaired into the disability apprenticeships are. Which

:52:27.:52:31.

recommendations can be applied to hearing loss and sight loss as well?

:52:32.:52:37.

I would like to thank my honourable friend, as it was his task force

:52:38.:52:46.

which conclude its work, and we've secured... I'm sure we'll be coming

:52:47.:52:52.

soon to my honourable friend to extend the next wave which he will

:52:53.:52:59.

be delighted to chair. The Government is trialling new

:53:00.:53:03.

technology for the payments and spending of claimants benefits. It

:53:04.:53:06.

is a fantastic new technology but Government's only port says it needs

:53:07.:53:10.

a regulatory, ethical and data framework. So how do we though that

:53:11.:53:17.

vulnerable benefits claimants are not being forced to share their data

:53:18.:53:23.

without giving informed consent? I thank the honourable lady for this

:53:24.:53:26.

interesting question. Question. This technology is new. I'm not an expert

:53:27.:53:33.

on it. The noble Lord Freud is in other place is an expert on it. We

:53:34.:53:38.

are committed to the highest standards of protection of data. In

:53:39.:53:42.

terms of the wired tax issue she refers, to I look forward to

:53:43.:53:47.

discussing this with her in more detail. Currently children under

:53:48.:53:54.

three are not eligibility for moatability Williams. Would my

:53:55.:54:05.

honourable friend agree to look at this issue to see if these specific

:54:06.:54:08.

young people can get the support they need? I know my honourable

:54:09.:54:13.

friend has been campaigning in this area for some time. It is an issue

:54:14.:54:17.

we are acutely aware of. I would be happy to meet with him to discuss

:54:18.:54:23.

further opportunities. I don't want to upset anybody on our frontbench

:54:24.:54:28.

by showing passion and anger about this Government's failure to tackle

:54:29.:54:33.

the unscrupulous employers that give no guarantee of employment, no

:54:34.:54:38.

contract, no certainty, no pension, nothing but zero hours contracts and

:54:39.:54:42.

people being hired from agencies. When is this Government going to

:54:43.:54:48.

take on these rotten employers? Zero hour contracts only form a very

:54:49.:54:52.

small proportion of the overall jobs in the labour market. The thing

:54:53.:54:57.

that's pernicious about zero hour contracts is the exclusivity

:54:58.:55:00.

clauses. That's widespread, we were the Government that took action to

:55:01.:55:02.

deal with that. We have an initiative with the DWP

:55:03.:55:14.

and the Salvation Army foodbank. People come into the foodbank and

:55:15.:55:19.

the DWP can help them in any way they can. Would my honourable friend

:55:20.:55:23.

like to come to Morecambe and see first-hand how this initiative is

:55:24.:55:27.

working night? Yes, I would like to go to Morecambe

:55:28.:55:31.

and see that project. I am clear that one of the things we need to be

:55:32.:55:36.

doing more of in our local job centres is integrating the local

:55:37.:55:45.

services. Urgent question, Helen Goodman. I would like to ask the

:55:46.:55:54.

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he would make a statement on

:55:55.:55:57.

whether or not the government will seek Parliamentary approval before

:55:58.:56:06.

triggering Article 50? The question of how to invoke Parliamentary

:56:07.:56:09.

discussion around triggering Article 50 has two distinct assets, one

:56:10.:56:14.

legal and the other Democratic. To take the legal consideration first,

:56:15.:56:19.

everyone will be aware how about the debate about whether Article 50 can

:56:20.:56:21.

be done through the royal prerogative which is not legally

:56:22.:56:26.

parliamentary improvement approval, or if it would need a Parliamentary

:56:27.:56:31.

approval. I believe the lawyers

:56:32.:56:32.

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