:00:07. > :00:17.Order, order. Questions to be Secretary of State for Work and
:00:18. > :00:22.Pensions. Number one, Mr Spdaker. Mr Speaker, I I might just takd this
:00:23. > :00:26.opportunity given the weekend events to say on behalf of myself `nd my
:00:27. > :00:32.other colleague on the other side of the House, we wish a speedy recovery
:00:33. > :00:38.to those who have been injured. . Only took off his almost ond in five
:00:39. > :00:46.households had no work. Manx people had been on benefits brought most of
:00:47. > :00:52.the previous decade. Since 2010 the number of nonworking household has
:00:53. > :00:59.fallen by 6008000. My consthtuency covers the major part of brhghter
:01:00. > :01:01.for us, in 2014 and had the highest percentage of working households in
:01:02. > :01:05.the country. Does my right honourable friend not agree that
:01:06. > :01:10.continuing to encourage households into work is one of the most
:01:11. > :01:13.effective ways of improving the chances of life of everyone in that
:01:14. > :01:18.family? As I say, my honour`ble friend is right that growing up in a
:01:19. > :01:23.working family is crucial. When his government took off his door over
:01:24. > :01:28.2.5 million children growing in work was households. This has fallen by
:01:29. > :01:33.nearly half the billions since 010. By targeting work business, our new
:01:34. > :01:37.life chance measures which we think will make an enormous difference for
:01:38. > :01:41.children's lives... I understand now there are almost no work was
:01:42. > :01:45.households in this county. Then I asked the Secretary of Statd to be a
:01:46. > :01:52.little careful about any of us getting complacent about working. --
:01:53. > :01:57.worthlessness. Has he seen the new gradation of work were people seized
:01:58. > :02:05.to have good employers and contracts are increasingly pushed into
:02:06. > :02:08.self-employment. I say to bd honourable gentleman, by thd way
:02:09. > :02:14.welcome back, I understand he has had some difficulties with health.
:02:15. > :02:18.Can I say to him he is right if that were the trend in the direction in
:02:19. > :02:22.which we are going. The difference a difference between us and the US.
:02:23. > :02:25.What we see is a vast majorhty of the jobs being created are
:02:26. > :02:29.white-collar jobs and full-time jobs and. That is really important whilst
:02:30. > :02:34.we think being self-employed is excellent. For those whose choose to
:02:35. > :02:39.do it. We are seeing a huge trend in jobs for full pay and full-time
:02:40. > :02:44.The selling point of the government universal credits theme was that it
:02:45. > :02:47.was supposed to increase work incentive. However the reduction in
:02:48. > :02:58.work allows us and universal credit to take effect in April next year
:02:59. > :03:03.will have about 25,000 workhng household... The seats that these
:03:04. > :03:08.changes more actively distance decentralised people into work? I
:03:09. > :03:11.don't. What I do believe is that universal credit is acting `s a huge
:03:12. > :03:14.incentive to go back to work. Even the statistics post over thd weekend
:03:15. > :03:18.show that universal credit leans that people are 8% more likdly to go
:03:19. > :03:20.into work than jobseeker's allowance. I remind her that
:03:21. > :03:24.jobseeker's allowance has bden seen by many in the Western world as one
:03:25. > :03:29.of the most successful that to work benefits. Universal credit performs
:03:30. > :03:34.even better by some considerable degree. He didn't answer thd
:03:35. > :03:41.question about those 35,000 households and transitional relief
:03:42. > :03:45.coming into affect in April 201 . So what does he expect for people who
:03:46. > :03:49.will be thousands of pounds worse off in April? First of all, people
:03:50. > :03:52.are getting back to work. Sdcondly, those who are on universal credit at
:03:53. > :03:57.the moment will be fully supported... All the resources
:03:58. > :03:58.necessary to ensure that thdir situation remains exactly the same
:03:59. > :04:10.as it is today. I wonder if the Minister has seen
:04:11. > :04:13.the figures I have. Can I t`ke them from rhetoric that to reality. It
:04:14. > :04:16.shows that at the same time whilst that has been a rise in employment
:04:17. > :04:20.in the last three months, the number of hours that we have actually
:04:21. > :04:25.worked as a country has fallen. So it is a good thing that unelployment
:04:26. > :04:28.has gone down, but surely wd need to be addressing underemployment
:04:29. > :04:31.particularly when there are 3 million people who say that they are
:04:32. > :04:37.underemployed. I saw that hhs Minister for employment was blogging
:04:38. > :04:40.temporary part-time jobs for people to dress up as Santa Claus over the
:04:41. > :04:45.weekend, but it perhaps would be better if his party spent more time
:04:46. > :04:46.to ensure full-time, permandnt, well-paid work for people. Hear
:04:47. > :04:54.hear! Is a bit rich effort to get up there
:04:55. > :04:56.and start attacking the government's record of getthng more
:04:57. > :05:00.people back to work more people in full-time work, or people in
:05:01. > :05:03.managerial positions. The rdality is will we took over from the
:05:04. > :05:07.government it was a completd collapse in the economy with people
:05:08. > :05:11.lucky to get a job, even lucky to get part-time work. Two thirds of
:05:12. > :05:17.the rise in employment sincd 20 0 has been managerial, professional
:05:18. > :05:19.jobs. And permanent jobs up over 476,000. This is not rhetorhc. These
:05:20. > :05:29.are realities. Hear, hear! Long-term youth unemployment has
:05:30. > :05:32.fallen by over one third ovdr the past year. Our goal is to m`ke sure
:05:33. > :05:35.that all young people are ehther earning our learnings copied we
:05:36. > :05:41.continue to provide extra stpport for young people on benefits...
:05:42. > :05:45.Introducing the new obligathon for 2017. The local government Dnglish
:05:46. > :05:50.dilution bill announced tod`y, can Minister do more to devolve greater
:05:51. > :05:58.control of the work programle two councils and to empower loc`l
:05:59. > :06:00.managers. Will she ensure that DWP work closely with councils on
:06:01. > :06:08.universal support to transform the delivery of services to vulnerable
:06:09. > :06:11.people? I think the honourable gentleman for his comments `nd also
:06:12. > :06:15.for his question. I would lhke to congratulate them for the work he
:06:16. > :06:23.has been doing locally withhn his own community with DWP and with the
:06:24. > :06:26.local government as well. Is right, certainly with the work programme
:06:27. > :06:30.and under the illusion as wdll. We are working with those commtnities
:06:31. > :06:33.and will local authorities `nd job centres and other partners `nd
:06:34. > :06:36.stakeholders to. Those spechalist organisations that can provhde the
:06:37. > :06:41.right kind of support to support employment and get more people back
:06:42. > :06:47.to work. He is right to hold up his error as a good local example. Mr
:06:48. > :06:52.Speaker, does the Minister `gree with me that having young pdople
:06:53. > :06:56.embrace work experience opportunities and encouraging
:06:57. > :07:03.employers to create these... Will bridge the skills gap? My honourable
:07:04. > :07:07.rent though my friend is right. We can never stand still in thhs space
:07:08. > :07:11.when it comes to young people. I mentioned the unique obligation that
:07:12. > :07:14.we will be bringing into thousand 17, but also developing skills and
:07:15. > :07:23.work experience supporting xoung people to traineeships is vhtal She
:07:24. > :07:28.has proved this in our own constituency. As the Ministdr will
:07:29. > :07:34.be aware we are now coming hnto the first area, meaning many people will
:07:35. > :07:38.find jobs on a temporary basis. Last year from October to Decembdr the
:07:39. > :07:43.number of young people at work in my constituency increased around 1 %,
:07:44. > :07:51.then after Christmas a job by 1 %. -- it dropped our 2%. To make sure
:07:52. > :07:54.people are not The honourable lady is right to say this is the time of
:07:55. > :08:11.year where there is more se`sonal employment. In course... Johnson to
:08:12. > :08:15.-- jobs centre will be supporting those who mean to secure longer jobs
:08:16. > :08:18.as well. I find it critical that it is better to be in work and have had
:08:19. > :08:23.the experience than to develop long-term career and implemdnt
:08:24. > :08:32.opportunities afterwards. Mr Speaker, the opening of the new
:08:33. > :08:39.Primark will bring 1000 new jobs to my area. Willie Minister welcomed me
:08:40. > :08:45.and -- join me in welcoming it? I think the honourable friend for the
:08:46. > :08:50.kind invitation. We are onlx getting the new jobs created in our economy
:08:51. > :08:53.through having a secure and sound economy and to our economic plan.
:08:54. > :09:00.And unfortunately employers like Weimar and many other retailers are
:09:01. > :09:18.creating great opportunities for our young people -- Primark.
:09:19. > :09:25.The department is developing new provision to support people with
:09:26. > :09:30.health conditions and disabhlities and of those who are very long-term
:09:31. > :09:33.unemployed. We are currentlx developing the design of a
:09:34. > :09:40.programme, including the conditionality as well as the future
:09:41. > :09:47.of that programme. Mental hdalth charity revealed that 82% of ESA
:09:48. > :09:52.claimants referred to be programme, found it made their mental health
:09:53. > :09:56.state worst. Will be governlent s new health and work programle and
:09:57. > :10:04.the shameful sanctions regile which often leads forward with mental
:10:05. > :10:08.illness is less likely to access work? I'm sure the honourable lady
:10:09. > :10:14.will recognise that over 60$ of those who are individuals... Say
:10:15. > :10:17.that they do want to work as well. That is why we will launch the new
:10:18. > :10:23.work and health programme. Looking at how we can deliver emploxment
:10:24. > :10:25.support, which I am sure thd honourable lady opposite wotld
:10:26. > :10:30.welcome an all members of this house would welcome. Providing vital
:10:31. > :10:33.implement support to those individuals that are furthest away
:10:34. > :10:35.from the labour market but who wants to work and we will do this in
:10:36. > :10:43.conjunction with our stakeholders. And better targeting that community
:10:44. > :10:46.to get them back into work. I would also like to point that in the
:10:47. > :10:51.summer budget additional funding was made available just for this very
:10:52. > :10:53.support for those that are furthest away from the labour market and
:10:54. > :11:00.those with health conditions in particular. Does my right honourable
:11:01. > :11:06.friend agree that it is inctmbent on any person who suggests scr`pping
:11:07. > :11:08.the existing sanctions schele to propose an effective altern`tive
:11:09. > :11:17.because there has to be somd means of ensuring the clients with the
:11:18. > :11:23.roles? -- compliance. And v`luable point here. Did the Mac despite the
:11:24. > :11:30.fact that sections have been in place, even under previous labour
:11:31. > :11:37.governments... It is designdd to support claimants and encourage them
:11:38. > :11:43.back to work. ... These are developed with the claimant as well.
:11:44. > :11:46.In the work programme extra help is being given to job seekers who have
:11:47. > :11:50.been out of work for 12 months. In this new programme it won't be until
:11:51. > :11:54.two years. Is job centre plts going to get extra resources to stpport
:11:55. > :11:58.people who have been out of work were between one and two ye`rs,
:11:59. > :12:01.given that the programme wotld be doing that? I say to the right
:12:02. > :12:07.honourable gentleman, in terms of the new programme, it will be
:12:08. > :12:10.accompanied by structural rdform. That the target support for those
:12:11. > :12:17.individuals that are furthest away from the labour market. But on top
:12:18. > :12:20.of that, as he highlighted `nd emphasised again today, Universal
:12:21. > :12:23.credit in particular will provide the support and engagement to those
:12:24. > :12:27.individuals that are looking for work that are furthest away from the
:12:28. > :12:30.labour market alongside the new work and health programme which of course
:12:31. > :12:33.will integrate services and particularly for those with mental
:12:34. > :12:39.health conditions or health barriers to help them get closer to the
:12:40. > :12:44.labour market. Hear, hear! Shockingly, Mr Speaker, a ntmber of
:12:45. > :12:47.people who have died after being sanctioned were still waiting for
:12:48. > :12:51.the government to publish d`ta on these. We do know, following the
:12:52. > :12:57.recent publication of an ac`demic report, that between 2010-2013, the
:12:58. > :13:08.government's work of abilitx assessment process is there is about
:13:09. > :13:18.950,000 suicide. ... It has been reported" not being able to meet
:13:19. > :13:22.certain performance metrics". When will Secretary of State admht..
:13:23. > :13:26.These are not fit for purpose and need a complete overhaul? Hdar,
:13:27. > :13:30.hear! Let me remind at the honour`ble lady
:13:31. > :13:33.that it was her parking govdrnment that introduced the work capability
:13:34. > :13:37.assessment, but also let me make the point while she remarks frol her
:13:38. > :13:46.sedentary position in particular is... Let me remind the House, Mr
:13:47. > :13:49.Speaker, that the work capability assessment was introduced bx a
:13:50. > :13:56.previous labour government. We have brought in a number of reforms which
:13:57. > :14:00.she, the honourable lady, whll be aware of the. We are very clear that
:14:01. > :14:03.when it comes to sanctions, they are constantly under review, hence the
:14:04. > :14:08.five reviews we have had made final point is that when it comes to the
:14:09. > :14:11.data that the honourable lady has just presented to the House, she
:14:12. > :14:17.cannot justifiably or credibly extrapolate those figures and apply
:14:18. > :14:18.them to sanctions and the policies of this government because they are
:14:19. > :14:33.completely incorrect. Hear, hear! Mr Speaker, with permission I would
:14:34. > :14:39.like to take questions four and tend to. Johnson does undertake outreach
:14:40. > :14:42.work every day and local colmunities and have been helping peopld with
:14:43. > :14:48.back to work support and advise it at the welcome centre and
:14:49. > :14:55.Manchester. The test is at `n early stage and the department will make
:14:56. > :14:58.the findings public in due course. Despite the fall in unemploxment,
:14:59. > :15:02.many working families across the country will be relying on food
:15:03. > :15:05.banks this Christmas. I want to picture view to Sarah Sidwell and
:15:06. > :15:12.her constituents at the loc`l food bank... But does the staff hn food
:15:13. > :15:16.bank actually acknowledged the symbolic nature of the benefits
:15:17. > :15:20.system which is affecting pdople and shouldn't the Minister think very
:15:21. > :15:26.long and hard about sourcing out the system -- sorting out the sxstem?
:15:27. > :15:28.Hear, hear! Man gently remind the honourable
:15:29. > :15:35.lady that at the request of Sister Rita, we were invited to go to the
:15:36. > :15:41.welcome centre, which also serves other agencies. -- which also has
:15:42. > :15:48.other agencies copy I would like to say that that centre has a job club
:15:49. > :15:52.there. If there is a job cltb, and she is happy with that, why on earth
:15:53. > :15:57.is he objecting to us going there to help people when we have bedn
:15:58. > :16:02.invited to go there? Hear, hear Could the Minister confirm whether
:16:03. > :16:06.or not Lord Prior will be joining in the evaluation of the services at
:16:07. > :16:10.that job centre and food bank? As he will know, Lord Prior has indicated
:16:11. > :16:15.that obesity seems to be a problem rather than property. Did hd confirm
:16:16. > :16:19.whether the evaluation will include an examination of the reasons why
:16:20. > :16:26.sanctions and delays in bendfits are causing problems to those rdceiving
:16:27. > :16:29.food benefits? Hear, hear! There are fewer delays now hn terms
:16:30. > :16:32.of getting benefits then thdre were under the government that the
:16:33. > :16:42.honourable gentleman served. Applications are down compared to
:16:43. > :16:50.nine tenths, -- JSA applications are down as our ESa applications. On a
:16:51. > :16:54.related subject, I wonder if the Minister can envision a futtre where
:16:55. > :16:59.job services and councils are co-located in this country. I'm
:17:00. > :17:06.happy to confirm to my honotrable friend that that is already
:17:07. > :17:09.happening. Thank you Mr Spe`ker In relation to this trial, has the
:17:10. > :17:14.Minister noticed two days rdport in the Western morning used th`t food
:17:15. > :17:19.bank use has dropped to 5%. In Cornwall. Does he agree that this is
:17:20. > :17:23.a sign of economic recovery, giving more people access to securd work?
:17:24. > :17:25.Hear, hear! Gale it is always good to h`ve
:17:26. > :17:30.external endorsement to what the government is doing. It is clear
:17:31. > :17:38.evidence that the government's plan is working. Hear, hear!
:17:39. > :17:40.May I report to the Minister, progress in Birkenhead wherd a
:17:41. > :17:44.benefit advisor has been working in the food bank and the numbers of
:17:45. > :17:52.people having to combat for a second bag food has dropped by 65%. When he
:17:53. > :17:55.also noticed that whenever the secretary of state refers to this
:17:56. > :17:57.experiment, he talks about benefit advisors. Other people in the
:17:58. > :18:04.Department, senior people, talk about work coaches. Might hd
:18:05. > :18:08.persuade his colleagues, thd Secretary of State, to say that his
:18:09. > :18:12.phrase is not an offensive one, whereas if you are hungry and you
:18:13. > :18:15.are thinking somebody is gohng to be a work codes, it might put xou off
:18:16. > :18:21.going to be food bank in thd first place? Both terms are applicable.
:18:22. > :18:24.May I say that we should not get bolted down and what the terminology
:18:25. > :18:26.is. The important thing is to make sure that people actually h`ve
:18:27. > :18:34.support to get them back to work. And, as we just heard from the
:18:35. > :18:37.honourable friend, the long,term plan is working and we want to make
:18:38. > :18:43.sure as many people as posshble are in work so that they don't have to
:18:44. > :18:45.resort to food banks. Hear, hear! Is the right honourable gentleman
:18:46. > :18:51.surprised that the secretarx has stayed has not bothered to visit a
:18:52. > :18:54.food bank -- Secretary of State But there are evil in his department who
:18:55. > :18:58.have been speaking to food banks and the message that we get, lotd and
:18:59. > :19:02.clear, is the most important thing that a department can do is fix this
:19:03. > :19:07.broken system of sanctions `nd stop benefit delays -- there are people
:19:08. > :19:15.in his department popular it is helpful... That from the just say
:19:16. > :19:18.things that are accurate. As far as sections are concerned, can I say to
:19:19. > :19:26.the honourable lady that thd review said that 71% of people found it
:19:27. > :19:32.that sanctions were helpful in encouragement to find jobs.
:19:33. > :19:39.Mr Speaker, for the first thme universal credit will support
:19:40. > :19:43.claimants and work to earn lore Work cultures will provide continued
:19:44. > :19:47.support to claimants on low wages to improve their pay. To help develop
:19:48. > :19:50.our package of support for people in work, we are implementing a
:19:51. > :19:56.comprehensive test and one strategy to better understand in fact that
:19:57. > :20:00.Labour market policies can have on helping people in low incomds to
:20:01. > :20:04.have jobs which are more. Does the Minister agree that having ` high
:20:05. > :20:08.skill, high paid economy is exactly the way to drive up producthvity and
:20:09. > :20:16.crucially social mobility? That is the key thing that underpins the
:20:17. > :20:19.government's strategy. I am most grateful to my honourable friend for
:20:20. > :20:23.making that point. Latest fhgures show that the employment rate of
:20:24. > :20:39.young people who have left full time education is a -- is above. Above
:20:40. > :20:42.the UK average. Two years ago, almost... The department announced
:20:43. > :20:49.the work programme. How manx people have benefited from that scheme and
:20:50. > :20:54.will would we hear on progrdss - when will we hear on progress? We
:20:55. > :20:57.are close to record on that. As far as it is concerned, as I sahd
:20:58. > :21:03.earlier on him and long-terl economic plan is continuing. Masset
:21:04. > :21:08.lost at the dispatch box th`t the House has sympathy with all of the
:21:09. > :21:11.honourable gentleman and a lot of his colleagues are going through at
:21:12. > :21:15.the moment -- with what the honourable gentleman and his
:21:16. > :21:23.colleagues are going through. . . The way in which your officd has
:21:24. > :21:26.tried to exploit internships copy that is where many people bdgan
:21:27. > :21:29.their career progression. What are the Minister doing to HR yotng
:21:30. > :21:36.people are not being exploited on unpaid internships -- doing to make
:21:37. > :21:40.sure? Young people are actu`lly getting jobs a lot more than they
:21:41. > :21:41.did before, certainly when the party opposite were in government, the
:21:42. > :21:49.facts prove. We have fundamentally reforled
:21:50. > :21:53.welfare system -- we are fundamentally reforming the welfare
:21:54. > :22:00.system to make sure that it benefits are clear for all. Helping people
:22:01. > :22:04.increase their earnings and move away from welfare dependencx. The
:22:05. > :22:10.government's humiliating yot can't do make you turn on tax credits is
:22:11. > :22:12.to be welcomed -- you turn on tax credits is to be welcomed. But it
:22:13. > :22:18.can be confirmed that more `nd welfare cuts are to be taking place.
:22:19. > :22:21.Is it a fact that those cuts will be affecting the most vulnerable and
:22:22. > :22:27.struggling to survive in society, great families? Respect to the
:22:28. > :22:30.honourable gentleman, as thd budget it was made clear by the Ch`ncellor
:22:31. > :22:37.that the total package of changes it would take place, included changes
:22:38. > :22:40.to be welfare budget of ?12 billion am a but there are departments as
:22:41. > :22:44.part of that process of getting rid of the deficit. I thought the party
:22:45. > :22:47.opposite says that they are in favour of getting rid of thd
:22:48. > :22:49.deficit, so the question re`lly is what do they actually plan to do if
:22:50. > :22:55.reminding him that a huge alount of the changes to the savings that are
:22:56. > :22:59.being made is because more people are going back to work and fewer
:23:00. > :23:04.people, therefore, having to claim benefits. Mr Speaker, following what
:23:05. > :23:08.the Secretary of State has just said, if the bridges people vote to
:23:09. > :23:15.come out of the you, we will not be given ?350 million a week, lore than
:23:16. > :23:19.?1 billion in three weeks to the you -- bridges people. Will be welcomed
:23:20. > :23:25.some of that money to his department? All I can say is my
:23:26. > :23:28.honourable friend mustn't d`re turn me in this direction. I know what is
:23:29. > :23:32.really important that we want our economy and the UK for the benefit
:23:33. > :23:37.of those who are citizens of the UK, we have already made proposhtion
:23:38. > :23:39.clear. Those who have not bden here for a period of time and who have
:23:40. > :23:46.not ventured to get should not be able to draw upon our benefht
:23:47. > :23:48.system. Order, on the whole because the honourable gentleman is
:23:49. > :23:54.dexterous, he was just about in order, that I Council colle`gues
:23:55. > :24:04.they should take great care not to seek to shoehorn their personal
:24:05. > :24:16.preoccupations into questions. He is a very versatile fellow in `ll
:24:17. > :24:21.matter of being. The governlent use of as credits were benefit hn my
:24:22. > :24:25.constituency. Those who will be moved on to be universal Reddit
:24:26. > :24:31.system will be impacted. Given that young people in particular will not
:24:32. > :24:36.qualify for the government's so-called national living w`ge. How
:24:37. > :24:42.does the government reconcile making work pay? The key thing abott what
:24:43. > :24:45.he is saying is that as a rdsult of the budget there is nothing new in
:24:46. > :24:50.the spending review in terms of what the office said. They said long time
:24:51. > :24:54.generosity of the welfare sxstem will be cut just as much as ever
:24:55. > :24:58.intended, in other words be ?12 billion savings were exactlx as much
:24:59. > :25:02.as the budget announced. Can I say, universal credit has a huge effect,
:25:03. > :25:08.we published figures this wdek to show that it means more people go
:25:09. > :25:11.into work faster and stay in to work longer and are likely to earn more
:25:12. > :25:14.money. That is a huge changd that will affect young people
:25:15. > :25:20.dramatically as much as it does anybody else. Be reformed to
:25:21. > :25:24.benefit, where work should `lways pay more than welfare, are
:25:25. > :25:28.welcomed. As the roll-out universal credit across my constituency, will
:25:29. > :25:35.the Secretary of State join me and my constituency to see the changes
:25:36. > :25:44.for himself, including the 04 new jobs at the supermarket, Aldi - 40
:25:45. > :25:51.new jobs. I know how hard she has campaigned to get and limit up in
:25:52. > :25:56.her Vista Josie, and I will ensure that -- in her constituency... I
:25:57. > :26:02.will ensure her that more pdople are getting jobs, and instead of
:26:03. > :26:03.spending more money, we are bending less money and changing livds for
:26:04. > :26:16.the better. Which was a surprise to me, on
:26:17. > :26:20.Friday DOB are published a report that shows the government intends to
:26:21. > :26:24.cut 100 million from the unhversal credit work allowance next xear 1.2
:26:25. > :26:28.billion the year after that, to point to, to .9, 3.2 billion the
:26:29. > :26:34.year after that, to point to, to .9, 3.2 billion truly in pennies. So can
:26:35. > :26:40.you clarify his remarks and tell us precisely which workers are going to
:26:41. > :26:42.lose them? I just wish the honourable gentleman would `ctually
:26:43. > :26:46.go visit the University website to see the huge difference it hs
:26:47. > :26:53.making. But on that note, in answer to his question, as they sahd, no
:26:54. > :26:57.family will take an immediate hit from being moved onto universal
:26:58. > :27:04.credit. Hold on a second. I remember this is the party of the ten piece
:27:05. > :27:08.starting rate and tax and dhd not cast or protect anybody at `ll. We
:27:09. > :27:12.are trying to protect those who are moving onto universal credit, maybe
:27:13. > :27:16.he is against that, if so would you like to say why? Mr Speaker again
:27:17. > :27:20.the Secretary of State says the summer budget, or rather thhs budget
:27:21. > :27:26.may no changes and he is right because the changes had alrdady been
:27:27. > :27:30.passed in the summer budget and in the S I. The truth is that the
:27:31. > :27:37.chancellor bailed himself ott with a hole he dug in tax credits by rating
:27:38. > :27:42.the universal credit system, deeply unfair 2-tier system where ` working
:27:43. > :27:48.mother or universal credit will next year be ?3000 worse off than her
:27:49. > :27:57.equivalent on tax credit. In all of 2.6 million families will bd ?6 000
:27:58. > :28:02.on average worse off, it is the new IDS postcode lottery, Mr Spdaker. It
:28:03. > :28:07.is arbitrary, it is unfair, and if you are a low-wage worker then I
:28:08. > :28:11.come working mother he could be you. Let me just say to the honotrable
:28:12. > :28:15.gentleman, his party which has opposed the universal credit from
:28:16. > :28:20.the outset can hardly say that they are in the slightest bit interested
:28:21. > :28:22.in how it works. The realitx is all of those calculations, for lone
:28:23. > :28:27.parents do not take into consideration, no they do not. The
:28:28. > :28:32.childcare package that comes with universal credit is dramatic. Unlike
:28:33. > :28:36.tax credit, perhaps he would like to keep quiet and listen for once and
:28:37. > :28:40.you will know something to talk about. I say to him very silply
:28:41. > :28:46.that the childcare package `nd universal credit gives parents with
:28:47. > :28:50.children childcare support `t every single hour while they are hn work.
:28:51. > :29:06.Under tax credit, they got next to nothing. Mr Speaker, with rdspect I
:29:07. > :29:10.will answer questions eight, nine, and 18 together. Universal credit is
:29:11. > :29:15.rolling out as planned on track And on time, I can announce tod`y that
:29:16. > :29:21.there is now... This is the great question I'd believe isn't ht? Every
:29:22. > :29:26.job centre by April next ye`r, estimates of the total cost of
:29:27. > :29:29.information have fallen and now 6-point... Over a quarter mhllion
:29:30. > :29:38.people now make claims to universal credit. I recently visited ly local
:29:39. > :29:43.job centre, job coaches told me how well universal credit is working.
:29:44. > :29:46.Given claimants more abilitx to work and the coaches more time to support
:29:47. > :29:52.them. Does the Secretary of State agree that universal credit is
:29:53. > :29:54.helping people get to work hn helping work pay. When pressing on
:29:55. > :30:02.with the roll-out and peopld with benefits? I say to my honourable
:30:03. > :30:06.friend that it is a reality that the universal credit on the figtres we
:30:07. > :30:10.have published over the last 24 hours even, shows that people are
:30:11. > :30:15.much more likely to get into work, to work longer, to earn mord money.
:30:16. > :30:17.That is the key bit. Rolling out universal credit has a masshve
:30:18. > :30:21.effect on the likelihood of people entering work. I would also remind
:30:22. > :30:25.her and the honourable gentleman did not want to listen to this but the
:30:26. > :30:30.fact is under universal credit, child package is for every hour that
:30:31. > :30:36.they worked up until the molent they leave the benefit system. I wonder
:30:37. > :30:40.what the secretary has to s`y about borrowing money aspects of tniversal
:30:41. > :30:46.credit, when only 2% of people are participating, so far it has cost a
:30:47. > :30:51.large amount of sums to introduce. Actually the cost of universal
:30:52. > :30:56.credit implementation has f`llen, it was originally forecast across .4
:30:57. > :30:59.billion, it is now due to cost .7 million, but to give him thd context
:31:00. > :31:03.with the value of money as the most the honourable gentleman has no idea
:31:04. > :31:06.about because he hasn't sitting on the off the bench is for too long,
:31:07. > :31:11.the reality is that univers`l right universal credit... With respect,
:31:12. > :31:15.the honourable gentleman sitting just below them, but the honourable
:31:16. > :31:18.Germans you know that a few Catholic and never people getting back to
:31:19. > :31:23.work to rectally as univers`l credit, that has a net benefit to
:31:24. > :31:29.the tune of three alien plus pounds, I'd call that a real benefit in real
:31:30. > :31:35.terms. Can I work on the fact that universal credit in my constituency
:31:36. > :31:44.reached five weeks ago. Will happen when they move from something onto
:31:45. > :31:51.tax credits... It does not suit the opposition to know this but the
:31:52. > :31:54.reality is all of those movhng to universal credit are transitional he
:31:55. > :31:58.protected. That is very critical. They do not want to know th`t
:31:59. > :32:01.because as I said earlier on they are the party that failed to protect
:32:02. > :32:09.anybody when they change ovdr from the Tempe tax rate. While wd welcome
:32:10. > :32:12.the apparent U-turn on cuts the tax credits it appears that cuts to work
:32:13. > :32:17.allowance will continue to go ahead under universal credit and hitting
:32:18. > :32:23.families just as hard. Soak can the Secretary of State Mr is today the
:32:24. > :32:27.tax credits you cut will also apply to universal credit or confhrm our
:32:28. > :32:32.suspicions that this so-called U-turn is merely a delay tactic
:32:33. > :32:39.Universal credit position is exactly as set out at the time, the summer
:32:40. > :32:43.budget. That understands as we calculate the figures released in
:32:44. > :32:46.the last 24 hours show categorically, there'll be ` huge
:32:47. > :32:50.improvement to the numbers of people going back into work, working
:32:51. > :32:54.full-time, and earning more money. I absolutely believe that in the next
:32:55. > :32:57.few years, the honourable Gdrman will be one of the first able to
:32:58. > :33:05.stand up and say thank God for University credit. -- universal
:33:06. > :33:09.credit. Mr Speaker, a minorhty of claimants including women who may be
:33:10. > :33:11.a victim of financial abuse, alternative payment arrangelents can
:33:12. > :33:15.be made savvy you can split payments to members of the House when
:33:16. > :33:18.necessary under universal credit. Furthermore, job centre staff are
:33:19. > :33:24.trained to identify vulnerable claimants and consigned indhviduals
:33:25. > :33:31.at their request to domestic abuse report organisations for further
:33:32. > :33:41.help and support. Research carried out by eight organisation this
:33:42. > :33:43.year... Funded organ... Particularly the single household payment for
:33:44. > :33:48.women and children, the fin`ncial hardship. Further arrangements and
:33:49. > :33:53.make it difficult for these claimants to declare single
:33:54. > :33:59.household for fear of the abuser finding out. Asking all clahmants of
:34:00. > :34:09.the arrangement including h`ve any rate... The honourable Germ`n raises
:34:10. > :34:13.a very important point in etiquette is important to say at the outset
:34:14. > :34:17.that there is no room for domestic violence or abuse in the society in
:34:18. > :34:19.the 21st century. I think wd are all agreed on that topic I do s`y to the
:34:20. > :34:24.honourable to the honourabld judgement that the advisors are very
:34:25. > :34:29.well-trained and do look out for people who are victims. Thex will
:34:30. > :34:31.also look at who has care and responsibility for children and
:34:32. > :34:36.where appropriate, they can split the payments, they can make the
:34:37. > :34:39.payments more frequent than a month and they can certainly give
:34:40. > :34:50.different treatments to the normal person. Question number 12 please.
:34:51. > :34:53.The way earnings are treated differs across all various benefits. The
:34:54. > :35:01.majority of benefits do not have an earnings... Individuals can find
:35:02. > :35:08.eligibility on the .uk and can speak to their local job centres staffed
:35:09. > :35:14.and work coaches. My constituent and a member of her family was taking on
:35:15. > :35:17.too small jobs to make up hdr earnings and allowing her to
:35:18. > :35:20.contribute to the community. Careful to stay within the earnings limit
:35:21. > :35:24.she had been advised of. Shd was shocked to get a call saying that
:35:25. > :35:29.she had received monthly lilit that she knew nothing about to bd does
:35:30. > :35:32.the Minister think that that kind of trip for claimants as an appropriate
:35:33. > :35:37.way to deal with someone like my constituent who is doing her best to
:35:38. > :35:41.benefit her family and commtnity? What I would cite to the honourable
:35:42. > :35:45.lady, two points, I'm happy to look at her case but when it comds to
:35:46. > :35:49.allowance hurt itself, we dhd increase the earnings threshold in
:35:50. > :35:54.April 2015 this year. We increased that by 8%. I think importantly
:35:55. > :35:59.this is about finding the rhght approach, structured approach to
:36:00. > :36:08.support workers who want to get that balance right in regards to the care
:36:09. > :36:11.and responsibilities. The sdctarian state has a duty to protect funds
:36:12. > :36:15.and ensure wherever possibld that the benefit of the payment hs
:36:16. > :36:19.recovered. This exercise whdre it is not cost-effective to limit the
:36:20. > :36:22.payment or whether recovery would cause undue hardship and subject to
:36:23. > :36:27.guidelines from her Majesty 's Treasurer. I can accept that
:36:28. > :36:35.completely, but since April, it has been possible to recover benefit at
:36:36. > :36:40.a rate of 40% from jobseeker's allowance There is much... That is
:36:41. > :36:45.becoming a much more normal figure. Under appeal and review thehr are
:36:46. > :36:50.being told that even if thex do not have money to eat, that's not
:36:51. > :36:54.sufficient reason, I am sorry Mr Speaker, that is not suffichent
:36:55. > :36:58.reason to be able to appeal against having that benefit. Would he ask
:36:59. > :37:03.his officials to look seriotsly at this issue and how it is affecting
:37:04. > :37:07.people who are the poorest? I would think the Member for his qudstion, I
:37:08. > :37:11.know he has been working in this area and working with the ntmber of
:37:12. > :37:16.his residence. -- the claim`nt must prove it is genuine hardship and you
:37:17. > :37:18.would have did talk to the debt management team in terms of the
:37:19. > :37:27.bills by appeals process, I will look further. Youth unemploxment has
:37:28. > :37:30.fallen to the lowest level hn seven years, in addition the proportion of
:37:31. > :37:40.young people who have left full time education and employment th`t 5 9%
:37:41. > :37:44.and it has not been ever lower. The trust runs an access centre to help
:37:45. > :37:49.young people of the benefits in my constituency and. Will Mr join me in
:37:50. > :37:51.congratulating people in thd work on the ground and confirm that the
:37:52. > :37:55.governments continue to put young people at the heart of its
:37:56. > :37:59.aspirations of its economic plan? I thank my honourable friend for that,
:38:00. > :38:07.of course I congratulate and you should trust in terms of his own
:38:08. > :38:09.work. I know he himself has made young people getting back in toward
:38:10. > :38:14.a priority in his constituency. He is right that we are committed to
:38:15. > :38:17.helping more young people sdcure employment opportunities, which is
:38:18. > :38:24.why we will continue to support work experience programmes, internships
:38:25. > :38:27.and of course youth obligathon. To many of the upper have been going to
:38:28. > :38:35.older people already in jobs. What is really needed is an internship
:38:36. > :38:40.which provides an intermedi`te and advanced high skill which is
:38:41. > :38:45.valuable for both young people and the success of our economy? IE view
:38:46. > :38:48.all occurrences met my apprenticeship schemes as v`lue
:38:49. > :38:56.added to our economy. Last Thursday, I went to visit plumbers who are
:38:57. > :39:02.investing in young people, taking on young apprenticeships, I he`r people
:39:03. > :39:07.being disparaging about the employer organisation but they are
:39:08. > :39:11.creating... They are creating employment opportunities and
:39:12. > :39:16.opportunities for young people as, as do every other business `nd
:39:17. > :39:19.organisation who take on bo`rd young people at an apprenticeship level.
:39:20. > :39:23.They are the future, we are investing in our young people, and
:39:24. > :39:34.importantly creating great opportunities and skills for our
:39:35. > :39:39.economy. The unemployment r`te at 5% has fallen by a third since 201 . I
:39:40. > :39:42.hear sides on the party opposite which shows they have no interest in
:39:43. > :39:47.employment growth in this country and it is now at its lowest level
:39:48. > :39:50.for seven years, she says ghrl out, perhaps she wants to put th`t
:39:51. > :39:55.disparaging my disparaging comments that she sees about. Implemdnt
:39:56. > :40:04.opportunities and growth in the comedy. Has risen by two x 0 million
:40:05. > :40:08.since 2010. Unemployment in my constituency has fallen by 40% since
:40:09. > :40:12.2010. There's been a lot of security to allow people my constitudncy but
:40:13. > :40:14.would she agree with me that there are some individuals sufferhng from
:40:15. > :40:19.long-term mental health conditions who want to work, but find puite
:40:20. > :40:23.considerable barriers to getting back into employment summit would
:40:24. > :40:27.she agree with me that we nded to redouble our efforts to enable this
:40:28. > :40:30.able to get back into work because it is critical to their card that
:40:31. > :40:35.they do? My honourable friend is absolutely right Mr Speaker, he
:40:36. > :40:39.highlights two points. One hs that an employment has gone down in his
:40:40. > :40:42.constituency, more people and were. But you highlight the important
:40:43. > :40:46.point that people with various work, mental health conditions in her
:40:47. > :40:50.together, will be working whth a new health programme and import`ntly
:40:51. > :40:52.looking at how to integrate services to find the right kind of stpport
:40:53. > :41:00.and provision to help them get back into work. There are 10,900
:41:01. > :41:04.referrals to the programme hn my constituency between the June 2 11
:41:05. > :41:09.and June 2015. 20% of which resulted in a drawback. These figures would
:41:10. > :41:14.be improved and unemployment further reduced at the assessment m`de of
:41:15. > :41:16.payments at the beginning of the process was more adequate and
:41:17. > :41:19.consistent to ensure that crucial characteristics such as drug
:41:20. > :41:22.problems and other issues wdre not missed. When will the government
:41:23. > :41:27.bring for these changes to the assessment process? What I would say
:41:28. > :41:30.to the honourable lady is that the select committee and many others
:41:31. > :41:33.have said that the work programme has been one of the most successful
:41:34. > :41:38.employment programmes that this country has seen. When it comes to
:41:39. > :41:43.assessments, naturally, we `re constantly reviewing the work that
:41:44. > :41:46.we do in this place, but also we are focusing on the targeted support for
:41:47. > :41:50.individuals. We all want thd right outcome for them, we want to help
:41:51. > :41:53.them get back into work and provide the right kind of tailor-made that
:41:54. > :41:57.they need rather than taking the approach that the lady opposite is
:41:58. > :42:00.saying which is being quite disparaging about the support that
:42:01. > :42:03.is put in place and actuallx, saying that they need help and that we
:42:04. > :42:14.would give them how to get back into work. Where a service medic`l board
:42:15. > :42:17.decides disabled persons should be discharge from the forces would use
:42:18. > :42:24.their evidence to determine the eligibility wherever possible. I
:42:25. > :42:28.raise this on behalf of my constituents private for walk-ins
:42:29. > :42:31.and an ex-serviceman and part of the pension scheme which was aw`rded a
:42:32. > :42:36.lifetime disability living allowance. But he was excluded from
:42:37. > :42:40.access to the armed forces independent payment which unlike
:42:41. > :42:44.pension schemes, requires jtst one assessment study with the Mhnister
:42:45. > :42:46.agree with me that what we have is a 2-tier system, which discrilinates
:42:47. > :42:51.against service personnel lhke private Hopkins and would she agree
:42:52. > :42:55.to meet with me to see how this would affect my constituencx? I
:42:56. > :42:58.thank my honourable friend for raising this particular casd. I of
:42:59. > :43:02.course would be happy to medt with her. I think Mr Speaker that it is
:43:03. > :43:07.right that the House recognhses the sacrifices made by all membdrs of
:43:08. > :43:10.our Armed Forces who have bden injured in service to our n`tion. As
:43:11. > :43:17.I said I'll be very happy to meet with you. In the last two ydars the
:43:18. > :43:23.number of disabled people at work has increased by 139,000... The
:43:24. > :43:27.moderates and disabled people remains too large, and that is why
:43:28. > :43:32.we have the ambition to havd it Can I invite the Minister to a
:43:33. > :43:38.disability confident that in the spring, it is a brilliant charity
:43:39. > :43:43.such as others who are my working life goes to those with Brenda's
:43:44. > :43:47.abilities. I would be delighted to accept that kind invitation.
:43:48. > :43:51.Supporting people with disabilities going to work or giving
:43:52. > :43:54.opportunities for local organisations to build older provide
:43:55. > :43:59.their solution such as when I visited an Academy on Fridax which
:44:00. > :44:02.has over 50% success rate in getting people learning disabilities into
:44:03. > :44:10.work, compared to the national average, it is vital.
:44:11. > :44:19.There are no plans to publish such information Mr Speaker. As ` source
:44:20. > :44:24.of great regret a recent sttdy by Liverpool in Oxford Univershty
:44:25. > :44:28.concluded that there were 580 suicides linked to work cap`bility
:44:29. > :44:30.assessment. When will her ddpartment stop hiding behind excuses `nd
:44:31. > :44:36.publish the information we seek that gives us the ability to see the
:44:37. > :44:40.effect on the claimant systdm on suicide rates? Mr Speaker, we will
:44:41. > :44:43.not agree with these claims and the authors themselves cautioned that no
:44:44. > :44:52.conclusions can be drawn about cause and effect. To introduce fahrness
:44:53. > :45:00.will cap housing benefits at appropriate levels housing from
:45:01. > :45:03.April 2018 where a new tenancy is renewed at their April 2016. This
:45:04. > :45:12.means that single claimant on the 35 taking
:45:13. > :45:16.tenancy has the housing bendfits... Research shows that it is f`irly
:45:17. > :45:20.unusual for people under 35 to actually beginning social housing.
:45:21. > :45:25.The exception to that will be care leaders? Animist or let the House
:45:26. > :45:30.know if there are any safegtards are exceptions for vulnerable c`re
:45:31. > :45:36.givers? Just to clarify, thhs will be a... Cash for those arty and the
:45:37. > :45:39.system summary will be lookhng at those protections of the pl`ce and
:45:40. > :45:51.we have in the private sectors which includes care leaders? Mr Speaker, I
:45:52. > :45:54.am pleased to be to the House today about the universal credit roll out
:45:55. > :45:56.and it is now available in three quarters of job centres and
:45:57. > :45:59.available next year it'll bd available nationally. Buildhng on
:46:00. > :46:03.this, and additional servicd is already in a number of job services,
:46:04. > :46:11.it is being extended to another five job centres earlier next ye`r. In a
:46:12. > :46:17.number of these areas. That is prior to May 2016 it will be rolldd out
:46:18. > :46:20.nationally. Can I invite thd Secretary of State confirm that
:46:21. > :46:24.current claimant of univers`l credit will face losses next April as a
:46:25. > :46:28.result of cuts to work allowance and can explain to the House is no
:46:29. > :46:32.transitional protection for universal credit like there is is
:46:33. > :46:35.tax credit recipients was white I thought it made this clear but I'll
:46:36. > :46:41.make it clear again to the honourable lady. For those `lready
:46:42. > :46:45.on universal credit right now, the support fund the advisors whll
:46:46. > :46:48.support them to insured thehr payment remains the same. To this
:46:49. > :46:55.transitioning, they are traditionally protected as H have
:46:56. > :47:00.already stated. I like the Linister to say what steps are being taken to
:47:01. > :47:03.support those with onset delentia, and when appropriate, those who wish
:47:04. > :47:11.to continue working have thd support to do so. We fully recognisd the
:47:12. > :47:14.devastating impact that a dhagnosis like early onset of dementi` can
:47:15. > :47:17.have on an individual and their families. Does what we had to work
:47:18. > :47:21.capability assessment which has been designed to ensure that any claimant
:47:22. > :47:26.who is severely affected can be identified at the earliest possible
:47:27. > :47:30.stages and obviously our supported and will be given the highest rate
:47:31. > :47:38.of benefits where that has been diagnosed and they will be free from
:47:39. > :47:41.any conditionality. At the dlection the conservative party promhsed to
:47:42. > :47:44.exempt the pensioners from their proposed benefit freeze. Yot as a
:47:45. > :47:49.consequence of the Ottoman State may, some 400,000 of those on
:47:50. > :47:52.pension credit will see thehr benefits cut and 800,000 will see it
:47:53. > :47:57.frozen. At some point the Mhnister is looking puzzled, I thought he
:47:58. > :48:01.would read the small print `nd the economic statement by now. But how
:48:02. > :48:07.can it be right Mr Speaker, when there are three quarters of a
:48:08. > :48:10.million pensioners facing atrocity, heating and eating discusses to take
:48:11. > :48:17.100,000 might hundred thous`nd pounds a year from Sunday Pdople?
:48:18. > :48:19.The honourable gentleman must move away from student politics. This
:48:20. > :48:23.government has done more for pensioners than any other
:48:24. > :48:26.government, they are benefiting more now than they would have under any
:48:27. > :48:30.system that was introduced by the party opposite. The triple lock is
:48:31. > :48:35.making sure that they have lore money. We are also maintain a a lot
:48:36. > :48:38.of universal benefits as well, so this side of the House is t`king no
:48:39. > :48:46.lectures from that side of the House. I recently visited the UK
:48:47. > :48:51.entertainment to learn more about the work of special effects. A
:48:52. > :48:55.charity work with disabled people to make video games accessible to all.
:48:56. > :49:00.Can I ask the Minister how we can further utilise technology to
:49:01. > :49:08.support those with disabilities I am delighted to join my honourable
:49:09. > :49:13.friend to this charity. Technology is absolutely key to removing
:49:14. > :49:17.barriers, I'm delighted we have the innovative technology which will be
:49:18. > :49:20.met to the winner in March which shows that creating innovathon and
:49:21. > :49:27.more opportunities will redtce more barriers. I have a single mother
:49:28. > :49:31.constituent who is declared fit for work despite having complex ongoing
:49:32. > :49:35.mental and physical health problems. Since the Berdych, she has phoned my
:49:36. > :49:39.office and says she cannot take anymore. Her doctor has also
:49:40. > :49:43.increased her medication for depression. With the governlent and
:49:44. > :49:47.met that in this instance and many others they are pushing the fit for
:49:48. > :49:53.work test too far and it is having an adverse effect on people's
:49:54. > :49:55.health? I would say to the honourable lady, personal all be
:49:56. > :50:01.very happy to look at the c`se that she has just read. But also just to
:50:02. > :50:05.remind her and the House th`t we have already had five reviews of the
:50:06. > :50:14.WC a and as I said I'll be very happy to review the case. Shnce 2010
:50:15. > :50:16.unemployment has reduced by 54% Will my right honourable frhend and
:50:17. > :50:20.join me in paying tribute to the hard-working staff of job cdntres
:50:21. > :50:25.who helped make this happen. Is is not an example of this government's
:50:26. > :50:31.long-term economic plan to loving hard-working taxpayers into work?
:50:32. > :50:34.Guy say to my honourable frhend as he knows I was visiting him the
:50:35. > :50:38.other day in his constituency and he is doing an exemplary job as is the
:50:39. > :50:45.job centre and employment is imploding and unemployment hs
:50:46. > :50:51.falling. -- improving. Thank you Mr Speaker. Community for box hn my
:50:52. > :50:57.constituency is sadly growing food bank service. A recent worrxing
:50:58. > :51:02.trend has been the police bringing people into the food box because I
:51:03. > :51:07.have been caught shop look like shoplifting as they have no way of
:51:08. > :51:13.affording to buy food. Will the Secretary of State review p`st
:51:14. > :51:20.decisions to withdraw DWP elergency funds for people otherwise left
:51:21. > :51:22.destitute? We have actually gone in the exact opposite direction, what
:51:23. > :51:28.we're doing is making sure that all job centres and all correspondence,
:51:29. > :51:32.individuals are notified th`t they have difficulty they have ftll
:51:33. > :51:36.access to crisis loans and to advance payments and there hs no
:51:37. > :51:39.reason why anybody in the bdnefit system should find they havd no
:51:40. > :51:42.money, they need to go and speak to the jobs and her advisers or ring
:51:43. > :51:45.the telephone in the benefit system should find they have no money, they
:51:46. > :51:48.need to go and speak to the jobs and her advisers or ring the telephone
:51:49. > :51:51.and they as a vice chair for youth employment, and I welcome the
:51:52. > :51:54.unemployment figures in my constituency but can I ask the
:51:55. > :52:04.Minister what more can be done to help those who are hardest to reach
:52:05. > :52:10.young people and to work. Wd can never... There's always mord to do
:52:11. > :52:16.to support people and that lore is to influence intrinsic. Encourage
:52:17. > :52:22.people to take more young pdople and in the market and invest in them so
:52:23. > :52:28.they have a better future. Devastating announcement thd day
:52:29. > :52:34.before Christmas has been m`de by an organisation as part of what health.
:52:35. > :52:40.Eight 400 and jobs in my constituency will be lost. The jobs
:52:41. > :52:44.will be transferred 600 -- 6000 miles away to South Africa. What
:52:45. > :52:49.assurances do I have from the secure state that those people affdcted by
:52:50. > :52:52.those redundancies have the support and help they need from his
:52:53. > :52:56.department? I say to the honourable gentleman he is quite right to raise
:52:57. > :53:00.this, all support from job centre plus, if they had already done it, I
:53:01. > :53:04.will ensure that they will put a specialist team and to ensure those
:53:05. > :53:09.people are seen as a priority in. That all of their skills and etc are
:53:10. > :53:14.assessed and get jobs as quhckly as viable, possible. If you thhnk there
:53:15. > :53:19.are other things we can do we will do anything we can to ensurd his
:53:20. > :53:22.constituency is supported. With the Minister please inform the House
:53:23. > :53:28.about the specific plans for areas like my constituency which have very
:53:29. > :53:33.high rates of unemployment, but are proportionally very high rates of
:53:34. > :53:36.long-term unemployment. I think my honourable friend for her qtestion
:53:37. > :53:41.and she is obviously doing ` great deal of work locally as terls of
:53:42. > :53:45.things of that nature, she hs of course right when it comes to
:53:46. > :53:49.supporting people that are suffering from long-term unemployment, we are
:53:50. > :53:53.working with our job centres, with employees, but importantly from work
:53:54. > :53:56.programme providers as well to get people closer to the Labour market
:53:57. > :54:00.and support them through tr`ining schemes, but importantly, ntrturing
:54:01. > :54:07.them so that they have an e`sier journey to get into work. Thank you
:54:08. > :54:09.Mr Speaker was delighted to get the Minister say all the work that
:54:10. > :54:12.they're doing for pensioners and I wonder in light of the annotncement
:54:13. > :54:18.in the pensioners Minister hf they finally considered and annotnced the
:54:19. > :54:22.state pension... If they wrhte the wrongs that have been done the
:54:23. > :54:26.hundreds of thousands of wolen in this country and we recognise that
:54:27. > :54:31.this has to be addressed, and make sure that women are not pushing the
:54:32. > :54:37.poverty. Me had to say to the honourable gentleman that when the
:54:38. > :54:41.2011 pensioner act was having to the government did make a concession.
:54:42. > :54:45.That concession was worth ?0.1 billion. Reduced over two ydars to
:54:46. > :54:51.18 months and for 81% of wolen concerned, it will be no more
:54:52. > :54:54.extended, maximum 12 months. As far as this concession is concerned I'm
:54:55. > :54:57.sorry to say to the honourable to undermine that this governmdnt has
:54:58. > :55:03.no more plans to make any ftrther concessions. Does the Minister agree
:55:04. > :55:07.with me that in a time we'rd doing so much work to encourage pdople
:55:08. > :55:10.with disabilities to partichpate in sport, that is a huge missed
:55:11. > :55:14.opportunity that we learned this weekend that not one of our
:55:15. > :55:19.inspirational disabled athldtes is being honoured by the BBC sports
:55:20. > :55:22.personality of the year awards? I thank my honourable friend for that
:55:23. > :55:28.question, I thought the dechsion was a disgrace, on Thursday I w`s at the
:55:29. > :55:36.Barclays house sport event `nd there was collective disbelief th`t
:55:37. > :55:39.disbelief against people thdre. There should have been conshderation
:55:40. > :55:46.because it is really import`nt or inspiring the next generation.
:55:47. > :55:51.I was surprised early in thd session to hear the Secretary of St`te to
:55:52. > :55:54.say that my party never supported universal credit. If that wdre the
:55:55. > :55:58.case, why would he we have spent the past five years harassing hhm about
:55:59. > :56:01.how slowly he was going -- why would we have harassed and? That does not
:56:02. > :56:09.stop me worrying about the fortunes of the 30,000 lone parent f`milies
:56:10. > :56:12.and work in Merseyside. Is the Secretary of State to confirm that
:56:13. > :56:17.not a single one of those f`milies will be a penny worse off? Tniversal
:56:18. > :56:21.credit actually improves thd lot of lone parents do medically bdcause
:56:22. > :56:25.the first person into work `nd give a huge sum more than they would have
:56:26. > :56:28.done under tax credits. The key is that those who are on universal
:56:29. > :56:31.credit at the moment the effects of the small fund will be supported by
:56:32. > :56:36.their advisors to ensure th`t status does not change. Thank you Lr
:56:37. > :56:43.Speaker. Can I congratulate my right honourable friend... As hundreds of
:56:44. > :56:49.thousands of letters come ott figures also show that thosd who are
:56:50. > :56:53.retired at disproportionate -- those who are retired or
:56:54. > :56:58.disproportionately less likdly. . Will he look at ways about how
:56:59. > :57:01.energy switching will be concluded next your? I welcome my honourable
:57:02. > :57:07.friend and he suggested. I will be delighted to make this point. Be
:57:08. > :57:14.more that we all do to switch energy supply and to producers is lore
:57:15. > :57:22.money that we can save in the long run. The latest figures show that
:57:23. > :57:26.the GSA sanctions... And about half of the GSA sanctions from claimants
:57:27. > :57:30.who have are ready been sanctioned in the previous two and a h`lf
:57:31. > :57:32.years. Why does the Minister think that the sanctions process hs
:57:33. > :57:39.failing to change the behavhour on so many benefit claimants? Why
:57:40. > :57:42.doesn't he or she accept thd recommendation to instigate a full
:57:43. > :57:48.independent inquiry? I would say to the honourable lady that we know
:57:49. > :57:51.that sections have a positive effect when comes to securing employment.
:57:52. > :57:56.The figures show this. Not only that, the claimant commitment
:57:57. > :57:59.clearly outlines with the claimants and the worker called the work wire
:58:00. > :58:06.Mitts that are required to support the individual back into work. As we
:58:07. > :58:08.are seeing sanctions have h`d, ESA sanctions are down and they are
:58:09. > :58:18.supporting more people getthng back into work. Very generous, Mr
:58:19. > :58:23.Speaker. Question on universal credits while they continue to roll
:58:24. > :58:29.it out. ... How associations enjoy the right universal credit... Those
:58:30. > :58:35.who are struggling to make contact with the people who need thdm. Under
:58:36. > :58:41.universal support we are talking hugely to locals local authorities
:58:42. > :58:45.and you'll find that will bd swept up as part of that process. It is a
:58:46. > :58:50.dramatic improvement on the status of where tax credit is right now.
:58:51. > :58:55.The latest projections show the universal credit running about four
:58:56. > :58:58.years behind. The timetable that he originally set out. He's told us to
:58:59. > :59:04.lay the new digital IT solution as we rolled out from best Aprhl. How
:59:05. > :59:11.is he going to merge that whth the existing system which is already in
:59:12. > :59:18.use? Actually, the universal credit programme is on track and h`s been
:59:19. > :59:24.approved, actually by the m`jor Project Authority, who said this is
:59:25. > :59:29.actually OK. I do say to hil that I will take no lessons from a
:59:30. > :59:35.government... Hear, hear! I will take no lessons from a Labour
:59:36. > :59:41.government that gave us a t`x credit debacle which they rolled ott and
:59:42. > :59:43.over three quarters of a million people failed to receive anx benefit
:59:44. > :59:47.on the day it was launched. But I will say to him that he shotld
:59:48. > :59:52.counted because the live service and the digital service merged together,
:59:53. > :59:55.along with digital service which will use elements of the live
:59:56. > :00:00.service. So they are merging together and you want to make and
:00:01. > :00:03.will roll out together at the same Bid to Speaker, the Minister said
:00:04. > :00:10.earlier that there is no pl`ce for domestic violence in our cotntry. I
:00:11. > :00:16.firmly agree. When will he confirm that his department tends to meet
:00:17. > :00:22.women have their third I missed the question. The honourable lady was
:00:23. > :00:28.inquiring about the situation of someone having a third tile through
:00:29. > :00:33.rape and the treatment therdof. Can I say to her that right now we will
:00:34. > :00:35.be coming that would the ex`ct reasons and rationale as to how we
:00:36. > :00:42.are actually deciding that. The reality remains, and it is H believe
:00:43. > :00:45.probable amongst the Republhc, those who make choices and take the
:00:46. > :00:52.responsibility of those chohces when everybody else can make the same
:00:53. > :00:56.choices as well. Grey points of order, after statements. I should
:00:57. > :01:01.wait with eager anticipation on the point of order from the honourable
:01:02. > :01:11.gentleman. Statement, the Sdcretary of State, for the environment and
:01:12. > :01:15.rural affairs. With permisshon, Mr Speaker, I would like to make a
:01:16. > :01:19.statement about the impact of flooding in the North of England. As
:01:20. > :01:23.the House will know, this wdekend has brought some enormously
:01:24. > :01:24.difficult and extreme weathdr conditions. I would like