:00:00. > :00:17.Order, order. Questions to the Secretary of State for Work and
:00:18. > :00:24.Pensions, Sir David a mess. Question number one, Mr Speaker. The
:00:25. > :00:29.Secretary of State, Stephen Crabb. I will answer questions one, 11 and 20
:00:30. > :00:32.together. This government is committed to tackling disadvantage
:00:33. > :00:36.and extending opportunities so everyone has the chance to realise
:00:37. > :00:40.their fuel potential. We will focus on tackling the root causes of
:00:41. > :00:45.poverty, such as worthlessness and family stability. Whilst I welcome
:00:46. > :00:50.my right honourable friend's recognition that strong and stable
:00:51. > :00:54.families need an enormous impact on the life chances of our children,
:00:55. > :00:59.will he spell out to the house precisely what his department is
:01:00. > :01:02.doing to ensure that those relationships are fostered and
:01:03. > :01:09.strengthen, particularly in the coastal town such as Southend? My
:01:10. > :01:11.honourable friend is exactly right, family stability is a really
:01:12. > :01:16.important part of our mission to tackle entrenched disadvantage that
:01:17. > :01:19.is why we have doubled funding for relationship support the ?70 million
:01:20. > :01:25.and why we are significant lease expanding support preferred --
:01:26. > :01:29.support for parents. We are working with 12 local authorities to learn
:01:30. > :01:35.how best to strengthen support they offer to families. As he knows,
:01:36. > :01:40.there is a 12 year difference in life expectancy from one side of my
:01:41. > :01:44.city of Plymouth to the other. Can I ask what advice of my right
:01:45. > :01:49.honourable friend gave to ensure that the chances in life and the
:01:50. > :01:55.could be improved in Plymouth? The first thing I would say to him is he
:01:56. > :01:58.is right, that kind of inequality is just unacceptable in Britain today
:01:59. > :02:03.and that is why our life chances approach includes this set of
:02:04. > :02:08.indicators that would drive action to tackle this wide range of factors
:02:09. > :02:11.that can trap people into poverty, damaging their health and preventing
:02:12. > :02:15.them from making the most of their life. I would like to thank the
:02:16. > :02:21.Prime Minister for it the amazing work he has done on the life chances
:02:22. > :02:26.strategy. Can I ask the Secretary of State, the troubled families
:02:27. > :02:30.programme has been a huge success. Does he agree with me that it could
:02:31. > :02:35.be more positively labelled the supported families initiative? I
:02:36. > :02:42.agree very much with a point about the leadership role that the Prime
:02:43. > :02:46.Minister has played in this. It has been critical in driving this agenda
:02:47. > :02:50.forward. I hope the future by Minister also shares that
:02:51. > :02:53.commitment. She is right about the troubled families programme, it is
:02:54. > :02:57.important that we do stay positive is about these changes and we should
:02:58. > :03:03.not stigmatise any community or household. The Secretary of State
:03:04. > :03:07.has mentioned support for working parents a number of times and those
:03:08. > :03:10.hit hardest by this government's at stake and work support for parents
:03:11. > :03:17.are single parents. Those who deserve the least. Can I ask him on
:03:18. > :03:25.helping single parents to think again. I share her passion for
:03:26. > :03:29.helping single parents. What the current statistics all demonstrate
:03:30. > :03:34.an underlying is that when lone parents are supported back into work
:03:35. > :03:37.they achieve remarkable things in bringing children in those
:03:38. > :03:41.households out of possibly and the trends are moving in the right
:03:42. > :03:44.direction and she should welcome the initiative is that what we have
:03:45. > :03:51.taken forward with Universal Credit and the supported child care costs.
:03:52. > :03:54.Does the Secretary of State agree that efforts to improve the life
:03:55. > :03:59.chances of disadvantaged children and families will be undermined by
:04:00. > :04:07.neglecting the importance of current income levels? I have always been
:04:08. > :04:11.clear that income levels are important. If you are a family in
:04:12. > :04:15.difficult circumstances that regular sum of money coming in that you rely
:04:16. > :04:19.on is vital but it is important that we look beyond that and for the
:04:20. > :04:26.first time as a nation start to tackle the underlying root causes of
:04:27. > :04:32.entrenched poverty. Last year, child poverty increased by 200,000 as a
:04:33. > :04:36.direct result of this government's tax and social security policies.
:04:37. > :04:42.Two thirds of these children living and working households. I 2020 it is
:04:43. > :04:46.estimated 3.6 million people children will be living in poverty.
:04:47. > :04:58.There is evidence that child poverty is caused by... Given that we have
:04:59. > :04:59.seen a catastrophic consequence of government policy implemented on
:05:00. > :05:03.scant evidence will the Secretary of State to the right thing and
:05:04. > :05:08.repealed the damaging effects of the 2012 and 2016 welfare reform act
:05:09. > :05:14.which threatens the life chances of these children? Let me start by
:05:15. > :05:18.welcoming the honourable lady to her new position on the front bench.
:05:19. > :05:23.Given the work that she did on the Select Committee I am sure she will
:05:24. > :05:27.do an excellent job. About the 200,000 figure she refers to, it
:05:28. > :05:31.exactly points to what was wrong with the previous relative income
:05:32. > :05:39.approach which are government took to tackling poverty. In real wages
:05:40. > :05:43.grow poverty rates increase despite people's income not falling. It is
:05:44. > :05:48.more important that we tackle the underlying causes of poverty,
:05:49. > :05:54.worthlessness, educational failure, family stability, problem debt and
:05:55. > :06:03.addictions. My right honourable friend will know that Norwich is
:06:04. > :06:07.challenged by the social index as of this year. But it's all part of the
:06:08. > :06:12.community to come together to address these problems, including
:06:13. > :06:17.the third set the hand that the constituency MPs can play a key role
:06:18. > :06:20.in leading these things. I agree with my honourable friend. The work
:06:21. > :06:25.that she has championed in Norwich is a good example of local action
:06:26. > :06:30.and we are local -- where a local MPs can be a champion of that. As
:06:31. > :06:33.much as we might want to talk about the national levels of poverty and
:06:34. > :06:36.social mobility it is more important that we understand what is going on
:06:37. > :06:41.at a local level and drive the collection with effective
:06:42. > :06:46.partnerships. Many disadvantaged families include those with older
:06:47. > :06:50.disabled relatives, including 2,000 my constituency. The government says
:06:51. > :06:55.it will scrap attendance allowance. When will the government consultant
:06:56. > :06:58.those plans formally? The government has not said it will scrap
:06:59. > :07:03.attendance allowance. We are looking at options to devolve that a local
:07:04. > :07:06.authority level that we have been absolutely clear that this does not
:07:07. > :07:11.mean a cut to supporting attendance allowance. It is about looking at if
:07:12. > :07:21.there are more perfect ways of delivering it at a local level.
:07:22. > :07:25.Question number two, Mr Speaker. There will be no immediate changes
:07:26. > :07:28.in the circumstances of British pensioners living overseas as the
:07:29. > :07:33.result of the referendum. Negotiations with the future of
:07:34. > :07:36.relations with Europe will begin under the new Prime Minister. What
:07:37. > :07:40.discussions has he had with other countries in Europe regarding the
:07:41. > :07:48.exchange rate and its effect on pensioners abroad? As a saint, the
:07:49. > :07:52.negotiations proper will begin when we have a new Prime Minister but in
:07:53. > :07:56.the meantime we have a European unit which has been set up in the Cabinet
:07:57. > :08:01.Office which will report to the new Cabinet in due course. Wouldn't it
:08:02. > :08:05.make sense for the Department for Work and Pensions to be doing some
:08:06. > :08:09.investigative work now because there are millions of British pensioners
:08:10. > :08:13.living elsewhere in the European Union who have access to the NHS in
:08:14. > :08:18.those local areas without contributing for free the may
:08:19. > :08:22.suddenly their finances in dire jeopardy intending to come back to
:08:23. > :08:27.this country. Shouldn't you be working King acting immediately?
:08:28. > :08:34.Waiting as if the new Prime Minister is going to be some way away might
:08:35. > :08:37.be a bit of a mistake? I can assure the honourable gentleman that we are
:08:38. > :08:44.working very closely with the new European Union at -- the new
:08:45. > :08:54.European unit set up in the Cabinet Office. This is about what is right.
:08:55. > :08:59.Why not remove that uncertainty, why not guarantee what they are entitled
:09:00. > :09:02.to? It is about doing the right thing and with the new Prime
:09:03. > :09:08.Minister let's cut off on the right is the dementia this happens. We to
:09:09. > :09:13.need to make sure it's that the new Prime Minister is in place before
:09:14. > :09:17.those negotiations start proper. The role of pensioners is a very
:09:18. > :09:27.sophisticated and complex one. Many of them depend on support from the
:09:28. > :09:35.relatives in this country. Has he not looked at this in some detail
:09:36. > :09:39.already? The result of the referendum is only a few days ago
:09:40. > :09:44.but I can assure him that there is detailed conversations going on with
:09:45. > :09:47.the Cabinet unit. Britain still remains a member of the EU and I
:09:48. > :09:53.want to reassure British people living in EU countries that there
:09:54. > :10:02.will be no immediate changes in the circumstances. Number three, Mr
:10:03. > :10:05.Speaker. Automatic enrolment has been a great success with nearly 6.3
:10:06. > :10:11.million people automatically enrolled into a workplace pension I
:10:12. > :10:13.almost 143,000 employers. We will continue with our programme to get
:10:14. > :10:26.many more people enrolled. Thank you, autoenrolment has met or
:10:27. > :10:32.exceeded all its targets but to maximise pensions in the long term
:10:33. > :10:36.we need to deal with charges. The Government put in a cap of 2.5%, but
:10:37. > :10:42.the Government also said they would review the level of that cap, with a
:10:43. > :10:48.view to it being lower in future. Could the Minister update us on that
:10:49. > :10:52.I'm grateful to my honourable friend and I can give a assurance that yes
:10:53. > :10:57.in 2017 we'll review whether the level of the charge cap should
:10:58. > :11:01.change and whether to include some or all transUK costs in the count.
:11:02. > :11:06.The Minister will know that in September last year the Economic
:11:07. > :11:13.Secretary gave evidence to the DWP Select Committee and said that if
:11:14. > :11:17.there wasn't transparency and comparability in fees, the
:11:18. > :11:21.Government would legislate. Does he believe there has been transparency,
:11:22. > :11:26.and if not, when is he going to legislate? The honourable gentleman
:11:27. > :11:30.raises a good point. We are committed to transparency and
:11:31. > :11:34.openness and committed when legislation, when opportunity allows
:11:35. > :11:39.we'll be putting that into place in legislation. Thank you Mr Speaker, I
:11:40. > :11:42.congratulate the Minister on the successful roll-out of
:11:43. > :11:47.autoenrolment. What more can be done to help the self employed to engage
:11:48. > :11:54.in the process? We are working closely with the pensions regulator
:11:55. > :11:57.to make sure that the programme of autoenrolment is easily understood
:11:58. > :12:02.particularly for small self employed people and those with one or two
:12:03. > :12:08.employees, so the rules are clear on the website in easy to use language,
:12:09. > :12:16.and with literature. Question 4 Mr Speaker. With permission Mr
:12:17. > :12:20.Speakerly answer questions 4 and 9 together. Transitional arrangements
:12:21. > :12:24.are already in place. We committed over ?1 billion to lesston impact of
:12:25. > :12:28.these changes for those worst affected so that no-one will see
:12:29. > :12:32.their pension age change by more than 18 months compared to the
:12:33. > :12:39.previous timetable. We have no plans for further changes. Mr Speaker, my
:12:40. > :12:42.constituent who turned 60 which year hasn't received any information
:12:43. > :12:46.about the changes. The primary carer of her children and now can't work
:12:47. > :12:50.because of her disability and has to work another six years. The Minister
:12:51. > :12:53.has been presented with many proposals, including transitional
:12:54. > :12:56.arrangements. When will the Government give these women the gist
:12:57. > :13:03.they deserve? She refers to notice. Can I say at the time of the 2011
:13:04. > :13:07.pensions Act over 5 million people did receive notification and that
:13:08. > :13:12.was using the addresses that HMRC then had. As far as the proposals
:13:13. > :13:15.put forward are concerned, regrettably they will cost a huge
:13:16. > :13:21.amount of money and therefore we have no plans to go down that route.
:13:22. > :13:27.Thank you Mr Speaker, but in reality, it's the women, the 1950s
:13:28. > :13:34.born women bearing the costs. My constituent is 62 years old and is
:13:35. > :13:39.about to be made redundant in July, suffers with diabetes and has COPD.
:13:40. > :13:43.She worked part time and couldn't contribute to a pings. She is
:13:44. > :13:46.anxious she will never be able to secure another job, she won't
:13:47. > :13:51.receive her state pension until she is 66. She has a large black hole in
:13:52. > :13:57.her life. How does the Minister advise her on facing that bleak
:13:58. > :14:01.future? I can assure the honourable lady that under the coalition
:14:02. > :14:06.Government and under the present Government we have record levels of
:14:07. > :14:11.employment for women, including women who are older and that is
:14:12. > :14:15.something to bear in mind. We are working ex-tensively with employers
:14:16. > :14:20.to make sure they appreciate the value of pool. Workers, and they
:14:21. > :14:25.door. That's why we have record levels of employment, particularly
:14:26. > :14:28.for women. Thank you Mr Speaker, I suspect that most honourable members
:14:29. > :14:32.have been acquainted with these difficult cases such as the one
:14:33. > :14:36.which the honourable lady mentioned just now. Ky ask my honourable
:14:37. > :14:40.friend to keep an open mind on pension credit arrangements for
:14:41. > :14:44.these type of people, which are after all means-tested and could
:14:45. > :14:48.deal with the worst hardship cases? What I would say to my honourable
:14:49. > :14:51.friend is that we do have particularly criteria and where
:14:52. > :14:55.people fit that criteria of course they will qualify for whatever
:14:56. > :15:00.benefit it is that they are seeking guidance on. Mr Speaker, 2,000 women
:15:01. > :15:07.in dudply North worked hard to save and plan for their retirement but
:15:08. > :15:13.have been affected by these changes. Will he meet Hillary Henderson, my
:15:14. > :15:17.constituent, and other women will Dudley North, meet me and them to
:15:18. > :15:21.discuss these changes in detail. And if he won't, why not? Mr Speaker, I
:15:22. > :15:26.can tell the honourable gentleman I recently met with the leaders of the
:15:27. > :15:30.campaign and I have also met with a lot of members of the campaign in my
:15:31. > :15:35.own constituency, so I'm very well aware of all the details and facts.
:15:36. > :15:42.And he'll be aware also there've been a huge number of debates in the
:15:43. > :15:46.chamber as well in recent weeks. Thank you Mr Speaker, with take-over
:15:47. > :15:50.by the new Prime Minister who herself falls into the category of
:15:51. > :15:54.women affected by these pension changes, would now be the ideal
:15:55. > :16:00.moment to look again at the various proposals put forward for much
:16:01. > :16:07.fairer transitional arrangements, such as those from Marian Robinson
:16:08. > :16:13.in Wales, for all women who don't have a prime ministerial pension to
:16:14. > :16:18.fall back on? In 2012, only 6% of women due for retirement in the next
:16:19. > :16:22.ten years were unaware of an increase in the pension age. The
:16:23. > :16:28.Government has no plans to review this matter. Thank you Mr Speaker, a
:16:29. > :16:32.little over a week ago thousands of women from across the UK came to
:16:33. > :16:38.Parliament in a display of solidarity that very much reminded
:16:39. > :16:42.me of the Dagenham Women some decades earlier. Isn't the Secretary
:16:43. > :16:48.of State's refusal to revisit the financial issues faced by the 2.6
:16:49. > :16:52.million women who've had their pensions age brought forward without
:16:53. > :16:57.adequate notice a slap in the face of those women? Given that the
:16:58. > :17:03.former Pensions Minister admitted that they got it wrong, why is he
:17:04. > :17:06.being so unreasonable. Mr Speaker, it is deeply regrettable that
:17:07. > :17:10.opposition parties speak make capital out of the dispatch box and
:17:11. > :17:17.from the backbenches when they do not have a proposal that is solid.
:17:18. > :17:19.They do not have, they cannot give a proper, credible solution which will
:17:20. > :17:23.ensure that the financial position of the country is taken into
:17:24. > :17:28.account. I might also say that if the opposition parties are so, so
:17:29. > :17:33.very keen on this, the pensions Act was actually in 2011, yet this issue
:17:34. > :17:39.has not raised in any of their manifestos. Question 5, Mr Speaker.
:17:40. > :17:43.With permission Mr Speaker I will answer questions 5, 12, 21 and 22
:17:44. > :17:46.together. The British people have Croated to leave the European Union
:17:47. > :17:50.and the referendum decision must be respected and delivered. My
:17:51. > :17:53.department is working closely with the EU unit that's been set up in
:17:54. > :17:57.the Cabinet Office and we'll be working with the next Prime Minister
:17:58. > :18:04.and the cabinet as we forge a new path for the country. Thank you Mr
:18:05. > :18:08.Speaker, the provided number of legal protections of inequality and
:18:09. > :18:14.human rights for disabled people. What plans has hit department put in
:18:15. > :18:19.place to protect these rights following Brexit? Nobody with a
:18:20. > :18:22.disability ar long-term health condition should have any fear
:18:23. > :18:26.whatsoever about what's going to be happening in the coming months and
:18:27. > :18:29.years as we negotiate Britain's exit from the European Union. We were
:18:30. > :18:34.absolutely committed to protecting rights for disabled people in this
:18:35. > :18:38.country. Our green paper, which we'll publish this autumn, will
:18:39. > :18:41.outline our proposals for reforming systems to better support people
:18:42. > :18:46.with disabilities and long-term health conditions. Last week the DWP
:18:47. > :18:50.Under-Secretary of State for disabled people confirmed that the
:18:51. > :18:54.green paper on the long promised work and health programme for
:18:55. > :18:58.disabled people remained a priority for the Government. Will the
:18:59. > :19:01.Minister today give us an assurance and a clear commitment in light of
:19:02. > :19:27.the current uncertainty... When she reads the green paper which
:19:28. > :19:31.we hopefully will publish this year she'll see how we are going to use
:19:32. > :19:34.it to better support people with disabilities and close the
:19:35. > :19:40.disability employment gap which I think is cross-party support for in
:19:41. > :19:47.this House. Support for people placed on the ESA from April 2017,
:19:48. > :19:52.left many disabled people in the dark and without the protections of
:19:53. > :19:57.the EU. Will the Minister give a assurance the Government have a plan
:19:58. > :20:02.for the green paper to give back so that those, those being affected by
:20:03. > :20:06.these changes are accurately assessed and recognised in value by
:20:07. > :20:10.the state? I absolutely do agree with him about recognising people
:20:11. > :20:15.with these health conditions and protecting them. We are committed to
:20:16. > :20:18.doing that. I would just, without repeating the answer I gave
:20:19. > :20:23.previously, we do have money set aside. We have a green paper we'll
:20:24. > :20:27.publish this year and that will set out clear reform options which I
:20:28. > :20:35.hope will command support from both sides of the House and disability
:20:36. > :20:39.organisations themselves. Does my right honourable friend agree that
:20:40. > :20:44.one of the most important policy developments of the fact that once
:20:45. > :20:48.we have left the European Union, decisions of his department relating
:20:49. > :20:53.to eligibility for benefits will no lower than be at risk of being
:20:54. > :21:00.overturned by the European Court of Justice? My honourable friend is
:21:01. > :21:03.absolutely right. There will be that freedom in the future. There are
:21:04. > :21:08.more options we can develop now even while we are still in the European
:21:09. > :21:12.Union for further ensuring we have a fair benefits system that doesn't
:21:13. > :21:15.act as an unnatural draw for move migrants coming into this country.
:21:16. > :21:21.We absolutely want people to come here and work and bring their
:21:22. > :21:24.talent, but we don't want the benefits system inflating the
:21:25. > :21:27.immigration numbers. The impact of uncertainty on the economy following
:21:28. > :21:30.the Brexit vote is already being felt and ultimately will affect
:21:31. > :21:34.jobs, tax revenues and public spending. Before the referendum, the
:21:35. > :21:38.Government predicted 500,000 jobs may be at risk. So what does the
:21:39. > :21:43.Secretary of State doing to protect these jobs? And what is his estimate
:21:44. > :21:49.on the impact on social security spending? I think it's really
:21:50. > :21:52.important that none of us talk up the risks and the dangers to the
:21:53. > :21:56.economy. I think we need be clear sighted about what the risks and the
:21:57. > :21:59.challenges are but we shouldn't be doing anything to talk down the
:22:00. > :22:03.British economy. The truth is our economy is fundamentally strong. We
:22:04. > :22:07.have record numberses of people in work. The announcement by Boeing
:22:08. > :22:13.today, continued investment in creating jobs in our country. The
:22:14. > :22:25.lack of planning this will impact on pension funds.
:22:26. > :22:28.Given that 5,000 of the 6,000 DB pension schemes are currently in
:22:29. > :22:32.deficit and the pensions regulator has raised the concerns of
:22:33. > :22:34.additional risks to these schemes following the Brexit decision, what
:22:35. > :22:43.is the Secretary of State doing to protect the pensions of millions of
:22:44. > :22:45.people who will be affected by this? Nothing fundamentally has changed
:22:46. > :22:52.sings the outcome of the referendum vote. The economy still continues to
:22:53. > :22:56.perform well. As I said, we need be careful that we don't do our bit in
:22:57. > :23:00.talking down the economy at the moment. With respect to this
:23:01. > :23:04.specific issue of DB pension scheme, I agree with the honourable lady
:23:05. > :23:08.there's a systemic issue we need to look at there and that's something
:23:09. > :23:13.my department will be discussing more in the months ahead. One thing
:23:14. > :23:21.we do know has happened is the fall in the pound. That's resulted in our
:23:22. > :23:25.exports being made much cheapered and exports more expensive. That
:23:26. > :23:29.will lead to more business and more jobs. Wouldn't that help the
:23:30. > :23:36.Minister in reduces the number of unemployed? But isn't the truth, Mr
:23:37. > :23:40.Speaker, that right in front of us now we have a mixture of
:23:41. > :23:46.opportunities and challenges? It is income bent upon us and we are
:23:47. > :23:51.determined as a Government to turn those challenges do opportunities.
:23:52. > :23:58.They can do their bit not to talk down the economic at this time. Mr
:23:59. > :24:01.Speaker, already during this Parliament the Government austerity
:24:02. > :24:09.cuts have taken ?12 billion out of the pocket of low income households,
:24:10. > :24:15.mostly through changes initiated through the DWP. With many
:24:16. > :24:25.predicting a further... And the pound less stable than bitcoin, will
:24:26. > :24:33.I have set out the broad approach I take to welfare reform. With regards
:24:34. > :24:36.to issues in Scotland, which I know she is prime air little concerned,
:24:37. > :24:39.with I had a constructive meeting last week with her colleague, the
:24:40. > :24:43.welfare Minister in the Scottish Parliament. We remain committed to
:24:44. > :24:48.giving the Scottish Government the new welfare powers agreed to the the
:24:49. > :24:52.Scotland Act. In the last week for the fourth year in a row the
:24:53. > :24:58.infrastructure and projecting authority has given the roll-out of
:24:59. > :25:01.personal independence payments an amber rating indicating with major
:25:02. > :25:04.risks apparent in a number of key areas and urgent action needed to
:25:05. > :25:09.address those problems. What's the Secretary of State going to do to
:25:10. > :25:16.fix these problems and protect his department's project from the
:25:17. > :25:23.impending doom of a cabinet full of Brexiteers?
:25:24. > :25:30.I have been committed to driving through approvals to the PIP
:25:31. > :25:37.process. It still has huge support over disability organisations.
:25:38. > :25:42.On the one hand you have lush cosmetics who had just announced the
:25:43. > :25:47.point it was the production overseas because they say their workers don't
:25:48. > :25:51.feel welcome here. In the film and farming where 38% of the workforce
:25:52. > :25:55.at the moment comes from overseas they say they would simply go out of
:25:56. > :25:59.business because it would not be able to find the workforce. What is
:26:00. > :26:05.his department doing to protect jobs in the south-west after the Brexit
:26:06. > :26:08.vote? As a department we have clear plans in place for any significant
:26:09. > :26:15.increase in unemployment whether that is in a local or particular
:26:16. > :26:21.region or across the UK. We have contingency plans. What I would say
:26:22. > :26:27.is we need to be really careful that we don't exaggerate the bad news
:26:28. > :26:35.that she may think is out there. The opportunities for this country to
:26:36. > :26:38.securing new investment. There are risks and challenges we need to be
:26:39. > :26:45.clear-sighted and unprepared for those. Number six, Mr Speaker. The
:26:46. > :26:49.number of workers households is not the lowest on record. Since 2010 it
:26:50. > :26:57.has fallen by more than three quarters of a million. In real and
:26:58. > :27:04.district the number of people needing support fire the work
:27:05. > :27:12.programme for long-term unemployed has dropped in the last 18 months.
:27:13. > :27:17.While this is good news, claimant rates remain concerning imports of
:27:18. > :27:20.Rhyl. Can the Minister assure me that the new work and health
:27:21. > :27:24.programme will take particular account of individuals who are less
:27:25. > :27:30.receptive to intervention and need more intensive input? I absolutely
:27:31. > :27:33.do agree with him. The new work and help programmes are being designed
:27:34. > :27:38.to have those people with multiple and complex barriers to getting into
:27:39. > :27:45.work. Our Green Paper will look at the ways we can reduce the
:27:46. > :27:50.disability and employment gap. I look forward to meeting with him and
:27:51. > :27:54.his GP collects to discuss these important issues. Given that the
:27:55. > :27:58.Secretary of State... That the work programmes have been cut by 87% and
:27:59. > :28:03.the Secretary of State nine knows who the next Prime Minister will be
:28:04. > :28:08.the confirmed that he will lobby her to increase the funding for the
:28:09. > :28:14.Green Paper and the resulting system that produces and confirm a
:28:15. > :28:18.timetable for its roll-out today? I am pleased to tell the honourable
:28:19. > :28:21.gentleman that the next Prime Minister of this country absolutely
:28:22. > :28:26.shares a passion and commitment for a one nation vision of our society,
:28:27. > :28:29.breaking down barriers to disadvantage and ending
:28:30. > :28:33.inequalities. We await the specific decisions that the new Prime
:28:34. > :28:38.Minister takes on the important issues we are discussing today. Just
:28:39. > :28:42.building on the point about the significantly reduced amount of
:28:43. > :28:46.funding made available for what could and health programmes, what
:28:47. > :28:49.assurance can he give us that if we do in later Brexit see a significant
:28:50. > :28:53.increase in the number of general people looking for work high world
:28:54. > :28:58.that's programmes serve everybody? The important point to make is that
:28:59. > :29:02.the work and health programme is just one part of a wider package of
:29:03. > :29:06.initiatives that we are taking forward to closing the disability
:29:07. > :29:11.employment gap and better supporting people with long-term health
:29:12. > :29:15.conditions. Without repeating what I have said in previous questions the
:29:16. > :29:19.Green Paper that we will this year will outline the full range of
:29:20. > :29:26.possible reform options that we are interested in taking forward? Amber
:29:27. > :29:31.seven, Mr Speaker. We know that work is the best route out of poverty.
:29:32. > :29:34.The number of people in workers at a record high and the number of
:29:35. > :29:40.children living in the household were no one works has fallen since
:29:41. > :29:46.450,000 since 2010. My constituency has the third highest level of child
:29:47. > :29:49.poverty in the country and 13,600 families currently receive tax
:29:50. > :29:54.credits leaving them vulnerable to the government cuts to Universal
:29:55. > :29:57.Credits. In his aborted bid for Tory leadership he said that he had a
:29:58. > :30:01.strong grasp of the social and economic divisions in our country.
:30:02. > :30:05.If that is true, will he agree with me that cuts to Universal Credits
:30:06. > :30:08.will only compound social and economic divisions in our country
:30:09. > :30:12.and will he not committed to reversing these changes so that our
:30:13. > :30:19.children don't pay the price of his government's political choices? I
:30:20. > :30:24.absolutely stand by what I said. What I would say is we have this
:30:25. > :30:28.massive expansion of tax credits under previous Labour governments
:30:29. > :30:33.and did not do a single thing to tackle the underlying causes of
:30:34. > :30:38.poverty. The Universal Credit, that is just one part of what we are
:30:39. > :30:41.doing. Also look at the National Living Wage which the Labour Party
:30:42. > :30:45.is to support at one time, increasing personal alliances. We
:30:46. > :30:48.are in the business of transforming the landscape for people on low
:30:49. > :30:53.incomes. That is why the figures are moving in the right direction.
:30:54. > :30:58.Whatever the recent changes have been to benefit it does not seem to
:30:59. > :31:04.have dealt with the big issue around the tip. I have had to deal with
:31:05. > :31:07.that horrendous case where a person should have got temp one and didn't
:31:08. > :31:15.have to go through the whole process. What is the government
:31:16. > :31:22.doing to make to the people he deserved to get Pip Gattaca and not
:31:23. > :31:28.wallowing? My colleague will be happy to meet with you to discuss a
:31:29. > :31:33.particular case. In terms of the broader issue, we are including the
:31:34. > :31:36.PIP process. We are speeding up decisions and appeals. If there are
:31:37. > :31:40.specific concerns that the honourable member has I would be
:31:41. > :31:46.happy to meet with him to discuss it further. Number eight, Mr Speaker. I
:31:47. > :31:51.will answer questions eight, 15 and 16 together. This government is
:31:52. > :32:00.committed to having the disability employment gap. We announced a real
:32:01. > :32:04.spending inks. In the last three years many disabled people have
:32:05. > :32:08.entered employment under paper will set out our plans to support more
:32:09. > :32:14.disabled people into work. In my constituency over 99% of that rated
:32:15. > :32:22.enterprises are small and medium-size enterprises. Can he tell
:32:23. > :32:26.us what he is doing to help SMEs bring people with disabilities into
:32:27. > :32:30.work? I understand that point. We have three successful pilots
:32:31. > :32:34.concentrating on a small employer offer matching up those with a
:32:35. > :32:43.disability to the 45% of jobs that are available through SMEs. In
:32:44. > :32:47.Britain there is an astonishing 30% between disabled and non-disabled
:32:48. > :32:51.people in work. What steps are being taken -- taken to make sure that
:32:52. > :32:57.disabled people are being afforded the same professional opportunities
:32:58. > :33:02.as those without disabilities? We are committed to having the
:33:03. > :33:08.discipline -- disability unemployment. There will be named
:33:09. > :33:11.coach, upscaling our job centre support staff. We are also
:33:12. > :33:15.recognising that we need to create opportunities so we're working with
:33:16. > :33:21.businesses through the access to work scheme, the small employment
:33:22. > :33:26.offer under the reverse job fairs. I recently attended a celebration at a
:33:27. > :33:30.college in North Devon to thank the employers and congratulate the
:33:31. > :33:33.students who have been taking part in the successful supported
:33:34. > :33:37.internship programme which provides valuable work experience for young
:33:38. > :33:47.people with additional needs. Will the Minister join me in
:33:48. > :33:50.congratulating everyone concerned? I would like to pay tribute to my
:33:51. > :33:54.honourable friend because I had the pleasure of meeting the students and
:33:55. > :33:57.staff at the college at his own reverse jobs they the one he took a
:33:58. > :34:01.proactive approach to linking employers with a good opportunities
:34:02. > :34:11.provided by organisations like the college. Given the prominent Brexit
:34:12. > :34:14.campaign has called for a bonfire of EU protections for workers what
:34:15. > :34:18.guarantee will the Minister give that all of the current protections
:34:19. > :34:23.extended to disabled people by our membership of the EU will be safe?
:34:24. > :34:29.As a government we have a proud record. We spent over ?50 billion
:34:30. > :34:31.supporting people with disabilities. Up 2 billion since the last
:34:32. > :34:40.Parliament and we will continue to work in this area. Question number
:34:41. > :34:47.ten, Mr Speaker. The Minister for pensions, Aramis Altman and I met
:34:48. > :34:50.with representatives to listen to their concerns. We made clear the
:34:51. > :34:53.position of the government that we will not be unwinding past decisions
:34:54. > :35:03.and there are no plans to change the policy. The Minister will be aware
:35:04. > :35:09.that in my constituency alone between 2016 and 17 and 2025 and
:35:10. > :35:13.26/5000 women will be affected by these changes. Some of them will
:35:14. > :35:19.need to work six years longer than they anticipated. For the last time,
:35:20. > :35:22.will the today show some leadership and Radovan shrugged his shoulders
:35:23. > :35:30.step up to the mark an end this injustice? No one is shrugging
:35:31. > :35:34.shoulders. There is no credible alternative that has been put
:35:35. > :35:38.forward by any of the parties. It was not in their manifestos. May I
:35:39. > :35:44.say to honourable members that they don't help the woman by leaving them
:35:45. > :35:49.to have expectations when the position of the government is clear.
:35:50. > :35:54.There was a 1.1 billion concession made in 2011. The period involved
:35:55. > :35:59.was reduced from two years to 18 months and 81% of the women
:36:00. > :36:04.affected, the period concerned is no more than 12 months. 81% of women
:36:05. > :36:14.will not be affected by more than 12 months. A few moments ago his
:36:15. > :36:20.Secretary of State made a statement saying that Britain's economy was
:36:21. > :36:29.booming, or words to that effect. If it is that good why doesn't he make
:36:30. > :36:35.sure that women get the proper pensions and not this load of clap
:36:36. > :36:42.that they are chucking out now? Can I correct the honourable gentleman.
:36:43. > :36:46.My right honourable friend said this economy was fundamentally strong. It
:36:47. > :36:49.would've been helpful if he had listened to some of the answers I
:36:50. > :36:53.gave earlier on while he was this question. If he had listened to the
:36:54. > :37:02.questions he would have appreciated... He would have find
:37:03. > :37:12.that it 1.1 1p concession was made, in 2011. Number 13, Mr Speaker. In
:37:13. > :37:16.the east of Finland the number of people in employment has increased
:37:17. > :37:21.by nearly 300,000 since 2010 and the employment rate is close to the
:37:22. > :37:27.highest on record. In my constituency unemployment has come
:37:28. > :37:32.down from 4.3% to 1.5% last month? Only last Friday March three and
:37:33. > :37:37.most are very welcome ?23 million investment in the King's Lynn plant
:37:38. > :37:41.thus creating more well-paid skilled jobs. Does he agree that in this
:37:42. > :37:48.post Brexit climate all of us should be doing what we can to flag up such
:37:49. > :37:53.successes? This is yet another sign of just how fundamentally strong our
:37:54. > :37:58.economy is, which is what is helping us deliver record numbers of people
:37:59. > :38:02.in employment. I did not study geography at University at the
:38:03. > :38:12.honourable gentleman's constituency is a little bit away from East
:38:13. > :38:16.Anglia. I am in a generous mood, but they do need the honourable
:38:17. > :38:20.gentleman that if he wants to persuade me that Bedford and Clemson
:38:21. > :38:28.is a hop, skip and jump away from the honourable gentleman's
:38:29. > :38:34.constituency he has a taxing task. As a lifelong watcher of Anglia
:38:35. > :38:42.television, from the heart of Bedford, we are very proudly members
:38:43. > :38:46.of East Anglia. I would like to say that in Bedford, which is a small
:38:47. > :38:53.town, we have only small employers. We don't have a large employment
:38:54. > :38:55.company. What steps is the government taking to encourage small
:38:56. > :39:03.businesses to take up young people and others who are unemployed? I
:39:04. > :39:07.would never have done anything like the honourable gentleman has just
:39:08. > :39:11.done when I was a backbencher. 45% of private sector jobs are created
:39:12. > :39:14.by small businesses so the key to the success of trading
:39:15. > :39:18.opportunities. This will be at the heart of the Green Paper, making
:39:19. > :39:30.sure they are aware of the initiatives. Number 17, Mr Speaker.
:39:31. > :39:35.The DWP have received my honourable friend from Racal north's
:39:36. > :39:40.recommendations and agree that the requirement to achieve level one
:39:41. > :39:43.English and mouth in an apprenticeship as a hurdle for those
:39:44. > :39:46.with learning disabilities. We will look to adjust this requirement to
:39:47. > :39:51.entry-level three as soon as possible and monitor the impact.
:39:52. > :39:55.Last month I received a wonderful letter from a 13-year-old
:39:56. > :39:59.constituent, Eleanor, who wrote to me about 20 world brother. Richard
:40:00. > :40:05.has autism and learning difficulties and struggles to find work. The news
:40:06. > :40:09.about the educational assistance there is very welcome. He has met
:40:10. > :40:14.with frustration and discrimination in employment. She wrote to me,
:40:15. > :40:19.seeing how the public and treat him is terrible and it is hard on him
:40:20. > :40:22.and the family. Please help him and people with disabilities to have a
:40:23. > :40:26.fairer life with implement opportunities. Does he agree with me
:40:27. > :40:27.that the enormous contribution of disabled employees are not only
:40:28. > :40:37.being recognised by employers? That's right, the point about
:40:38. > :40:41.employers. That's why we've worked with Autism Alliance across our
:40:42. > :40:46.network. We have specialist teams in this area for access to work, and
:40:47. > :40:52.the small employer offer will match employers with the support and help
:40:53. > :40:58.to get more disabled opportunities. Question 17, Mr Speaker.
:40:59. > :41:02.THE SPEAKER: 18, indeed. Provided performance is measured across a
:41:03. > :41:10.range of service level agreements setting out the expectations for
:41:11. > :41:16.quality service, this ensures that audit and others are in place. Given
:41:17. > :41:19.the infrastructure and project authority's rating of his
:41:20. > :41:22.department's pit programme once again is marked as amber red,
:41:23. > :41:27.meaning successful delivery of the project is in doubt, with major
:41:28. > :41:31.risks or issues apparent in a number of areas, what urgent a is he taking
:41:32. > :41:36.to ensure problems in assessment are addressed and that disabled people
:41:37. > :41:41.do not continue to bear the brunt manufacture his policies? Actually
:41:42. > :41:47.we've seen that those who go through the pit process, 22.5% of claimant
:41:48. > :41:53.secure the highest rate of benefit compared to 16% under DLA. We have a
:41:54. > :41:57.constant revalue, and a claimant would expect to have their
:41:58. > :42:02.assessment process through 13 weeks median end to end, well within
:42:03. > :42:07.expectations. Thank you Mr Speaker. Will the Secretary of State
:42:08. > :42:14.personally intervene in a case of one of my constituents, who suffered
:42:15. > :42:20.a stroke, has severe eyesight problems, is almost fully wheelchair
:42:21. > :42:24.bound, was refused PIP. As a result his wife has been refuse carer's
:42:25. > :42:28.allowance. He hasn't had a reassessment since November last
:42:29. > :42:32.year. That is not acceptable. I would be happy to meet with the
:42:33. > :42:41.honourable member to discuss this specific case. Question 19, Mr
:42:42. > :42:45.Speaker. The Government set out assessment of the impacts of the
:42:46. > :42:49.welfare policies in the welfare reform and work Act on 20th July
:42:50. > :42:53.2015, with similar assessments for previous changes. Spending to
:42:54. > :43:02.support people with disabilities and health conditions will with higher
:43:03. > :43:07.in real terms to every year in 2010. Scotland and my constituency of
:43:08. > :43:11.Glasgow East has higher levels of long-term health problems compared
:43:12. > :43:15.to the UK as a. People living with disabilities tend to be more
:43:16. > :43:18.dependent on benefits from a lower than period of time and are more
:43:19. > :43:29.vulnerable to changes to disability benefits. Given that Government and
:43:30. > :43:33.predecessor embarked on the biggest overhaul, the Government take
:43:34. > :43:45.regular cumulative impacts assessments, it is vital to do so.
:43:46. > :43:48.Her Majesty's Treasury already publishes cumulative analysis,
:43:49. > :43:56.including welfare spending, health spending, income support. We need to
:43:57. > :44:00.consider increases in employment, personal credit, PIP, and investment
:44:01. > :44:05.in infrastructure. THE SPEAKER: Topical questions, Mr
:44:06. > :44:09.Speaker Richard Graham. On 6th July I appoint Paul Grey to lead the
:44:10. > :44:14.second independent review of PIP. A call to evidence has been published
:44:15. > :44:18.today. Seeking evidence from individuals to reform the review.
:44:19. > :44:25.The review will consider how further evidence is being used to assist the
:44:26. > :44:29.claim decision. As well as building on recommendations from the first
:44:30. > :44:33.review. I am announcing the department's intention to conduct an
:44:34. > :44:38.evaluation of PIP with initial find position be published by pearl 2017.
:44:39. > :44:42.To help deliver our manifesto commitment of #13wri7k million
:44:43. > :44:48.people with disabilities into work, will my right honourable friend
:44:49. > :44:52.consider extending the come. Pumpings for apprentices to
:44:53. > :44:56.additional apprentices and full-time employees with disabilities, so that
:44:57. > :45:01.like the US, the Netherlands and Ireland, our tax system benefits
:45:02. > :45:06.employers who see the abilities as well as the disabilities of all our
:45:07. > :45:09.constituents? Mr Speaker, when it comes to closing the disability
:45:10. > :45:16.employment gap I'm clear there are no options left off the table. We
:45:17. > :45:19.want to look at the widest range of solutions, including financial
:45:20. > :45:24.incentives, like our employment offer, to increase local job
:45:25. > :45:29.opportunities for disabled people. In May after a two-year fight the
:45:30. > :45:33.Government published redacted reports of 49 social security
:45:34. > :45:38.claimants who died between 2012 and 2014, revealing that ten of the 49
:45:39. > :45:45.had died followings a sanction and 40 of the deaths were associated
:45:46. > :45:49.with a suicide or suspected suicide. Another nine social security
:45:50. > :45:53.claimants have died since 2014. When will the Secretary of State publish
:45:54. > :45:58.their reports into their deaths, lor we have to wait in the two years for
:45:59. > :46:03.these as swell? I hear the point that the honourable lady is making.
:46:04. > :46:09.It is important not to infer too many causal links in the factors
:46:10. > :46:12.that she is raising. She is being extremely careful in how she
:46:13. > :46:18.describes these changes at the dispatch box. I am happy to discuss
:46:19. > :46:21.these with the honourable lady on another occasion. Can my right
:46:22. > :46:26.honourable friend say what support his department is offering to those
:46:27. > :46:31.in late and middle age and older seeking work? My honourable friend
:46:32. > :46:35.raises a good point. Mr Speaker, we are doing a number of things in this
:46:36. > :46:41.area. For example, as well as access to full Jobcentre Plus offer of
:46:42. > :46:48.personalised support, DWP introduced older claimant champions in each of
:46:49. > :46:52.the Jobcentre Plus groups to raise the profile of older workers,
:46:53. > :46:58.highlight the benefit of employing older job seekers and share good
:46:59. > :47:04.practices. Could the Secretary of State explain to the was pi women
:47:05. > :47:08.from the North East some of whom are already retired in the mistaken
:47:09. > :47:12.belief they would be receiving their state pension sooner, in a region
:47:13. > :47:16.that continues to have the highest level of unemployment in the
:47:17. > :47:22.country, how are they to make ends meet? Can I say to the honourable
:47:23. > :47:26.lady she is well aware there are a number of benefits involved here.
:47:27. > :47:31.The DWP suffer carried nowt 2012 found that only 6% of the women who
:47:32. > :47:36.were due to retire within ten years were unthat were the state pension
:47:37. > :47:43.age had increased. Thank you Mr Speaker, thanks to the work hof the
:47:44. > :47:50.Government the night rate in Bath is just 1.5%. As well as providing a
:47:51. > :47:56.stead income working provides health benefits physical and mental? I
:47:57. > :48:01.fully think that being in work has many benefits. It gives us a sense
:48:02. > :48:04.of value and can greatly benefit our mental and physical wellbeing.
:48:05. > :48:07.That's why this Government is championing the role of work, with
:48:08. > :48:14.more people in work than inferior before we are making sure shah the
:48:15. > :48:18.whole society benefits. With an 87% Budget cut by the UK Government in
:48:19. > :48:21.the first year of predict services in Scotland, could the Secretary of
:48:22. > :48:24.State tell us the what his Government is doing to support
:48:25. > :48:27.people back into work in Scotland and perhaps the Secretary of State
:48:28. > :48:31.could take this opportunity to congratulate the Scottish Government
:48:32. > :48:35.on the ?20 million of extra support they've been given to help people
:48:36. > :48:40.back in works whereas this Government has let the people of
:48:41. > :48:44.Scotland down? I disagree with the honourable lady's question. We are
:48:45. > :48:48.continuing to roll out universal credit in Scotland. The early
:48:49. > :48:52.results from positive. I had a constructive and useful meeting with
:48:53. > :48:55.Angela Constance, the Scottish welfare Minister, last week. I
:48:56. > :48:59.recognise that Scottish Government have separate choices and
:49:00. > :49:02.priorities. We are committed to giving them to powers to help them
:49:03. > :49:05.take them forward. Starting a new business is one of the best ways out
:49:06. > :49:10.of worklessness. Will the Secretary of State join me in encouraging the
:49:11. > :49:14.entrepreneurial job seekers from across the country to apply for the
:49:15. > :49:24.Government's new enterprise allowance? We absolutely do wont to
:49:25. > :49:29.support more want to develop the entrepreneurs of the future. The new
:49:30. > :49:33.enterprise allowance has helped the start of 25 thousand new businesses.
:49:34. > :49:40.I look forward to seeing some of these businesses in action. Mr
:49:41. > :49:47.Speaker, for obvious reasons refugee families and children don't usually
:49:48. > :49:54.require to meet residency requirements, so why are the
:49:55. > :49:59.Government trying to deny disabled refugees, including children, access
:50:00. > :50:02.to DLA. Many of them have been resettled here because of their
:50:03. > :50:08.disability? This is an issue we are considering legal advice on at
:50:09. > :50:13.present. As Paralympians from Cardiff, Wales and across the United
:50:14. > :50:18.Kingdom prepare tore the Paralympics in Rio, how we can use the Minister
:50:19. > :50:21.to change the perception of disabled people and what the Government are
:50:22. > :50:25.doing to prepare for this? I would like to thank for hosting the
:50:26. > :50:30.announcement of the tennis Paralympic team for Rio. I wish the
:50:31. > :50:34.pay tribute to Channel 4, who will be showing over 700 hours of the
:50:35. > :50:37.Paralympics. A 75% of their presenters having a disability. It
:50:38. > :50:43.is a fantastic opportunity to showcase the ability. We are all in
:50:44. > :50:49.for a real treat next Friday when Channel 4 launch their fantastic
:50:50. > :50:52.video. THE SPEAKER: I'm extraordinarily
:50:53. > :50:59.grateful for the Minister giving me my cue. May I take this opportunity
:51:00. > :51:02.to warmly congratulate Gordon Reid on his success at Wimbledon
:51:03. > :51:09.yesterday. I'm sure the House will want to join me in congratulating
:51:10. > :51:18.most warmly Andy Murray... Hear, hear.. On an outstanding performance
:51:19. > :51:23.on womening his second Wimbledon title and third Grand Slam so far.
:51:24. > :51:26.Diana Johnson. The disabilities Minister just agreed to meet with a
:51:27. > :51:30.Member of Parliament and their constituent about an issue they were
:51:31. > :51:35.concerned about. Can I try with the Pensions Minister? Will me meet with
:51:36. > :51:38.me and some of the 0,000 women affected by the pension changes
:51:39. > :51:43.being born in the 1950s and come to Hull and meet some of these people
:51:44. > :51:48.and hear directly from them? Mr Speaker, I have met with the
:51:49. > :51:53.leadership of the campaign. Very met my constituents. She has Arctic
:51:54. > :51:57.lated the views of her constituents, as have many other MPs on a regular
:51:58. > :52:04.basis. I know all the facts. The issue here, Mr Speaker, is that
:52:05. > :52:08.members like her should not be given expectations to women when the
:52:09. > :52:12.position has been made absolutely clear at the dispatch box, the
:52:13. > :52:18.Government has no intention of change its policy. Can I thank the
:52:19. > :52:26.disabilities Minister for accepting the recommendations of the review
:52:27. > :52:31.that I chaired into the disability apprenticeships are. Which
:52:32. > :52:37.recommendations can be applied to hearing loss and sight loss as well?
:52:38. > :52:46.I would like to thank my honourable friend, as it was his task force
:52:47. > :52:52.which conclude its work, and we've secured... I'm sure we'll be coming
:52:53. > :52:59.soon to my honourable friend to extend the next wave which he will
:53:00. > :53:03.be delighted to chair. The Government is trialling new
:53:04. > :53:06.technology for the payments and spending of claimants benefits. It
:53:07. > :53:10.is a fantastic new technology but Government's only port says it needs
:53:11. > :53:17.a regulatory, ethical and data framework. So how do we though that
:53:18. > :53:23.vulnerable benefits claimants are not being forced to share their data
:53:24. > :53:26.without giving informed consent? I thank the honourable lady for this
:53:27. > :53:33.interesting question. Question. This technology is new. I'm not an expert
:53:34. > :53:38.on it. The noble Lord Freud is in other place is an expert on it. We
:53:39. > :53:42.are committed to the highest standards of protection of data. In
:53:43. > :53:47.terms of the wired tax issue she refers, to I look forward to
:53:48. > :53:54.discussing this with her in more detail. Currently children under
:53:55. > :54:05.three are not eligibility for moatability Williams. Would my
:54:06. > :54:08.honourable friend agree to look at this issue to see if these specific
:54:09. > :54:13.young people can get the support they need? I know my honourable
:54:14. > :54:17.friend has been campaigning in this area for some time. It is an issue
:54:18. > :54:23.we are acutely aware of. I would be happy to meet with him to discuss
:54:24. > :54:28.further opportunities. I don't want to upset anybody on our frontbench
:54:29. > :54:33.by showing passion and anger about this Government's failure to tackle
:54:34. > :54:38.the unscrupulous employers that give no guarantee of employment, no
:54:39. > :54:42.contract, no certainty, no pension, nothing but zero hours contracts and
:54:43. > :54:48.people being hired from agencies. When is this Government going to
:54:49. > :54:52.take on these rotten employers? Zero hour contracts only form a very
:54:53. > :54:57.small proportion of the overall jobs in the labour market. The thing
:54:58. > :55:00.that's pernicious about zero hour contracts is the exclusivity
:55:01. > :55:02.clauses. That's widespread, we were the Government that took action to
:55:03. > :55:14.deal with that. We have an initiative with the DWP
:55:15. > :55:19.and the Salvation Army foodbank. People come into the foodbank and
:55:20. > :55:23.the DWP can help them in any way they can. Would my honourable friend
:55:24. > :55:27.like to come to Morecambe and see first-hand how this initiative is
:55:28. > :55:31.working night? Yes, I would like to go to Morecambe
:55:32. > :55:36.and see that project. I am clear that one of the things we need to be
:55:37. > :55:45.doing more of in our local job centres is integrating the local
:55:46. > :55:54.services. Urgent question, Helen Goodman. I would like to ask the
:55:55. > :55:57.Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he would make a statement on
:55:58. > :56:06.whether or not the government will seek Parliamentary approval before
:56:07. > :56:09.triggering Article 50? The question of how to invoke Parliamentary
:56:10. > :56:14.discussion around triggering Article 50 has two distinct assets, one
:56:15. > :56:19.legal and the other Democratic. To take the legal consideration first,
:56:20. > :56:21.everyone will be aware how about the debate about whether Article 50 can
:56:22. > :56:26.be done through the royal prerogative which is not legally
:56:27. > :56:31.parliamentary improvement approval, or if it would need a Parliamentary
:56:32. > :56:32.approval. I believe the lawyers