:00:00. > :00:00.lifetime ISA. Remember to in join me -- to join me for a round-up of the
:00:00. > :00:09.day in Parliament at 11:30pl. But first, questions to Damian Green and
:00:10. > :00:13.his team of ministers. Order, order. Questions to the Secretary of State
:00:14. > :00:23.for Work and Pensions. Mr Kdvin Holt break. Mr Speaker, on the d`y the
:00:24. > :00:26.country is celebrating our Paralympic athletes, I am stre the
:00:27. > :00:30.House will want to join me hn thanking them for a summer of
:00:31. > :00:35.thrilling and inspirational sport. It is right that we continu`lly
:00:36. > :00:40.review the way that sport is offered to and accessed by disabled people
:00:41. > :00:44.and that is why I was pleasdd to announce an end to stressful
:00:45. > :00:47.reassessment is for people with the most severe lifetime condithons We
:00:48. > :00:52.are also transforming the w`y that disabled people access port through
:00:53. > :00:54.our digital access to work platform, providing help to budding dhsabled
:00:55. > :01:01.entrepreneurs to set up thehr own business. I am holding a rotndtable
:01:02. > :01:04.on October 31 for those with disabilities, parents and elployers,
:01:05. > :01:09.to try to remove the barriers to employment. Would the Secretary of
:01:10. > :01:17.State agree that for some, the barriers recently too high `nd would
:01:18. > :01:22.he applaud the recent announcement from disabilities rights UK that
:01:23. > :01:25.those with long-term condithons will not have to undergo regular
:01:26. > :01:32.reassessment of their conditions? I congratulate my friend on hhs recent
:01:33. > :01:35.roundtable. I agree that thdre are too many barriers to work for
:01:36. > :01:39.disabled people in this govdrnment is determined to do everythhng
:01:40. > :01:44.possible to break down thosd barriers. Like him I was pldased
:01:45. > :01:48.that a number of disability groups welcomed the announcement I made on
:01:49. > :01:53.the 1st of October. I was pleased to see the Chief Executive of the MS
:01:54. > :01:55.Society says that it was a victory for common sense and say th`t they
:01:56. > :01:59.were delighted that the govdrnment has listened to their concerns and
:02:00. > :02:06.agreed to stop reassessments. I am pleased that the sector was so
:02:07. > :02:09.pleased with the announcement. I also welcome the announcement that
:02:10. > :02:14.the Secretary of State made. Can you tell us which are the conditions
:02:15. > :02:19.which the exemption will cover, and when he expects the change to be
:02:20. > :02:22.introduced? Not so much the conditions, it is the indivhduals.
:02:23. > :02:25.We do it on an individual b`sis because clearly there are conditions
:02:26. > :02:29.where at some stage people will be able to work and other stagds they
:02:30. > :02:33.will not be able to work. So it is both conditions that can deteriorate
:02:34. > :02:42.as well as conditions that lay stay the same. On the issue of thming, we
:02:43. > :02:45.will be consulting on a widd range of measures in the work and health
:02:46. > :02:50.Green Paper which my predecdssor promised would be with us bx the end
:02:51. > :02:55.of the year and I'm happy to repeat that promise today. I also welcome
:02:56. > :02:59.the announcement that peopld with severe lifelong conditions will
:03:00. > :03:02.longer face repeated work longer face repeated work
:03:03. > :03:05.credibility assessments. My honourable friend has clearly
:03:06. > :03:09.these assessments. While mental these assessments. While mental
:03:10. > :03:13.health conditions can follow in Qu bec to -- and unpredictable path,
:03:14. > :03:19.could my right honourable friend take steps to help reduce the stress
:03:20. > :03:22.and trauma of these work capability assessments? I am happy to try to
:03:23. > :03:27.reassure my honourable friend about reassure my honourable friend about
:03:28. > :03:32.of the things that has been approved of the things that has been approved
:03:33. > :03:38.in the diagnosis field has been the number of people correctly diagnosed
:03:39. > :03:40.with mental health conditions in recent years. Clearly this hs a
:03:41. > :03:43.difficulties in some cases hn difficulties in some cases hn
:03:44. > :03:47.that the stress and strain of that the stress and strain of
:03:48. > :03:55.constant reassessment contrhbutes to that. We are always looking at ways
:03:56. > :03:58.do to make sure they achievd what do to make sure they achievd what
:03:59. > :04:05.they are meant to achieve and do not just increased strain on people
:04:06. > :04:06.Constituents who have been refused employment and support allowance
:04:07. > :04:09.tell me they have experiencd tell me they have experiencd
:04:10. > :04:13.barriers in their way when they apply for mandatory reconsideration
:04:14. > :04:17.of the condition. They have told me they are being told to give reasons
:04:18. > :04:21.in advance in writing. And then if the request is rejected, thdy are
:04:22. > :04:24.not given reasons for the rdfusal. Will the Secretary of State take a
:04:25. > :04:27.look at the situation because it seems that there is a delibdrate
:04:28. > :04:31.intent on the part of some officials to thwart people from having their
:04:32. > :04:39.cases reconsidered? I am not aware of officials actively acting to
:04:40. > :04:42.thwart mandatory reconsider`tion. As thwart mandatory reconsider`tion. As
:04:43. > :04:48.the honourable lady will know, the sac committee supported the
:04:49. > :04:52.mandatory reconsideration btt there are a number of recommendathons on
:04:53. > :04:58.the table which will improvd the process. I think with all the
:04:59. > :05:04.processors, it is a need for continuous improvement and that is
:05:05. > :05:11.what we will seek to do. Thd announcement will be of help to a
:05:12. > :05:14.friend of mine who is a long-term mental health sufferer. He hs still
:05:15. > :05:20.required to have this capabhlity assessment despite having bden
:05:21. > :05:23.granted it four times. I hope that the new process will be a qtick one
:05:24. > :05:26.and people like my constitudnt will be able to benefit from this
:05:27. > :05:39.announcement in the near future Yes. I take the point that, as he
:05:40. > :05:44.describes, someone like that should not be reassessed while we `re
:05:45. > :05:49.establishing the appropriatd guidance so that the new system can
:05:50. > :05:53.be put in effect. I'm glad the government has said it is going to
:05:54. > :05:57.end the needless and distressing practice of reassessing the work the
:05:58. > :06:01.abilities of people with incurable conditions. I hope the Secrdtary of
:06:02. > :06:05.State accept that its predecessor but at this very badly wrong in
:06:06. > :06:09.recent years but will he now accept the need to overhaul the work
:06:10. > :06:11.capability assessment to ensure that all claimants, including those with
:06:12. > :06:12.invisible or fluctuating conditions invisible or fluctuating conditions
:06:13. > :06:17.are treated with dignity and are treated with dignity and
:06:18. > :06:20.respect? I am grateful for the support although my announcdment
:06:21. > :06:26.from those benches even thotgh I sense it came through grittdd teeth.
:06:27. > :06:30.As I have said, to previous questioners, we are constantly
:06:31. > :06:36.work capability assessment `nd of work capability assessment `nd of
:06:37. > :06:41.course that work will carry on. I was being quite restrained, Mr
:06:42. > :06:45.Speaker. The other thing thd government has got badly wrong in
:06:46. > :06:51.recent times is the decision to cut financial support to ESA cl`imants.
:06:52. > :06:57.People assessed as currentlx unfit for work. The decision causdd
:06:58. > :07:02.disquiet on the side of the House and anger and concern outside it.
:07:03. > :07:04.Wilbur Secretary of State m`ke representations to the Chancellor
:07:05. > :07:10.ahead of the Autumn Statement to reinstate the support that disabled
:07:11. > :07:16.people need so badly? As I `m sure the honourable lady knows, no one
:07:17. > :07:19.who is already claiming ESA in that particular group will see a cash
:07:20. > :07:23.loss. And what we are seeking to do is to make it as easy as possible
:07:24. > :07:30.for as many people as possible to get into work. Because doing a job
:07:31. > :07:33.is, for most people, the best route out of poverty. And the varhous
:07:34. > :07:39.changes that have been annotnced by my predecessor were all aimhng at
:07:40. > :07:46.that end and that is the best one for the vast majority of people
:07:47. > :07:52.receiving these benefits. The government's climb-down reg`rding
:07:53. > :07:55.their discredited work capability assessment is welcome but ghven that
:07:56. > :08:01.60% of people who appeal ag`inst their decision are successftl,
:08:02. > :08:07.academics estimate that between 2010 and 2013, an additional 590 suicides
:08:08. > :08:13.were associated with WCA and the government's on data that shows that
:08:14. > :08:17.people who have been found ht to work or four times more likdly to
:08:18. > :08:24.die than the general population Given that, why does the Hole
:08:25. > :08:27.Secretary not scrap the WCA immediately? Because they work
:08:28. > :08:32.capability assessment, introduced by a Labour government, has bedn
:08:33. > :08:43.reviewed five times since 2010 and each time we have improved ht. And
:08:44. > :08:46.I'm glad that she has welcoled the recent improvements we have
:08:47. > :08:48.introduced. I will be grateful if the honourable lady will waht for
:08:49. > :08:57.the next question before shd asks it. I take issue with her ilplied
:08:58. > :09:05.link tween suicides and the work capability assessment. I do think
:09:06. > :09:07.that is an unhelpful use of what is obviously a deeply tragic shtuation,
:09:08. > :09:13.for political ends. I think she will have known that there was no direct
:09:14. > :09:18.evidence to support that, and I do not think that is actually ` very
:09:19. > :09:26.constructive way to seek to improve the Work Capability Assessmdnt. Just
:09:27. > :09:29.to present a point of fact, these academic estimates and the
:09:30. > :09:34.government's on data shows that people have died. Unlike thd Work
:09:35. > :09:39.Capability Assessment, the government's plans to continually
:09:40. > :09:42.assess disabled people for Personal Independent Payment is, reg`rdless
:09:43. > :09:49.of their disability or condhtion, regardless that 59% of appe`ls are
:09:50. > :09:53.accessible and regardless of the inappropriate assessment process,
:09:54. > :09:59.after the outcry over cuts to the budget and having to abandoned
:10:00. > :10:02.proposals to restrict access by changing eligibility to the living
:10:03. > :10:06.component, the government is looking for alternative ways to makd cuts,
:10:07. > :10:11.this time by changing the gtidance on making it harder for dis`bled
:10:12. > :10:13.appeal decisions. Isn't the appeal decisions. Isn't the
:10:14. > :10:16.government ashamed that thex are government ashamed that thex are
:10:17. > :10:25.putting disabled people into such dire circumstances? I am not at all
:10:26. > :10:31.ashamed of the introduction of PIP or the fact that many more people
:10:32. > :10:35.are eligible to receive it than were eligible to receive DLA. It is a
:10:36. > :10:40.better benefit and most of the disability support groups rdcognise
:10:41. > :10:48.that it is a benefit and do not realise that... Mr Speaker. The
:10:49. > :10:52.Personal Independent Payment assessment is designed with all
:10:53. > :10:56.health conditions and impairments in mind, including autism. Arotnd 8%
:10:57. > :11:05.of those with autism are currently receiving higher rates of PHP. Mr
:11:06. > :11:10.Speaker, autism is a complex medical condition and there is a fundamental
:11:11. > :11:16.failure in the Personal Inddpendent Payment is system which is that
:11:17. > :11:20.assessment is being made by people who have no detailed knowledge of
:11:21. > :11:24.the medical condition involved. Will the new Secretary of State `nd the
:11:25. > :11:30.Minister please have an assdssment of whether it is possible that real
:11:31. > :11:34.medics and people with profdssional medical opinions can carry out
:11:35. > :11:41.assessments so that these pdople can be looked after?
:11:42. > :11:46.I thank the right honourabld gentleman for raising the ilportance
:11:47. > :11:54.that the assessment and the personal experience are important. Hdre's
:11:55. > :12:01.wrong to say that these are not health care professionals, `nd both
:12:02. > :12:05.of the providers training covers autism, and it gives them specific
:12:06. > :12:11.information that has been ddveloped by the National Autistic Society for
:12:12. > :12:18.Capita, and in the case of @tos provided for them. With perlission,
:12:19. > :12:30.I would like to answer questions three and 11. Work is the bdst route
:12:31. > :12:34.out of poverty. 550,000 children out of these who sold since 2010. It is
:12:35. > :12:38.a priority for this governmdnt and to that end I will be returning to
:12:39. > :12:43.the house with a number of announcements over the coming
:12:44. > :12:47.months. Thank you Mr Speaker. The latest OCED figures have shown that
:12:48. > :12:50.the risk of income poverty has been growing for young people and that is
:12:51. > :12:56.before the impact of these cuts for young people commented forcd. Will
:12:57. > :13:00.the Minister accept the warnings from the IFS that showed poverty is
:13:01. > :13:07.going to increase by 50% and abandoned these cuts the unhversal
:13:08. > :13:13.credit that will punish workers especially single parents? Since
:13:14. > :13:21.2010, 100,000 fewer children in poverty, and overall 300,000 fewer
:13:22. > :13:25.people in poverty. I have already said work is the best route out of
:13:26. > :13:29.poverty. And we have far more people in work in this country than most
:13:30. > :13:35.other advanced countries. That is the best long-term way to ensure
:13:36. > :13:39.children do not suffer poverty. I am welcoming the change of tond since
:13:40. > :13:43.the Secretary of State to cop the new position but I would like to see
:13:44. > :13:48.a change in policy. He should be ashamed that the IFS is predicting a
:13:49. > :13:52.staggering 50% increase in child poverty over the course of this
:13:53. > :13:58.armament, still committed to the policy when a living wage does not
:13:59. > :14:03.pay enough to live on, and policy when tax and benefit changes will be
:14:04. > :14:06.directly responsible for thd increase in child poverty. When will
:14:07. > :14:13.these two 1/2-million children who go without enough food to e`t, going
:14:14. > :14:17.hungry in this country, when will we see action from this governlent I
:14:18. > :14:21.have to disagree with the rhght honourable lady about the income and
:14:22. > :14:26.the tax points. The introduction of the national living wage me`ns that
:14:27. > :14:32.if you tame Walker who was previously on the national linimum
:14:33. > :14:35.wage is now ?900 better off. And many children will benefit from
:14:36. > :14:41.that. In the arms of tax, over the course of the last Parliament we
:14:42. > :14:47.took 4 million of the lowest paid out together, those practic`l
:14:48. > :14:50.measures help people and help children in low income speakers As
:14:51. > :14:55.the secretary will know frol his recent visit to my constitudncy I
:14:56. > :15:03.am walking with local charities to set up action against children in
:15:04. > :15:09.poverty. ?100,000 in funding, to tackle one in five children who live
:15:10. > :15:13.in poverty in my constituency. Will the Secretary of State agredd to
:15:14. > :15:18.meet with the group, best tdam in London, to learn about work and
:15:19. > :15:21.extend congratulations? I al delighted to join my right
:15:22. > :15:24.honourable friend in congratulating the group, in his constituency. It
:15:25. > :15:31.is exactly the sort of thing that we want to hear, I am happy to meet
:15:32. > :15:38.them. I am grateful that he is depriving me of yet another trip to
:15:39. > :15:46.Bath. Always to go. Happy I want to spread myself around the cotntry.
:15:47. > :15:50.Helping parents on JSA helps to register in poverty. Will the
:15:51. > :15:54.Secretary of State support the new allowance, helping people r`ise
:15:55. > :16:01.household incomes? The new enterprise allowance is indded an
:16:02. > :16:06.extremely helpful tool, in our armoury of ways to help dis`bled
:16:07. > :16:11.people. And 20,000 disabled people have been killed, through this new
:16:12. > :16:22.enterprise allowance and I hntend to expand the scheme. -- helped. Thank
:16:23. > :16:26.you Mr Speaker. The reminder for -- the right honourable member for
:16:27. > :16:30.Chingford said that he would eradicate child poverty by 2020 But
:16:31. > :16:36.the action group has highlighted it is set to rise by 20%, does the
:16:37. > :16:39.Minister agree with the forler Secretary of State and as the
:16:40. > :16:44.government still committed to eradicating child poverty bx 20 0?
:16:45. > :16:47.The government is certainly committed to reducing child poverty,
:16:48. > :16:52.the action group that she mdntioned made a number of specific ddmands,
:16:53. > :16:57.and one of them was to expand to give support which this govdrnment
:16:58. > :17:04.has done. Extending support for the most disadvantaged two-year,olds.
:17:05. > :17:09.And universal credit reimburses many course. Also demanded support for
:17:10. > :17:15.progress at low paid work, absolutely correct and we are
:17:16. > :17:22.undertaking a number of trahls with John Souttar plus. I agree with the
:17:23. > :17:28.group this is a good step forward. In 2011, the government said that
:17:29. > :17:35.universal credit would get 350, 00 children out of poverty. By 201 ,
:17:36. > :17:38.downgraded to 150,000. The OBR publish the report and be clear that
:17:39. > :17:43.the cuts going ahead for unhversal credit means it is going to be less
:17:44. > :17:49.generous than tax credits. How many children does the government expect
:17:50. > :17:56.universal credit to a state of poverty? Universal credit, paid to
:17:57. > :17:59.more than 300,000, has alre`dy shown that people are going to get into
:18:00. > :18:06.work faster and progress and are more likely to seek work. If the
:18:07. > :18:12.opposition accepts that what is the best route out of poverty, then they
:18:13. > :18:17.will welcome universal credht because when it is going to more
:18:18. > :18:22.parents then the children whll be in better results. That is the best way
:18:23. > :18:29.to get them out of poverty. Thank you. Number four. With your
:18:30. > :18:36.permission, I will answer qtestions four, 14, 16. The transition
:18:37. > :18:41.arrangements already and police we have committed ?1 billion to lessen
:18:42. > :18:45.the impact of the state pension age changes on those affected. So that
:18:46. > :18:51.nobody would experience a change from more than 18 months. 80% of
:18:52. > :18:56.women's state pension age whll increase by no more than 12 months
:18:57. > :19:00.compare to the previous timdtable. Last week, Mr Speaker, I end over
:19:01. > :19:05.100 colleagues presented a petition in support of the campaign, will the
:19:06. > :19:14.Minister now acknowledge th`t these women have been subject to ` grave
:19:15. > :19:16.injustice and this is the s`me for the government to introduce
:19:17. > :19:22.appropriate transitional paxments for the woman most affected by the
:19:23. > :19:25.pension changes? I can only reiterate to the right honotrable
:19:26. > :19:29.lady what has been said manx times before, that the government mean
:19:30. > :19:41.transition arrangements, kedn to ?1 billion. The lady is talking to
:19:42. > :19:45.me... Couldn't hear. I will try to imagine what she has said. The
:19:46. > :19:50.government has made this arrangement and no more for the moves whll be
:19:51. > :19:57.benefiting in time from the significant increase with the state
:19:58. > :20:05.pension. Shocking reports of women affected by these changes, brought
:20:06. > :20:16.in last April, being left ddstitute, after being on low pay for lost of
:20:17. > :20:19.the lights. -- their lives. What immediate measures the government
:20:20. > :20:27.going to take to address thhs important situation, putting wrongs
:20:28. > :20:31.right? For those women, and indeed men, at the state pension age in the
:20:32. > :20:35.position of destitution that the right honourable lady has mdntioned,
:20:36. > :20:41.we have a comprehensible benefit system, that they are fully entitled
:20:42. > :20:48.to. I would like to pay tribute to Rosemary Jordan, but the minister is
:20:49. > :20:53.better than the answers he has just opened. These women are being badly
:20:54. > :20:57.affected. The Prime Minister has given a commitment to this nation to
:20:58. > :21:03.look after those people who are just managing. The woman that I have seen
:21:04. > :21:07.at my surgery, not just man`ging because of these changes, the
:21:08. > :21:10.transitional arrangements from 011 are not good enough, go back to the
:21:11. > :21:17.department and improve the offer. As the right honourable gentlelan is
:21:18. > :21:22.aware, I have said many timds that the transitional arrangements that
:21:23. > :21:25.have taken place have cost lore than ?1 billion, arrangements in place
:21:26. > :21:32.for those people when you h`ve destitution, but it becomes a
:21:33. > :21:38.question of public money spdnt. That pensions, at the moment, costing ?89
:21:39. > :21:44.billion per year, plus the pension credit and everything else. No more
:21:45. > :21:48.money available. Thank you very much Mr Speaker. I am surprised nor
:21:49. > :21:52.members opposite want to ask questions on this particular topic.
:21:53. > :21:58.The Prime Minister herself celebrated her 60th birthdax, making
:21:59. > :22:03.her party that sisterhood of women who have been sought shabbily
:22:04. > :22:09.treated by the previous govdrnments. We have had the petitions, `nd not
:22:10. > :22:14.one but two previous pension ministers acknowledging that the
:22:15. > :22:18.whole thing was wrong, a mess. I know that the Prime Minister, unlike
:22:19. > :22:24.other members of the special sisterhood are not going to rely on
:22:25. > :22:27.the state pension but will the Minister for appeal to his boss to
:22:28. > :22:33.use the power she has, the compensate some of the most needy
:22:34. > :22:36.women? I do find it very strange that the right honourable gdntleman
:22:37. > :22:43.and his party were there whdn the act was passed in 2011, the pensions
:22:44. > :22:54.act was in place, but no mention in the 2050 manifesto to try to negate
:22:55. > :23:00.this. -- 2015. Thank you Mr Speaker. DWP visiting officers can khll
:23:01. > :23:03.people with the completion of the PIP forms, and claimants can also
:23:04. > :23:12.authorise another person or organisation to help them h`ndle the
:23:13. > :23:16.PIP claim. I am grateful to the Minister for that answer, btt for
:23:17. > :23:19.those with mental health issues completing those forms can be a
:23:20. > :23:24.difficult experience. I am pleased about what the Secretary of State
:23:25. > :23:30.had to say about assessments. But what specific help is provided? I
:23:31. > :23:33.thank my right honourable friend for that question. We want to hdlp
:23:34. > :23:38.people with this form as much as possible. That is why we give people
:23:39. > :23:43.up to one months to completd it but additional time if required. We
:23:44. > :23:46.provide guidance online, so that friends and family can look at that,
:23:47. > :23:52.assisting with completion and we also allow them to use their own
:23:53. > :23:55.words, to describe conditions and provide as much detail as they would
:23:56. > :24:06.like to order condition allows them to. I have met many times, `s chair
:24:07. > :24:14.of the Parkinsons group, with the right honourable member, will she
:24:15. > :24:28.meet with me again to look `t problems that people with mortal
:24:29. > :24:32.mural disease have? -- motor neuron. Opportunities within the paper for
:24:33. > :24:35.that information to be fed back and disabled people will be delhghted to
:24:36. > :24:41.hear that we will provide as much support as is needed. My
:24:42. > :24:46.constituent, John Mullen, w`s walking abroad for two years when he
:24:47. > :24:54.fell ill, relapsing multipld sclerosis. He was told that he would
:24:55. > :24:59.not qualify until January 2018 for the personal independence p`yments.
:25:00. > :25:04.Given what the Secretary of State has said about relaxing the cuts,
:25:05. > :25:10.for these payments, will shd look at his case personally, and Mitchell
:25:11. > :25:15.that he has the money that he needs? Is the right honourable gentleman
:25:16. > :25:17.knows, we cannot intervene with individual cases, but if he sends
:25:18. > :25:21.the detail about the specifhc problem with those who have moved
:25:22. > :25:33.abroad, my right honourable friend would be delighted to look `t that.
:25:34. > :25:35.Number seven. The department is committed to continuously ilproving
:25:36. > :25:38.assessments for all the bendfits and we have responded to a rangd of
:25:39. > :25:42.recommendations from a numbdr of independent reviews as part of the
:25:43. > :25:46.continuous review of the work capability assessment we will be
:25:47. > :25:52.looking at possible improvelents in the forthcoming green paper. I
:25:53. > :26:00.welcome the government's recent announcement. Every local and
:26:01. > :26:03.national agencies should be responsible for paying benefits has
:26:04. > :26:08.access to this information, and we end the practice of repetithve form
:26:09. > :26:16.filling and evidence gatherhng, this would reduce stress for essdntial
:26:17. > :26:20.public services? I think th`t is a sensible suggestion, and whdn you
:26:21. > :26:29.have a care plan, medical evidence for somebody's war pension, if we
:26:30. > :26:33.can use that data better, to reduce stress, and arrive at a good result
:26:34. > :26:39.on that assessment, we should be doing that. How confident is the
:26:40. > :26:49.Minister, of the robustness, for those disabled people who lose PIP?
:26:50. > :26:52.And what would she say to mx constituent, who wrote to md, about
:26:53. > :26:56.losing his benefit, cannot concentrate on what he does, I have
:26:57. > :27:03.no money at all? Electricitx has gone out, gas out, and as for food,
:27:04. > :27:05.I do not know what I will do. How can we have the system, when people
:27:06. > :27:18.are left in such a predicamdnt? I am sorry to hear of the honourable
:27:19. > :27:25.lady's constituent's circumstances. But were the wrong decision has been
:27:26. > :27:27.taken we need to ensure, and it will be overturned on appeal, we need to
:27:28. > :27:30.make sure we arrived at the right make sure we arrived at the right
:27:31. > :27:34.decision in the first place. That has been our focus over the last few
:27:35. > :27:38.weeks and we're working to dnsure that medical evidence and other
:27:39. > :27:42.evidence is submitted earlidr in the so that those circumstances do not
:27:43. > :27:53.arise. I would be happy to look at the situation in that indivhdual
:27:54. > :28:00.case. We have introduced... Sorry. With
:28:01. > :28:05.your permission, Mr Speaker, I would like to answer question's ehght ten
:28:06. > :28:08.and 21 together. Our policy is developed by utilising servhces
:28:09. > :28:12.panels. Provision is monitored and panels. Provision is monitored and
:28:13. > :28:19.measured by independent audht and the provider is held to account
:28:20. > :28:23.through the contract. For the fourth year in a row, the infrastrtcture
:28:24. > :28:29.projects authority has said that the roll-out of the PIP project is
:28:30. > :28:32.endowed with major risks in key areas. What action has the Linister
:28:33. > :28:36.taken to address the problel with assessment causing further hardship
:28:37. > :28:43.to disabled people trying to access vital support? I would start by
:28:44. > :28:47.pointing out that PIP is a vast improvement on what went before It
:28:48. > :28:52.is a more targeted benefits, taking into account a raft of other
:28:53. > :28:57.conditions, mental health, sensory conditions, and not just phxsical
:28:58. > :29:00.disabilities. It is a vast step forward in that respect, but we
:29:01. > :29:06.cannot rest on our laurels `nd we have to continually improve. There
:29:07. > :29:10.is a robust improvement process which is based on user and claimant
:29:11. > :29:17.feedback. It looks at the assessment, and a whole raft of
:29:18. > :29:20.other areas including record-keeping. My constitudnt,
:29:21. > :29:27.Leila Kennedy, lives with dwarfism. Her mobility car was removed from
:29:28. > :29:31.her after a pep assessment. She had to use public transport, was unable
:29:32. > :29:35.job as a result. Does the Mhnister job as a result. Does the Mhnister
:29:36. > :29:42.really think that government policy is delivering compassionate outcomes
:29:43. > :29:45.in these cases? I hope the honourable gentleman would write to
:29:46. > :29:51.me with further details of that case but I would say that under PIP, more
:29:52. > :29:55.people are entitled to use the scheme. But clearly we want to
:29:56. > :29:59.ensure that any decision taken on a PIP assessment is the right one and
:30:00. > :30:03.a key part of that, as we know when we have looked at those casds which
:30:04. > :30:12.have gone to appeal and havd been overturned, is getting the dvidence
:30:13. > :30:16.submitted earlier in the process. Report suggests that capita reward
:30:17. > :30:24.their assessors by how many they can do in a month. That often ghves
:30:25. > :30:29.claimant is not enough time to explain their condition. Wh`t will
:30:30. > :30:33.the government do to ensure that a reward system is not operatdd? I
:30:34. > :30:36.thank the honourable lady for the question because it gets to the
:30:37. > :30:39.heart of what I described. Hf we do not have a good quality assdssment,
:30:40. > :30:44.good quality in all the evidence needed early in the process, we end
:30:45. > :30:48.up costing distress to an individual that has to go to mandatory
:30:49. > :30:54.reconsideration or an appeal. We are doing work in the department to
:30:55. > :30:57.address this, which includes giving more flexibility for cases `t the
:30:58. > :31:01.earliest stage, with the hope that we would then get the evidence we
:31:02. > :31:08.need submitted at that stagd. That is recent work and we are rolling it
:31:09. > :31:12.out. For those with mental health condition, the PIP assessment has
:31:13. > :31:19.transformed opportunities. Tnder DLA, only 22% accessed the highest
:31:20. > :31:22.rate but with PIP, it is 68$. With more people with this condition
:31:23. > :31:26.being identified, what more can be done to encourage support from the
:31:27. > :31:29.NHS, charities and government pilot projects? I would thank the
:31:30. > :31:35.honourable gentleman for thd work he did that the department on these
:31:36. > :31:39.issues. He is absolutely right that mental health as the priority now
:31:40. > :31:42.that it needs and that PIP hs delivering for those people. I would
:31:43. > :31:46.give him one example, buildhng on the excellent work he did whth the
:31:47. > :31:53.disability confident scheme, which we have beefed up further. Ht will
:31:54. > :31:55.give employers a general grounding in these matters and also act as a
:31:56. > :32:04.platform from which organis`tions like MIND and others can offer a
:32:05. > :32:07.bespoke advice and services. Most members in this House will have had
:32:08. > :32:13.someone come along to a surgery with a problem about PIP every wdek. The
:32:14. > :32:19.area that worries me most is mobility. People come to my surgery
:32:20. > :32:24.who were clearly win at the tribunal stage but they have their mobility
:32:25. > :32:30.removed at the beginning. C`n we look at a change in the polhcy where
:32:31. > :32:34.that stays until all appeal processes have been... I thhnk that
:32:35. > :32:38.will be a great help to manx people. I think the honourable gentleman for
:32:39. > :32:45.that. We have not, historic`lly paid benefits in lieu of an appeal.
:32:46. > :32:48.The key parts to cracking this is to ensure that the assessment hs
:32:49. > :32:55.actually done correctly. But would point to him that with mand`tory
:32:56. > :33:00.reconsideration, that process is over before the person would have to
:33:01. > :33:07.return the vehicle. Question number nine, Mr Speaker. We have introduced
:33:08. > :33:14.a new disability confident scheme building on the work of my
:33:15. > :33:18.predecessor. I do not -- I want to underline that I knew that disabled
:33:19. > :33:22.people bring to the workplace. The new scheme went live in Julx and it
:33:23. > :33:30.will be formally launched soon. I must thank the honourable gdntleman
:33:31. > :33:33.for being an early adopter. I pay tribute to my right my honotrable
:33:34. > :33:38.friend and pay tribute to hdr predecessor. Earlier this ydar I an
:33:39. > :33:46.apprentice there at my local college. In July I signed up 19
:33:47. > :33:48.Cheshire businesses to becole disability competence emploxers
:33:49. > :33:51.Will my honourable friend to the Will my honourable friend to the
:33:52. > :33:57.House what steps the governlent is taking to encourage more SMDs to
:33:58. > :34:04.take up this important role? In addition to the disability confident
:34:05. > :34:08.scheme, we are also trialling the small employer offer, which will
:34:09. > :34:13.provide additional support to those with less capacity within their own
:34:14. > :34:19.organisation. And we are also working closely with the He`lth and
:34:20. > :34:24.Safety Executive, and their work into SMEs, to better target our
:34:25. > :34:32.services. Recent analysis stggests that as well as unemployment gap,
:34:33. > :34:35.there is a wage gap of about 13 between disabled workers and their
:34:36. > :34:36.non-disabled counterparts. What is the Minister going to do to raise
:34:37. > :34:42.the awareness of this abuse? Well, I the awareness of this abuse? Well, I
:34:43. > :34:45.thank the honourable gentlelan for raising this important point. Quite
:34:46. > :34:49.often we talk about getting people into work. But we so clearlx want
:34:50. > :34:55.people to have a career. We want them to develop and reach their full
:34:56. > :35:00.potential and pursue all of their talents. The Green Paper whhch we
:35:01. > :35:04.will publish shortly will look at some of these issues, but the beefed
:35:05. > :35:10.up Disability Confidence Scheme is going to be very effective, I hope,
:35:11. > :35:15.in doing that also. Scope's research shows that 85% of disabled people
:35:16. > :35:19.feel like employer's attitudes about employing them have not improved
:35:20. > :35:25.over the last four years. Should more employers for the Leeds of
:35:26. > :35:27.employers like Morrisons, M`rks Spencer and Waitrose and put
:35:28. > :35:30.practical support in place, particularly to help disabldd people
:35:31. > :35:35.the first place? I agree with what the first place? I agree with what
:35:36. > :35:40.the right honourable lady s`ys and we need to do more to ensurd that
:35:41. > :35:45.the support that we offer is understood by employers. Thd
:35:46. > :35:50.Disability Confidence Schemd will help in that. I think we nedd to
:35:51. > :35:54.raise employer's awareness of what they're missing out on. Hugd talent,
:35:55. > :35:57.insight into the workforce, and I think that we will shortly bring
:35:58. > :36:04.forward some schemes which will do just that. The Minister may be aware
:36:05. > :36:08.that there is a massive pool of talent out there, people suffering
:36:09. > :36:10.from neurolinguistic disabilities and challenges, also from attism.
:36:11. > :36:18.And from dyslexia. What mord can the And from dyslexia. What mord can the
:36:19. > :36:21.government do to show the w`y that these young people make good
:36:22. > :36:28.challenges? I am part -- part of the challenges? I am part -- part of the
:36:29. > :36:32.solution to that is ensuring that our own staff are fully aware and
:36:33. > :36:36.able to encourage employers to take on these people. But I think there
:36:37. > :36:39.are many other things that we can do to highlight the
:36:40. > :36:46.contribution that those people have contribution that those people have
:36:47. > :36:50.made. We are doing a huge alount of work with hidden impairment,
:36:51. > :36:59.including training our staff, and also as part of our ongoing
:37:00. > :37:03.communication with employers. We are committed to battling financial
:37:04. > :37:07.through universal support, we are through universal support, we are
:37:08. > :37:14.working with partners furthdr to help our partners avoid debt. 1
:37:15. > :37:20.million adults have less th`n ? 00 in savings. With younger adtlts
:37:21. > :37:26.larger families and single parents most at risk of struggling with
:37:27. > :37:28.personal finances. The Parlhamentary group on financial education of
:37:29. > :37:31.which I am chairman, supported by which I am chairman, supported by
:37:32. > :37:38.young enterprise, has concltded that people need better management
:37:39. > :37:41.skills. Whatever to the govdrnment taking to increase money management
:37:42. > :37:44.skills for young people and those in receipt of benefits? I commdnd my
:37:45. > :37:46.honourable friend for her work with the all-party group which h`s been
:37:47. > :37:51.particularly effective in job centres. The first work search
:37:52. > :37:55.interview gives an opportunhty to identify barriers including
:37:56. > :37:59.financial capability and in Universal Credit, personal budgeting
:38:00. > :38:00.support can be offered in partnership between job centres
:38:01. > :38:09.local authorities and other local local authorities and other local
:38:10. > :38:13.service providers. I thank the honourable member for answering this
:38:14. > :38:16.question. The new money and mental health policy Institute of which I
:38:17. > :38:19.am a member has highlighted that if you are in debt, it is so mtch
:38:20. > :38:24.harder to recover from ment`l illness. Adults with mental health
:38:25. > :38:28.issues are more likely to bd in debt than adults without a mental health
:38:29. > :38:31.condition. I want to as the Minister specifically what he is doing to
:38:32. > :38:35.ensure that people in receipt of benefits who are in debt and also
:38:36. > :38:39.have a mental health condithon are appropriately supported. Thd most
:38:40. > :38:44.important thing we do is work in partnership at the local level with
:38:45. > :38:49.mental health organisations such as MIND to increase understandhng
:38:50. > :38:53.through job centre operations, as well as extending help to
:38:54. > :38:57.individuals who are claiming. It is important to understand the full
:38:58. > :39:08.range of barriers that somebody might have. With permission I will
:39:09. > :39:12.answer questions 13, 19 and 25 together. The Secretary of State is
:39:13. > :39:16.announcing a written ministdrial statement on the 15th of September
:39:17. > :39:20.this year that we will be ddferring the application of local hotsing
:39:21. > :39:26.application rates until 2018-20 At this point we will bring in a new
:39:27. > :39:33.funding model. Thank you. Ftnding for sported accommodation h`s fallen
:39:34. > :39:36.by more than half since 2010. - supported accommodation. My
:39:37. > :39:40.constituent, Winston Morris, is wholly reliant on his wheelchair
:39:41. > :39:43.because of multiple scleroshs. He was made homeless and had to move
:39:44. > :39:47.his sister's living room whdre he sleeps, eats, uses the commode and
:39:48. > :39:54.bailiffs. More than one year later, he is still there despite bding on
:39:55. > :40:00.the housing waiting list, there is no clear time frame as to when he
:40:01. > :40:04.will be rehoused. -- bathes. The Minister meet with me to discuss his
:40:05. > :40:10.case and help prevent other vulnerable people falling into
:40:11. > :40:12.similar situations? Local authorities are best placed to make
:40:13. > :40:17.decisions about how supporthng vulnerable people in their `reas.
:40:18. > :40:19.And commissioning services locally. And commissioning services locally.
:40:20. > :40:22.That is absolutely why I am happy to meet the honourable lady to discuss
:40:23. > :40:25.the specific issues she raises the specific issues she raises
:40:26. > :40:32.because it is important we work to establish the best funding lodel for
:40:33. > :40:36.supported housing. First of all I would like to welcome the
:40:37. > :40:39.government's announcement to exempt specialist providers such as women's
:40:40. > :40:44.refuges from changes to housing benefit. But I know that thd
:40:45. > :40:49.government has a plan to help women's refuges in the future remain
:40:50. > :40:53.sustainable. I would like to hear what the government plans to do to
:40:54. > :40:59.other sorts living accommod`tion, such as for elderly people, people
:41:00. > :41:02.with learning difficulties `nd some of our former service men and women
:41:03. > :41:07.who I heard on the radio today are having much difficulty. I thank the
:41:08. > :41:11.honourable lady for that qudstion and commend her for her sterling
:41:12. > :41:16.work she has done with refuges. In supporting housing, we know that
:41:17. > :41:19.there is a massive variety `nd types of providers and it is important
:41:20. > :41:22.that in the consultation broke cess coming forward we find a solution
:41:23. > :41:32.that works for all of them. -- consultation process. How m`ny
:41:33. > :41:34.supporting housing starts h`ve been stalled by his decision to delay the
:41:35. > :41:43.framework for supported housing What is critically important is that
:41:44. > :41:50.we get the solution to rate, that is why we have forwarded the
:41:51. > :42:00.consultation, deferred the NHS cap till 2020 for supported housing We
:42:01. > :42:05.have a well established reghme of checks and balances in placd, the
:42:06. > :42:09.pension protection fund and the regulator, this is kept unddr
:42:10. > :42:16.constant review and when evhdence demonstrates that such change is
:42:17. > :42:22.needed. As I have stated prdviously, one of the welcome provisions at the
:42:23. > :42:27.pensions act was the reasonhng of the pensions cap, can my right
:42:28. > :42:30.honourable friend update thd house on when that cause could be
:42:31. > :42:35.implemented because after two years it has still not been put into place
:42:36. > :42:40.and pensioners in my constituency suffering the consequences. I would
:42:41. > :42:45.like to first acknowledge the work that the right honourable gdntleman
:42:46. > :42:50.has put into place to ensurd that this was established. It is a
:42:51. > :42:55.complex and technical area, it is important that this secondary
:42:56. > :43:00.legislation works as intenddd, and this process can take time. However,
:43:01. > :43:10.I can assure them that from my first day in office, this has been a
:43:11. > :43:15.priority and I intend the c`p to come into force in April 2007. My
:43:16. > :43:18.own personal occupation has just been reduced, not a problem for me
:43:19. > :43:25.after the generous parliamentary salary but it is a problem for many,
:43:26. > :43:33.the real term solution is not to establish a compulsory statd service
:43:34. > :43:41.scheme for all with defined benefits? This was looked into by
:43:42. > :43:46.the Turner review, and many institutions since. The has been put
:43:47. > :43:49.forward and many have enrolled. I hope this will become the m`in
:43:50. > :44:03.formal pension for people, rather than the new state pension. For PIP,
:44:04. > :44:09.3%. ESA, 14. What other means reasons that she has identified
:44:10. > :44:13.while these claims are ending up at tribunal? And what changes can she
:44:14. > :44:22.suggests that the Department awards these valid applications, ehther in
:44:23. > :44:27.the first place or reconsiddration? As I have stated we have bedn doing
:44:28. > :44:31.some work in this area, and I think one of the things that will help is
:44:32. > :44:35.ensuring we have more flexibility to ensure that when we have colplex
:44:36. > :44:41.cases the evidence is submitted but also some huge scope to use the
:44:42. > :44:46.information that government departments have so that we cut down
:44:47. > :44:51.on the bureaucracy. The gredn paper board had all these issues ly
:44:52. > :44:57.constituent receives ESA and has been seeking a review of thd action
:44:58. > :45:03.plan, but nobody has been t`king responsibility for reviewing the
:45:04. > :45:09.plan despite this Secretary of State having the obligation to do so. I am
:45:10. > :45:15.sorry to hear that. If the right honourable lady rates to me than I
:45:16. > :45:25.will look into that. Only wdeks ago, I beg your pardon! Thinking ahead,
:45:26. > :45:32.as always. Resume his seat! We will hear from him! I am pleased to
:45:33. > :45:36.update the house, to support disabled people and last month we
:45:37. > :45:40.launched the new digital service for access to walk so that people can
:45:41. > :45:44.apply online, making the application process quicker and more efficient.
:45:45. > :45:51.Sticks published today show that already around 500 people a week
:45:52. > :45:55.making claims online, on avdrage taking less than 20 minutes. Huge
:45:56. > :46:01.improvements from delays th`t many experienced from the old system I
:46:02. > :46:06.am glad that the Minister rdfused so complacent. Weeks ago, the house was
:46:07. > :46:12.a sugar tax credit would be utterly expedited. Yet claimants sthll
:46:13. > :46:16.waiting for weeks without anything being resolved. His departmdnt is
:46:17. > :46:19.responsible for child poverty, can he assure the house what he is going
:46:20. > :46:24.to do the try to push the sxstem for and make it work? I am happx to
:46:25. > :46:28.assure the right honourable gentleman that I take the point that
:46:29. > :46:32.the system is not perfect. One suspects it will never be pdrfect.
:46:33. > :46:37.But we are taking steps to hmprove that at every area, and he has
:46:38. > :46:48.mentioned child poverty. Many thousands of children fewer in
:46:49. > :46:59.poverty than 2010. Since 2000, 300,000 fewer people in povdrty
:47:00. > :47:01.100,000 fewer working age adults in poverty. Work is the best route out
:47:02. > :47:05.of poverty. Using the benefhts system to get people into work is
:47:06. > :47:11.the best thing. Would my right honourable friend join me in
:47:12. > :47:15.celebrating the extremely low rate of JSA claimants in my constituency,
:47:16. > :47:21.of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and ht is going to drop even farther with the
:47:22. > :47:27.imminent arrival of the new Premier Inn hotel, that is going to go some
:47:28. > :47:33.way of countering the somewhat seasonal to risen? I am welcoming
:47:34. > :47:38.both those pieces of news, `nd the employment for her constitudncy The
:47:39. > :47:42.opening of that hotel reflects the national trend. The demand for
:47:43. > :47:48.hospitality continues to be strong, one of the factors helping ts get
:47:49. > :47:56.rid of levels of employment. The International Monetary Fund has said
:47:57. > :48:07.that a series of forecasts that the vault to Leave the European Union is
:48:08. > :48:11.going to lead to low forecasts. Workers due to retire won't have
:48:12. > :48:14.basic needs met. As the deptty governor of the Bank of England has
:48:15. > :48:19.outlined concerns what is the government going to do to shore up
:48:20. > :48:25.pensions, of people who havd done the correct thing and earned
:48:26. > :48:29.retirement? The best thing that the government can do, and what we are
:48:30. > :48:33.doing, making sure that the underlying economy is strong and
:48:34. > :48:39.that it continues to create jobs in the way that it has done ovdr the
:48:40. > :48:43.past six years. And we know that the best way to preserve and enhance the
:48:44. > :48:47.pension system in the futurd, both the state pension and private
:48:48. > :48:51.pension, is to make sure th`t the underlying economy is strong. That
:48:52. > :48:56.is what we have been doing `nd we will continue to do. With only 5%
:48:57. > :49:03.of people with autism and ftll-time employment I was pleased Lally of
:49:04. > :49:06.this year to join the Paul Laynard task force, making 14
:49:07. > :49:09.recommendations to improve `ccess for people with learning
:49:10. > :49:13.disabilities and including `utism for apprenticeships. What progress
:49:14. > :49:20.has been made on implementing those recommendations? Thank you. I am
:49:21. > :49:24.paying tribute to that task force, and also the work of the right
:49:25. > :49:31.honourable lady with the all-party group. We have put in place a number
:49:32. > :49:34.of new things. We have a contract with the autism alliance Unhted
:49:35. > :49:42.Kingdom, and I am grateful that they have trained over 1000 of otr staff.
:49:43. > :49:46.More things coming forward, this is going to get a large focus `t the
:49:47. > :49:56.green paper, outlining not just visions but what we are intdnding to
:49:57. > :50:06.do now. Where is the fellow? Beetled out of the chamber! Members should
:50:07. > :50:10.look at the order paper! It has been brought to the Public Accounts
:50:11. > :50:15.Committee, attention, that tniversal credit is paid on a month, but this
:50:16. > :50:19.affects those on the weekly paid badly. Since the evidence and quite,
:50:20. > :50:23.I know that officials have let with the union to discuss concerns. Could
:50:24. > :50:28.I ask that the appropriate Linister follows up on this, it affects a lot
:50:29. > :50:39.of retail workers? Ending whthout universal credit paid? The right
:50:40. > :50:43.honourable lady has identifhed the issue of the four weekly cycle,
:50:44. > :50:47.versus weekly, monthly. This came up at the select committee, and I know
:50:48. > :50:53.that Lord Freud continues and discussion. I am sure that ly right
:50:54. > :51:00.honourable friend will join me in welcoming the news that mord women
:51:01. > :51:03.are in work, including in mx Bury constituency than ever before. Does
:51:04. > :51:09.he agree that this government childcare offer the univers`l credit
:51:10. > :51:17.covers 80%, and that is critical in helping families and helping mothers
:51:18. > :51:21.back to work? Indeed, Mr Spdaker, I welcome the news of these rdcord
:51:22. > :51:25.levels of female employment. My right honourable friend is correct
:51:26. > :51:29.that enhancing childcare has been an important part and with thel that
:51:30. > :51:37.the extension of universal credit from 70% to 80%. And it also applies
:51:38. > :51:40.at lower levels of hours, enabling some mothers to get back to the
:51:41. > :51:49.workplace sooner than me be the case. Last week my constitudnt Mr
:51:50. > :51:53.Roberts told me that during the course of a meeting about PHP she
:51:54. > :51:59.was asked to read and bank details or other form. That presentdd a
:52:00. > :52:04.problem as she is blind. Can the Secretary of State agreed to review
:52:05. > :52:12.this process, so that adjustments can be made for those with visual
:52:13. > :52:16.impairments? Devin bank det`ils over the phone, is bad enough, and
:52:17. > :52:21.clearly if the constituent hs going to be blind, problems. I will looked
:52:22. > :52:23.at that cheerfully. I hope that ministers were concerned as I was
:52:24. > :52:31.that not one of the offenders leaving presents, according to the
:52:32. > :52:34.report found work. Would ministers raise this issue with all the
:52:35. > :52:41.employers, not least the public sector when the record is not good
:52:42. > :52:43.enough so that we can all bd safer? My right honourable friend hs
:52:44. > :52:48.correct to identify the crucial importance of helping these ex
:52:49. > :52:53.offenders into work, we know that if you get into work, your lot is
:52:54. > :52:59.likely to offend. A lot of dmployers have signed up to this and H commend
:53:00. > :53:02.him for doing so. The Minister for presence and I are in contact about
:53:03. > :53:13.how we can improve and will continue to work. -- prisons. Given
:53:14. > :53:20.complaints about the conduct of assessments, recording, what actions
:53:21. > :53:23.has the Minister taken that recordings are going to be taken as
:53:24. > :53:29.a matter of course and clailants are not having to provide speci`list
:53:30. > :53:32.equipment? We have identifidd a number of things that I havd
:53:33. > :53:40.mentioned through the continual improvement process with PIP, some
:53:41. > :53:45.things have been recurring trends, down to straightforward things, such
:53:46. > :53:49.as failure of computer systdms. But we have those standards, and when
:53:50. > :53:52.that is not happening I would be grateful if honourable membdrs could
:53:53. > :54:01.let me know. But we have thd rigorous process of looking and
:54:02. > :54:06.ensuring an auditing where these are and not taking place. Still far too
:54:07. > :54:09.few disabled people in employment, particularly those with learning
:54:10. > :54:13.disabilities. Can the Minister look at what we could do to give
:54:14. > :54:17.financial incentives to employers, to take on people with disabilities,
:54:18. > :54:24.because it seems to me that by getting people to give somebody a
:54:25. > :54:28.go, it is the best way to show that any doubts they have about dmploying
:54:29. > :54:31.disabled people are unfounddd. I thank the right honourable gentleman
:54:32. > :54:38.for raising this issue. It hs important. Going to be things in the
:54:39. > :54:45.green paper look at that. Btt also, if we are serious about closing that
:54:46. > :54:48.gap we have to look job cre`tion and opportunities for everyone.
:54:49. > :54:54.Including those who could h`ve particular needs, to be doing
:54:55. > :55:01.meaningful work, and we havd flexibility. Given delays in
:55:02. > :55:07.assessment, leaving my constituent Sweeting more than two years for ESA
:55:08. > :55:11.payments, can I ask the Secretary of State to make the commitment to
:55:12. > :55:14.backdate the payments for the point of application so that my
:55:15. > :55:18.constituents suffering hardship get the financial support that they are
:55:19. > :55:21.entitled to? I am grateful to the right honourable gentleman for
:55:22. > :55:25.bringing up that individual case. If he wants to send details and I will
:55:26. > :55:29.look at that. Each case has to be assessed on its merits. I c`nnot
:55:30. > :55:35.give any point commitments `t this dispatch box but I will look at
:55:36. > :55:43.that. As my right honourabld friend agreeing that with more powdrs over
:55:44. > :55:50.health and social care devolved to local government, it makes sense to
:55:51. > :55:52.devolve the administration for the attendance to them too? I thank the
:55:53. > :55:59.right honourable gentleman for raising that issue. This was part of
:56:00. > :56:05.the consultation on business rate retention and is being conshdered at
:56:06. > :56:09.the moment. The Secretary of State will know that the north-east still
:56:10. > :56:12.has the highest unemployment rate in the United Kingdom with too many
:56:13. > :56:16.people desperate to get sectre work. Is this what the government means by
:56:17. > :56:22.the northern Powerhouse, or have ministers abandoned the ide`?
:56:23. > :56:28.The ministers had not abandoned the idea of a northern powerhouse as I
:56:29. > :56:32.am sure the honourable lady knows. But the benefits of the machine we
:56:33. > :56:36.have established are indeed spread to all regions of the country,
:56:37. > :56:40.including her own. And we whll continue the very successful work we
:56:41. > :56:46.have done in that field over the past six years during the course of
:56:47. > :56:50.this Parliament. And all thd Minister is passionate about the
:56:51. > :56:54.opportunities for sport for disabled people especially with the day's
:56:55. > :56:59.homecoming parade for our P`ralympic champions. Mencap today highlighted
:57:00. > :57:03.how only nine out of 252 Paralympic events are open to those with a
:57:04. > :57:08.learning difficulty. Will the Minister urgently meet with mencap
:57:09. > :57:11.to address this? I thank thd honourable gentleman for rahsing
:57:12. > :57:16.this. It is vital that whether it is in schools or later in life, people
:57:17. > :57:21.with disabilities are able to take part in sporting activities. It is
:57:22. > :57:29.not just there for physical health but also for mental well-behng. I
:57:30. > :57:35.would be happy to meet with mencap. Youth unemployment in Wolverhampton
:57:36. > :57:39.remains stubbornly high, despite a recent progress. The city of
:57:40. > :57:43.Wolverhampton council is running an excellent projects to help people
:57:44. > :57:48.back into work, part funded by the European Union. The Secretary of
:57:49. > :57:51.State and I campaigned to rdmain in the EU. Can you guarantee that such
:57:52. > :57:57.projects will be funded by the government once we leave? As the
:57:58. > :58:01.honourable lady knows there has been a statement made about the DSF and
:58:02. > :58:06.what happens to projects at different stages. I commend what is
:58:07. > :58:09.happening in her constituency and welcome the fact that in
:58:10. > :58:15.Northampton, youth unemploylent has fallen by 54% since 2010. Mr
:58:16. > :58:20.Speaker, I don't know whethdr it is in just my area but every wdek I
:58:21. > :58:25.have one person who has been refuges PIP who clearly is entitled to it. I
:58:26. > :58:29.had a lady this week with mtltiple sclerosis and she clearly is
:58:30. > :58:33.entitled to it. She will get it when she goes to the independent tribunal
:58:34. > :58:37.but can I say to the Secret`ry of State, why do they have to wait and
:58:38. > :58:44.then? Surely this can be corrected at an earlier stage? Well, we do
:58:45. > :58:49.have mandatory reconsiderathon, but the key to this, and I understand
:58:50. > :58:52.frustration, is to ensure that in frustration, is to ensure that in
:58:53. > :58:56.the first instance we get this decision right. We are lookhng
:58:57. > :59:01.closely at those cases that have gone to appeal and have been
:59:02. > :59:04.overturned, to look up why the decision was not taken earlher in
:59:05. > :59:08.the process. I have mentiondd some of the things we were going to do
:59:09. > :59:14.and the Green Paper will rahse more. I hear the honourable gentldman
:59:15. > :59:18.today. Dozens of petitions have been presented already with thousands of
:59:19. > :59:22.signatures across the UK, whth more than the order paper today `nd
:59:23. > :59:26.tomorrow. The secretary needs to accept that these women are not
:59:27. > :59:30.going anywhere and a solution is needed. Does the Minister agree that
:59:31. > :59:37.if there is no money for pensions, there is no money for weapons of
:59:38. > :59:47.mass destruction? The government has already made a concession to this
:59:48. > :59:54.issue. The state pension is part of government and the church and the
:59:55. > :59:58.two cannot be compared. The most recent figures from HMRC show that
:59:59. > :00:02.my constituency now has the highest level of child poverty in the
:00:03. > :00:07.country. And we know that two thirds of children living in poverty live
:00:08. > :00:11.in working households. For ly constituents, this is not a country
:00:12. > :00:14.that works for everyone. Will the Secretary of State now agred that he
:00:15. > :00:16.must come to this House and reverse the cuts to Universal Credit so that
:00:17. > :00:19.my constituents and others `re my constituents and others `re
:00:20. > :00:25.supported rather than penalhsed for this government's choices? H think
:00:26. > :00:30.the honourable lady will recognise that the figures I have quoted on a
:00:31. > :00:34.number of occasions during this session show that actually child
:00:35. > :00:39.poverty has fallen, children living in workless households have fallen
:00:40. > :00:43.and clearly there will be dhfferent percentages in different
:00:44. > :00:46.constituencies in the country. We will continue on a path that gets
:00:47. > :00:50.more people into work that leans that fewer children are in workless
:00:51. > :00:55.households and means that prosperity can be spread across all parts of
:00:56. > :00:58.this country. The Minister will be aware that the SNP commissioned
:00:59. > :01:09.independent research that found that government figures are wrong on this
:01:10. > :01:12.issue. Given that we know there is a surplus in the national instrance
:01:13. > :01:19.fund, why do you not to the right thing and make sure these women get
:01:20. > :01:24.litigation. Since September, the Scottish Government has the powers
:01:25. > :01:28.to pay benefits in many new areas. It can create new benefits, top are
:01:29. > :01:33.preserved benefits. So I thhnk the days where this chamber is just a
:01:34. > :01:38.relaxing place for the SNP to come and whinge I no longer true. They
:01:39. > :01:50.actually control a government which have the power to do somethhng about
:01:51. > :01:54.this. Urgent question, Lisa Nandy. I want to ask the Home Secret`ry to
:01:55. > :01:57.make a statement on the remht, organisation, budget and st`ffing of
:01:58. > :02:04.the independent enquiry into child sexual abuse. And the chaos. The
:02:05. > :02:09.Secretary of State for the Home Department, Secretary Amber Rudd. I
:02:10. > :02:10.would like to make a statemdnt on the