Live Work and Pensions Questions House of Commons

lifetime ISA. Remember to in join me -- to join me for a round-up of the

day in Parliament at 11:30pl. But first, questions to Damian Green and

his team of ministers. Order, order. Questions to the Secretary of State

for Work and Pensions. Mr Kdvin Holt break. Mr Speaker, on the d`y the

country is celebrating our Paralympic athletes, I am stre the

House will want to join me hn thanking them for a summer of

thrilling and inspirational sport. It is right that we continu`lly

review the way that sport is offered to and accessed by disabled people

and that is why I was pleasdd to announce an end to stressful

reassessment is for people with the most severe lifetime condithons We

are also transforming the w`y that disabled people access port through

our digital access to work platform, providing help to budding dhsabled

entrepreneurs to set up thehr own business. I am holding a rotndtable

on October 31 for those with disabilities, parents and elployers,

to try to remove the barriers to employment. Would the Secretary of

State agree that for some, the barriers recently too high `nd would

he applaud the recent announcement from disabilities rights UK that

those with long-term condithons will not have to undergo regular

reassessment of their conditions? I congratulate my friend on hhs recent

roundtable. I agree that thdre are too many barriers to work for

disabled people in this govdrnment is determined to do everythhng

possible to break down thosd barriers. Like him I was pldased

that a number of disability groups welcomed the announcement I made on

the 1st of October. I was pleased to see the Chief Executive of the MS

Society says that it was a victory for common sense and say th`t they

were delighted that the govdrnment has listened to their concerns and

agreed to stop reassessments. I am pleased that the sector was so

pleased with the announcement. I also welcome the announcement that

the Secretary of State made. Can you tell us which are the conditions

which the exemption will cover, and when he expects the change to be

introduced? Not so much the conditions, it is the indivhduals.

We do it on an individual b`sis because clearly there are conditions

where at some stage people will be able to work and other stagds they

will not be able to work. So it is both conditions that can deteriorate

as well as conditions that lay stay the same. On the issue of thming, we

will be consulting on a widd range of measures in the work and health

Green Paper which my predecdssor promised would be with us bx the end

of the year and I'm happy to repeat that promise today. I also welcome

the announcement that peopld with severe lifelong conditions will

longer face repeated work longer face repeated work

credibility assessments. My honourable friend has clearly

these assessments. While mental these assessments. While mental

health conditions can follow in Qu bec to -- and unpredictable path,

could my right honourable friend take steps to help reduce the stress

and trauma of these work capability assessments? I am happy to try to

reassure my honourable friend about reassure my honourable friend about

of the things that has been approved of the things that has been approved

in the diagnosis field has been the number of people correctly diagnosed

with mental health conditions in recent years. Clearly this hs a

difficulties in some cases hn difficulties in some cases hn

that the stress and strain of that the stress and strain of

constant reassessment contrhbutes to that. We are always looking at ways

do to make sure they achievd what do to make sure they achievd what

they are meant to achieve and do not just increased strain on people

Constituents who have been refused employment and support allowance

tell me they have experiencd tell me they have experiencd

barriers in their way when they apply for mandatory reconsideration

of the condition. They have told me they are being told to give reasons

in advance in writing. And then if the request is rejected, thdy are

not given reasons for the rdfusal. Will the Secretary of State take a

look at the situation because it seems that there is a delibdrate

intent on the part of some officials to thwart people from having their

cases reconsidered? I am not aware of officials actively acting to

thwart mandatory reconsider`tion. As thwart mandatory reconsider`tion. As

the honourable lady will know, the sac committee supported the

mandatory reconsideration btt there are a number of recommendathons on

the table which will improvd the process. I think with all the

processors, it is a need for continuous improvement and that is

what we will seek to do. Thd announcement will be of help to a

friend of mine who is a long-term mental health sufferer. He hs still

required to have this capabhlity assessment despite having bden

granted it four times. I hope that the new process will be a qtick one

and people like my constitudnt will be able to benefit from this

announcement in the near future Yes. I take the point that, as he

describes, someone like that should not be reassessed while we `re

establishing the appropriatd guidance so that the new system can

be put in effect. I'm glad the government has said it is going to

end the needless and distressing practice of reassessing the work the

abilities of people with incurable conditions. I hope the Secrdtary of

State accept that its predecessor but at this very badly wrong in

recent years but will he now accept the need to overhaul the work

capability assessment to ensure that all claimants, including those with

invisible or fluctuating conditions invisible or fluctuating conditions

are treated with dignity and are treated with dignity and

respect? I am grateful for the support although my announcdment

from those benches even thotgh I sense it came through grittdd teeth.

As I have said, to previous questioners, we are constantly

work capability assessment `nd of work capability assessment `nd of

course that work will carry on. I was being quite restrained, Mr

Speaker. The other thing thd government has got badly wrong in

recent times is the decision to cut financial support to ESA cl`imants.

People assessed as currentlx unfit for work. The decision causdd

disquiet on the side of the House and anger and concern outside it.

Wilbur Secretary of State m`ke representations to the Chancellor

ahead of the Autumn Statement to reinstate the support that disabled

people need so badly? As I `m sure the honourable lady knows, no one

who is already claiming ESA in that particular group will see a cash

loss. And what we are seeking to do is to make it as easy as possible

for as many people as possible to get into work. Because doing a job

is, for most people, the best route out of poverty. And the varhous

changes that have been annotnced by my predecessor were all aimhng at

that end and that is the best one for the vast majority of people

receiving these benefits. The government's climb-down reg`rding

their discredited work capability assessment is welcome but ghven that

60% of people who appeal ag`inst their decision are successftl,

academics estimate that between 2010 and 2013, an additional 590 suicides

were associated with WCA and the government's on data that shows that

people who have been found ht to work or four times more likdly to

die than the general population Given that, why does the Hole

Secretary not scrap the WCA immediately? Because they work

capability assessment, introduced by a Labour government, has bedn

reviewed five times since 2010 and each time we have improved ht. And

I'm glad that she has welcoled the recent improvements we have

introduced. I will be grateful if the honourable lady will waht for

the next question before shd asks it. I take issue with her ilplied

link tween suicides and the work capability assessment. I do think

that is an unhelpful use of what is obviously a deeply tragic shtuation,

for political ends. I think she will have known that there was no direct

evidence to support that, and I do not think that is actually ` very

constructive way to seek to improve the Work Capability Assessmdnt. Just

to present a point of fact, these academic estimates and the

government's on data shows that people have died. Unlike thd Work

Capability Assessment, the government's plans to continually

assess disabled people for Personal Independent Payment is, reg`rdless

of their disability or condhtion, regardless that 59% of appe`ls are

accessible and regardless of the inappropriate assessment process,

after the outcry over cuts to the budget and having to abandoned

proposals to restrict access by changing eligibility to the living

component, the government is looking for alternative ways to makd cuts,

this time by changing the gtidance on making it harder for dis`bled

appeal decisions. Isn't the appeal decisions. Isn't the

government ashamed that thex are government ashamed that thex are

putting disabled people into such dire circumstances? I am not at all

ashamed of the introduction of PIP or the fact that many more people

are eligible to receive it than were eligible to receive DLA. It is a

better benefit and most of the disability support groups rdcognise

that it is a benefit and do not realise that... Mr Speaker. The

Personal Independent Payment assessment is designed with all

health conditions and impairments in mind, including autism. Arotnd 8%

of those with autism are currently receiving higher rates of PHP. Mr

Speaker, autism is a complex medical condition and there is a fundamental

failure in the Personal Inddpendent Payment is system which is that

assessment is being made by people who have no detailed knowledge of

the medical condition involved. Will the new Secretary of State `nd the

Minister please have an assdssment of whether it is possible that real

medics and people with profdssional medical opinions can carry out

assessments so that these pdople can be looked after?

I thank the right honourabld gentleman for raising the ilportance

that the assessment and the personal experience are important. Hdre's

wrong to say that these are not health care professionals, `nd both

of the providers training covers autism, and it gives them specific

information that has been ddveloped by the National Autistic Society for

Capita, and in the case of @tos provided for them. With perlission,

I would like to answer questions three and 11. Work is the bdst route

out of poverty. 550,000 children out of these who sold since 2010. It is

a priority for this governmdnt and to that end I will be returning to

the house with a number of announcements over the coming

months. Thank you Mr Speaker. The latest OCED figures have shown that

the risk of income poverty has been growing for young people and that is

before the impact of these cuts for young people commented forcd. Will

the Minister accept the warnings from the IFS that showed poverty is

going to increase by 50% and abandoned these cuts the unhversal

credit that will punish workers especially single parents? Since

2010, 100,000 fewer children in poverty, and overall 300,000 fewer

people in poverty. I have already said work is the best route out of

poverty. And we have far more people in work in this country than most

other advanced countries. That is the best long-term way to ensure

children do not suffer poverty. I am welcoming the change of tond since

the Secretary of State to cop the new position but I would like to see

a change in policy. He should be ashamed that the IFS is predicting a

staggering 50% increase in child poverty over the course of this

armament, still committed to the policy when a living wage does not

pay enough to live on, and policy when tax and benefit changes will be

directly responsible for thd increase in child poverty. When will

these two 1/2-million children who go without enough food to e`t, going

hungry in this country, when will we see action from this governlent I

have to disagree with the rhght honourable lady about the income and

the tax points. The introduction of the national living wage me`ns that

if you tame Walker who was previously on the national linimum

wage is now ?900 better off. And many children will benefit from

that. In the arms of tax, over the course of the last Parliament we

took 4 million of the lowest paid out together, those practic`l

measures help people and help children in low income speakers As

the secretary will know frol his recent visit to my constitudncy I

am walking with local charities to set up action against children in

poverty. ?100,000 in funding, to tackle one in five children who live

in poverty in my constituency. Will the Secretary of State agredd to

meet with the group, best tdam in London, to learn about work and

extend congratulations? I al delighted to join my right

honourable friend in congratulating the group, in his constituency. It

is exactly the sort of thing that we want to hear, I am happy to meet

them. I am grateful that he is depriving me of yet another trip to

Bath. Always to go. Happy I want to spread myself around the cotntry.

Helping parents on JSA helps to register in poverty. Will the

Secretary of State support the new allowance, helping people r`ise

household incomes? The new enterprise allowance is indded an

extremely helpful tool, in our armoury of ways to help dis`bled

people. And 20,000 disabled people have been killed, through this new

enterprise allowance and I hntend to expand the scheme. -- helped. Thank

you Mr Speaker. The reminder for -- the right honourable member for

Chingford said that he would eradicate child poverty by 2020 But

the action group has highlighted it is set to rise by 20%, does the

Minister agree with the forler Secretary of State and as the

government still committed to eradicating child poverty bx 20 0?

The government is certainly committed to reducing child poverty,

the action group that she mdntioned made a number of specific ddmands,

and one of them was to expand to give support which this govdrnment

has done. Extending support for the most disadvantaged two-year,olds.

And universal credit reimburses many course. Also demanded support for

progress at low paid work, absolutely correct and we are

undertaking a number of trahls with John Souttar plus. I agree with the

group this is a good step forward. In 2011, the government said that

universal credit would get 350, 00 children out of poverty. By 201 ,

downgraded to 150,000. The OBR publish the report and be clear that

the cuts going ahead for unhversal credit means it is going to be less

generous than tax credits. How many children does the government expect

universal credit to a state of poverty? Universal credit, paid to

more than 300,000, has alre`dy shown that people are going to get into

work faster and progress and are more likely to seek work. If the

opposition accepts that what is the best route out of poverty, then they

will welcome universal credht because when it is going to more

parents then the children whll be in better results. That is the best way

to get them out of poverty. Thank you. Number four. With your

permission, I will answer qtestions four, 14, 16. The transition

arrangements already and police we have committed ?1 billion to lessen

the impact of the state pension age changes on those affected. So that

nobody would experience a change from more than 18 months. 80% of

women's state pension age whll increase by no more than 12 months

compare to the previous timdtable. Last week, Mr Speaker, I end over

100 colleagues presented a petition in support of the campaign, will the

Minister now acknowledge th`t these women have been subject to ` grave

injustice and this is the s`me for the government to introduce

appropriate transitional paxments for the woman most affected by the

pension changes? I can only reiterate to the right honotrable

lady what has been said manx times before, that the government mean

transition arrangements, kedn to ?1 billion. The lady is talking to

me... Couldn't hear. I will try to imagine what she has said. The

government has made this arrangement and no more for the moves whll be

benefiting in time from the significant increase with the state

pension. Shocking reports of women affected by these changes, brought

in last April, being left ddstitute, after being on low pay for lost of

the lights. -- their lives. What immediate measures the government

going to take to address thhs important situation, putting wrongs

right? For those women, and indeed men, at the state pension age in the

position of destitution that the right honourable lady has mdntioned,

we have a comprehensible benefit system, that they are fully entitled

to. I would like to pay tribute to Rosemary Jordan, but the minister is

better than the answers he has just opened. These women are being badly

affected. The Prime Minister has given a commitment to this nation to

look after those people who are just managing. The woman that I have seen

at my surgery, not just man`ging because of these changes, the

transitional arrangements from 011 are not good enough, go back to the

department and improve the offer. As the right honourable gentlelan is

aware, I have said many timds that the transitional arrangements that

have taken place have cost lore than ?1 billion, arrangements in place

for those people when you h`ve destitution, but it becomes a

question of public money spdnt. That pensions, at the moment, costing ?89

billion per year, plus the pension credit and everything else. No more

money available. Thank you very much Mr Speaker. I am surprised nor

members opposite want to ask questions on this particular topic.

The Prime Minister herself celebrated her 60th birthdax, making

her party that sisterhood of women who have been sought shabbily

treated by the previous govdrnments. We have had the petitions, `nd not

one but two previous pension ministers acknowledging that the

whole thing was wrong, a mess. I know that the Prime Minister, unlike

other members of the special sisterhood are not going to rely on

the state pension but will the Minister for appeal to his boss to

use the power she has, the compensate some of the most needy

women? I do find it very strange that the right honourable gdntleman

and his party were there whdn the act was passed in 2011, the pensions

act was in place, but no mention in the 2050 manifesto to try to negate

this. -- 2015. Thank you Mr Speaker. DWP visiting officers can khll

people with the completion of the PIP forms, and claimants can also

authorise another person or organisation to help them h`ndle the

PIP claim. I am grateful to the Minister for that answer, btt for

those with mental health issues completing those forms can be a

difficult experience. I am pleased about what the Secretary of State

had to say about assessments. But what specific help is provided? I

thank my right honourable friend for that question. We want to hdlp

people with this form as much as possible. That is why we give people

up to one months to completd it but additional time if required. We

provide guidance online, so that friends and family can look at that,

assisting with completion and we also allow them to use their own

words, to describe conditions and provide as much detail as they would

like to order condition allows them to. I have met many times, `s chair

of the Parkinsons group, with the right honourable member, will she

meet with me again to look `t problems that people with mortal

mural disease have? -- motor neuron. Opportunities within the paper for

that information to be fed back and disabled people will be delhghted to

hear that we will provide as much support as is needed. My

constituent, John Mullen, w`s walking abroad for two years when he

fell ill, relapsing multipld sclerosis. He was told that he would

not qualify until January 2018 for the personal independence p`yments.

Given what the Secretary of State has said about relaxing the cuts,

for these payments, will shd look at his case personally, and Mitchell

that he has the money that he needs? Is the right honourable gentleman

knows, we cannot intervene with individual cases, but if he sends

the detail about the specifhc problem with those who have moved

abroad, my right honourable friend would be delighted to look `t that.

Number seven. The department is committed to continuously ilproving

assessments for all the bendfits and we have responded to a rangd of

recommendations from a numbdr of independent reviews as part of the

continuous review of the work capability assessment we will be

looking at possible improvelents in the forthcoming green paper. I

welcome the government's recent announcement. Every local and

national agencies should be responsible for paying benefits has

access to this information, and we end the practice of repetithve form

filling and evidence gatherhng, this would reduce stress for essdntial

public services? I think th`t is a sensible suggestion, and whdn you

have a care plan, medical evidence for somebody's war pension, if we

can use that data better, to reduce stress, and arrive at a good result

on that assessment, we should be doing that. How confident is the

Minister, of the robustness, for those disabled people who lose PIP?

And what would she say to mx constituent, who wrote to md, about

losing his benefit, cannot concentrate on what he does, I have

no money at all? Electricitx has gone out, gas out, and as for food,

I do not know what I will do. How can we have the system, when people

are left in such a predicamdnt? I am sorry to hear of the honourable

lady's constituent's circumstances. But were the wrong decision has been

taken we need to ensure, and it will be overturned on appeal, we need to

make sure we arrived at the right make sure we arrived at the right

decision in the first place. That has been our focus over the last few

weeks and we're working to dnsure that medical evidence and other

evidence is submitted earlidr in the so that those circumstances do not

arise. I would be happy to look at the situation in that indivhdual

case. We have introduced... Sorry. With

your permission, Mr Speaker, I would like to answer question's ehght ten

and 21 together. Our policy is developed by utilising servhces

panels. Provision is monitored and panels. Provision is monitored and

measured by independent audht and the provider is held to account

through the contract. For the fourth year in a row, the infrastrtcture

projects authority has said that the roll-out of the PIP project is

endowed with major risks in key areas. What action has the Linister

taken to address the problel with assessment causing further hardship

to disabled people trying to access vital support? I would start by

pointing out that PIP is a vast improvement on what went before It

is a more targeted benefits, taking into account a raft of other

conditions, mental health, sensory conditions, and not just phxsical

disabilities. It is a vast step forward in that respect, but we

cannot rest on our laurels `nd we have to continually improve. There

is a robust improvement process which is based on user and claimant

feedback. It looks at the assessment, and a whole raft of

other areas including record-keeping. My constitudnt,

Leila Kennedy, lives with dwarfism. Her mobility car was removed from

her after a pep assessment. She had to use public transport, was unable

job as a result. Does the Mhnister job as a result. Does the Mhnister

really think that government policy is delivering compassionate outcomes

in these cases? I hope the honourable gentleman would write to

me with further details of that case but I would say that under PIP, more

people are entitled to use the scheme. But clearly we want to

ensure that any decision taken on a PIP assessment is the right one and

a key part of that, as we know when we have looked at those casds which

have gone to appeal and havd been overturned, is getting the dvidence

submitted earlier in the process. Report suggests that capita reward

their assessors by how many they can do in a month. That often ghves

claimant is not enough time to explain their condition. Wh`t will

the government do to ensure that a reward system is not operatdd? I

thank the honourable lady for the question because it gets to the

heart of what I described. Hf we do not have a good quality assdssment,

good quality in all the evidence needed early in the process, we end

up costing distress to an individual that has to go to mandatory

reconsideration or an appeal. We are doing work in the department to

address this, which includes giving more flexibility for cases `t the

earliest stage, with the hope that we would then get the evidence we

need submitted at that stagd. That is recent work and we are rolling it

out. For those with mental health condition, the PIP assessment has

transformed opportunities. Tnder DLA, only 22% accessed the highest

rate but with PIP, it is 68$. With more people with this condition

being identified, what more can be done to encourage support from the

NHS, charities and government pilot projects? I would thank the

honourable gentleman for thd work he did that the department on these

issues. He is absolutely right that mental health as the priority now

that it needs and that PIP hs delivering for those people. I would

give him one example, buildhng on the excellent work he did whth the

disability confident scheme, which we have beefed up further. Ht will

give employers a general grounding in these matters and also act as a

platform from which organis`tions like MIND and others can offer a

bespoke advice and services. Most members in this House will have had

someone come along to a surgery with a problem about PIP every wdek. The

area that worries me most is mobility. People come to my surgery

who were clearly win at the tribunal stage but they have their mobility

removed at the beginning. C`n we look at a change in the polhcy where

that stays until all appeal processes have been... I thhnk that

will be a great help to manx people. I think the honourable gentleman for

that. We have not, historic`lly paid benefits in lieu of an appeal.

The key parts to cracking this is to ensure that the assessment hs

actually done correctly. But would point to him that with mand`tory

reconsideration, that process is over before the person would have to

return the vehicle. Question number nine, Mr Speaker. We have introduced

a new disability confident scheme building on the work of my

predecessor. I do not -- I want to underline that I knew that disabled

people bring to the workplace. The new scheme went live in Julx and it

will be formally launched soon. I must thank the honourable gdntleman

for being an early adopter. I pay tribute to my right my honotrable

friend and pay tribute to hdr predecessor. Earlier this ydar I an

apprentice there at my local college. In July I signed up 19

Cheshire businesses to becole disability competence emploxers

Will my honourable friend to the Will my honourable friend to the

House what steps the governlent is taking to encourage more SMDs to

take up this important role? In addition to the disability confident

scheme, we are also trialling the small employer offer, which will

provide additional support to those with less capacity within their own

organisation. And we are also working closely with the He`lth and

Safety Executive, and their work into SMEs, to better target our

services. Recent analysis stggests that as well as unemployment gap,

there is a wage gap of about 13 between disabled workers and their

non-disabled counterparts. What is the Minister going to do to raise

the awareness of this abuse? Well, I the awareness of this abuse? Well, I

thank the honourable gentlelan for raising this important point. Quite

often we talk about getting people into work. But we so clearlx want

people to have a career. We want them to develop and reach their full

potential and pursue all of their talents. The Green Paper whhch we

will publish shortly will look at some of these issues, but the beefed

up Disability Confidence Scheme is going to be very effective, I hope,

in doing that also. Scope's research shows that 85% of disabled people

feel like employer's attitudes about employing them have not improved

over the last four years. Should more employers for the Leeds of

employers like Morrisons, M`rks Spencer and Waitrose and put

practical support in place, particularly to help disabldd people

the first place? I agree with what the first place? I agree with what

the right honourable lady s`ys and we need to do more to ensurd that

the support that we offer is understood by employers. Thd

Disability Confidence Schemd will help in that. I think we nedd to

raise employer's awareness of what they're missing out on. Hugd talent,

insight into the workforce, and I think that we will shortly bring

forward some schemes which will do just that. The Minister may be aware

that there is a massive pool of talent out there, people suffering

from neurolinguistic disabilities and challenges, also from attism.

And from dyslexia. What mord can the And from dyslexia. What mord can the

government do to show the w`y that these young people make good

challenges? I am part -- part of the challenges? I am part -- part of the

solution to that is ensuring that our own staff are fully aware and

able to encourage employers to take on these people. But I think there

are many other things that we can do to highlight the

contribution that those people have contribution that those people have

made. We are doing a huge alount of work with hidden impairment,

including training our staff, and also as part of our ongoing

communication with employers. We are committed to battling financial

through universal support, we are through universal support, we are

working with partners furthdr to help our partners avoid debt. 1

million adults have less th`n ? 00 in savings. With younger adtlts

larger families and single parents most at risk of struggling with

personal finances. The Parlhamentary group on financial education of

which I am chairman, supported by which I am chairman, supported by

young enterprise, has concltded that people need better management

skills. Whatever to the govdrnment taking to increase money management

skills for young people and those in receipt of benefits? I commdnd my

honourable friend for her work with the all-party group which h`s been

particularly effective in job centres. The first work search

interview gives an opportunhty to identify barriers including

financial capability and in Universal Credit, personal budgeting

support can be offered in partnership between job centres

local authorities and other local local authorities and other local

service providers. I thank the honourable member for answering this

question. The new money and mental health policy Institute of which I

am a member has highlighted that if you are in debt, it is so mtch

harder to recover from ment`l illness. Adults with mental health

issues are more likely to bd in debt than adults without a mental health

condition. I want to as the Minister specifically what he is doing to

ensure that people in receipt of benefits who are in debt and also

have a mental health condithon are appropriately supported. Thd most

important thing we do is work in partnership at the local level with

mental health organisations such as MIND to increase understandhng

through job centre operations, as well as extending help to

individuals who are claiming. It is important to understand the full

range of barriers that somebody might have. With permission I will

answer questions 13, 19 and 25 together. The Secretary of State is

announcing a written ministdrial statement on the 15th of September

this year that we will be ddferring the application of local hotsing

application rates until 2018-20 At this point we will bring in a new

funding model. Thank you. Ftnding for sported accommodation h`s fallen

by more than half since 2010. - supported accommodation. My

constituent, Winston Morris, is wholly reliant on his wheelchair

because of multiple scleroshs. He was made homeless and had to move

his sister's living room whdre he sleeps, eats, uses the commode and

bailiffs. More than one year later, he is still there despite bding on

the housing waiting list, there is no clear time frame as to when he

will be rehoused. -- bathes. The Minister meet with me to discuss his

case and help prevent other vulnerable people falling into

similar situations? Local authorities are best placed to make

decisions about how supporthng vulnerable people in their `reas.

And commissioning services locally. And commissioning services locally.

That is absolutely why I am happy to meet the honourable lady to discuss

the specific issues she raises the specific issues she raises

because it is important we work to establish the best funding lodel for

supported housing. First of all I would like to welcome the

government's announcement to exempt specialist providers such as women's

refuges from changes to housing benefit. But I know that thd

government has a plan to help women's refuges in the future remain

sustainable. I would like to hear what the government plans to do to

other sorts living accommod`tion, such as for elderly people, people

with learning difficulties `nd some of our former service men and women

who I heard on the radio today are having much difficulty. I thank the

honourable lady for that qudstion and commend her for her sterling

work she has done with refuges. In supporting housing, we know that

there is a massive variety `nd types of providers and it is important

that in the consultation broke cess coming forward we find a solution

that works for all of them. -- consultation process. How m`ny

supporting housing starts h`ve been stalled by his decision to delay the

framework for supported housing What is critically important is that

we get the solution to rate, that is why we have forwarded the

consultation, deferred the NHS cap till 2020 for supported housing We

have a well established reghme of checks and balances in placd, the

pension protection fund and the regulator, this is kept unddr

constant review and when evhdence demonstrates that such change is

needed. As I have stated prdviously, one of the welcome provisions at the

pensions act was the reasonhng of the pensions cap, can my right

honourable friend update thd house on when that cause could be

implemented because after two years it has still not been put into place

and pensioners in my constituency suffering the consequences. I would

like to first acknowledge the work that the right honourable gdntleman

has put into place to ensurd that this was established. It is a

complex and technical area, it is important that this secondary

legislation works as intenddd, and this process can take time. However,

I can assure them that from my first day in office, this has been a

priority and I intend the c`p to come into force in April 2007. My

own personal occupation has just been reduced, not a problem for me

after the generous parliamentary salary but it is a problem for many,

the real term solution is not to establish a compulsory statd service

scheme for all with defined benefits? This was looked into by

the Turner review, and many institutions since. The has been put

forward and many have enrolled. I hope this will become the m`in

formal pension for people, rather than the new state pension. For PIP,

3%. ESA, 14. What other means reasons that she has identified

while these claims are ending up at tribunal? And what changes can she

suggests that the Department awards these valid applications, ehther in

the first place or reconsiddration? As I have stated we have bedn doing

some work in this area, and I think one of the things that will help is

ensuring we have more flexibility to ensure that when we have colplex

cases the evidence is submitted but also some huge scope to use the

information that government departments have so that we cut down

on the bureaucracy. The gredn paper board had all these issues ly

constituent receives ESA and has been seeking a review of thd action

plan, but nobody has been t`king responsibility for reviewing the

plan despite this Secretary of State having the obligation to do so. I am

sorry to hear that. If the right honourable lady rates to me than I

will look into that. Only wdeks ago, I beg your pardon! Thinking ahead,

as always. Resume his seat! We will hear from him! I am pleased to

update the house, to support disabled people and last month we

launched the new digital service for access to walk so that people can

apply online, making the application process quicker and more efficient.

Sticks published today show that already around 500 people a week

making claims online, on avdrage taking less than 20 minutes. Huge

improvements from delays th`t many experienced from the old system I

am glad that the Minister rdfused so complacent. Weeks ago, the house was

a sugar tax credit would be utterly expedited. Yet claimants sthll

waiting for weeks without anything being resolved. His departmdnt is

responsible for child poverty, can he assure the house what he is going

to do the try to push the sxstem for and make it work? I am happx to

assure the right honourable gentleman that I take the point that

the system is not perfect. One suspects it will never be pdrfect.

But we are taking steps to hmprove that at every area, and he has

mentioned child poverty. Many thousands of children fewer in

poverty than 2010. Since 2000, 300,000 fewer people in povdrty

100,000 fewer working age adults in poverty. Work is the best route out

of poverty. Using the benefhts system to get people into work is

the best thing. Would my right honourable friend join me in

celebrating the extremely low rate of JSA claimants in my constituency,

of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and ht is going to drop even farther with the

imminent arrival of the new Premier Inn hotel, that is going to go some

way of countering the somewhat seasonal to risen? I am welcoming

both those pieces of news, `nd the employment for her constitudncy The

opening of that hotel reflects the national trend. The demand for

hospitality continues to be strong, one of the factors helping ts get

rid of levels of employment. The International Monetary Fund has said

that a series of forecasts that the vault to Leave the European Union is

going to lead to low forecasts. Workers due to retire won't have

basic needs met. As the deptty governor of the Bank of England has

outlined concerns what is the government going to do to shore up

pensions, of people who havd done the correct thing and earned

retirement? The best thing that the government can do, and what we are

doing, making sure that the underlying economy is strong and

that it continues to create jobs in the way that it has done ovdr the

past six years. And we know that the best way to preserve and enhance the

pension system in the futurd, both the state pension and private

pension, is to make sure th`t the underlying economy is strong. That

is what we have been doing `nd we will continue to do. With only 5%

of people with autism and ftll-time employment I was pleased Lally of

this year to join the Paul Laynard task force, making 14

recommendations to improve `ccess for people with learning

disabilities and including `utism for apprenticeships. What progress

has been made on implementing those recommendations? Thank you. I am

paying tribute to that task force, and also the work of the right

honourable lady with the all-party group. We have put in place a number

of new things. We have a contract with the autism alliance Unhted

Kingdom, and I am grateful that they have trained over 1000 of otr staff.

More things coming forward, this is going to get a large focus `t the

green paper, outlining not just visions but what we are intdnding to

do now. Where is the fellow? Beetled out of the chamber! Members should

look at the order paper! It has been brought to the Public Accounts

Committee, attention, that tniversal credit is paid on a month, but this

affects those on the weekly paid badly. Since the evidence and quite,

I know that officials have let with the union to discuss concerns. Could

I ask that the appropriate Linister follows up on this, it affects a lot

of retail workers? Ending whthout universal credit paid? The right

honourable lady has identifhed the issue of the four weekly cycle,

versus weekly, monthly. This came up at the select committee, and I know

that Lord Freud continues and discussion. I am sure that ly right

honourable friend will join me in welcoming the news that mord women

are in work, including in mx Bury constituency than ever before. Does

he agree that this government childcare offer the univers`l credit

covers 80%, and that is critical in helping families and helping mothers

back to work? Indeed, Mr Spdaker, I welcome the news of these rdcord

levels of female employment. My right honourable friend is correct

that enhancing childcare has been an important part and with thel that

the extension of universal credit from 70% to 80%. And it also applies

at lower levels of hours, enabling some mothers to get back to the

workplace sooner than me be the case. Last week my constitudnt Mr

Roberts told me that during the course of a meeting about PHP she

was asked to read and bank details or other form. That presentdd a

problem as she is blind. Can the Secretary of State agreed to review

this process, so that adjustments can be made for those with visual

impairments? Devin bank det`ils over the phone, is bad enough, and

clearly if the constituent hs going to be blind, problems. I will looked

at that cheerfully. I hope that ministers were concerned as I was

that not one of the offenders leaving presents, according to the

report found work. Would ministers raise this issue with all the

employers, not least the public sector when the record is not good

enough so that we can all bd safer? My right honourable friend hs

correct to identify the crucial importance of helping these ex

offenders into work, we know that if you get into work, your lot is

likely to offend. A lot of dmployers have signed up to this and H commend

him for doing so. The Minister for presence and I are in contact about

how we can improve and will continue to work. -- prisons. Given

complaints about the conduct of assessments, recording, what actions

has the Minister taken that recordings are going to be taken as

a matter of course and clailants are not having to provide speci`list

equipment? We have identifidd a number of things that I havd

mentioned through the continual improvement process with PIP, some

things have been recurring trends, down to straightforward things, such

as failure of computer systdms. But we have those standards, and when

that is not happening I would be grateful if honourable membdrs could

let me know. But we have thd rigorous process of looking and

ensuring an auditing where these are and not taking place. Still far too

few disabled people in employment, particularly those with learning

disabilities. Can the Minister look at what we could do to give

financial incentives to employers, to take on people with disabilities,

because it seems to me that by getting people to give somebody a

go, it is the best way to show that any doubts they have about dmploying

disabled people are unfounddd. I thank the right honourable gentleman

for raising this issue. It hs important. Going to be things in the

green paper look at that. Btt also, if we are serious about closing that

gap we have to look job cre`tion and opportunities for everyone.

Including those who could h`ve particular needs, to be doing

meaningful work, and we havd flexibility. Given delays in

assessment, leaving my constituent Sweeting more than two years for ESA

payments, can I ask the Secretary of State to make the commitment to

backdate the payments for the point of application so that my

constituents suffering hardship get the financial support that they are

entitled to? I am grateful to the right honourable gentleman for

bringing up that individual case. If he wants to send details and I will

look at that. Each case has to be assessed on its merits. I c`nnot

give any point commitments `t this dispatch box but I will look at

that. As my right honourabld friend agreeing that with more powdrs over

health and social care devolved to local government, it makes sense to

devolve the administration for the attendance to them too? I thank the

right honourable gentleman for raising that issue. This was part of

the consultation on business rate retention and is being conshdered at

the moment. The Secretary of State will know that the north-east still

has the highest unemployment rate in the United Kingdom with too many

people desperate to get sectre work. Is this what the government means by

the northern Powerhouse, or have ministers abandoned the ide`?

The ministers had not abandoned the idea of a northern powerhouse as I

am sure the honourable lady knows. But the benefits of the machine we

have established are indeed spread to all regions of the country,

including her own. And we whll continue the very successful work we

have done in that field over the past six years during the course of

this Parliament. And all thd Minister is passionate about the

opportunities for sport for disabled people especially with the day's

homecoming parade for our P`ralympic champions. Mencap today highlighted

how only nine out of 252 Paralympic events are open to those with a

learning difficulty. Will the Minister urgently meet with mencap

to address this? I thank thd honourable gentleman for rahsing

this. It is vital that whether it is in schools or later in life, people

with disabilities are able to take part in sporting activities. It is

not just there for physical health but also for mental well-behng. I

would be happy to meet with mencap. Youth unemployment in Wolverhampton

remains stubbornly high, despite a recent progress. The city of

Wolverhampton council is running an excellent projects to help people

back into work, part funded by the European Union. The Secretary of

State and I campaigned to rdmain in the EU. Can you guarantee that such

projects will be funded by the government once we leave? As the

honourable lady knows there has been a statement made about the DSF and

what happens to projects at different stages. I commend what is

happening in her constituency and welcome the fact that in

Northampton, youth unemploylent has fallen by 54% since 2010. Mr

Speaker, I don't know whethdr it is in just my area but every wdek I

have one person who has been refuges PIP who clearly is entitled to it. I

had a lady this week with mtltiple sclerosis and she clearly is

entitled to it. She will get it when she goes to the independent tribunal

but can I say to the Secret`ry of State, why do they have to wait and

then? Surely this can be corrected at an earlier stage? Well, we do

have mandatory reconsiderathon, but the key to this, and I understand

frustration, is to ensure that in frustration, is to ensure that in

the first instance we get this decision right. We are lookhng

closely at those cases that have gone to appeal and have been

overturned, to look up why the decision was not taken earlher in

the process. I have mentiondd some of the things we were going to do

and the Green Paper will rahse more. I hear the honourable gentldman

today. Dozens of petitions have been presented already with thousands of

signatures across the UK, whth more than the order paper today `nd

tomorrow. The secretary needs to accept that these women are not

going anywhere and a solution is needed. Does the Minister agree that

if there is no money for pensions, there is no money for weapons of

mass destruction? The government has already made a concession to this

issue. The state pension is part of government and the church and the

two cannot be compared. The most recent figures from HMRC show that

my constituency now has the highest level of child poverty in the

country. And we know that two thirds of children living in poverty live

in working households. For ly constituents, this is not a country

that works for everyone. Will the Secretary of State now agred that he

must come to this House and reverse the cuts to Universal Credit so that

my constituents and others `re my constituents and others `re

supported rather than penalhsed for this government's choices? H think

the honourable lady will recognise that the figures I have quoted on a

number of occasions during this session show that actually child

poverty has fallen, children living in workless households have fallen

and clearly there will be dhfferent percentages in different

constituencies in the country. We will continue on a path that gets

more people into work that leans that fewer children are in workless

households and means that prosperity can be spread across all parts of

this country. The Minister will be aware that the SNP commissioned

independent research that found that government figures are wrong on this

issue. Given that we know there is a surplus in the national instrance

fund, why do you not to the right thing and make sure these women get

litigation. Since September, the Scottish Government has the powers

to pay benefits in many new areas. It can create new benefits, top are

preserved benefits. So I thhnk the days where this chamber is just a

relaxing place for the SNP to come and whinge I no longer true. They

actually control a government which have the power to do somethhng about

this. Urgent question, Lisa Nandy. I want to ask the Home Secret`ry to

make a statement on the remht, organisation, budget and st`ffing of

the independent enquiry into child sexual abuse. And the chaos. The

Secretary of State for the Home Department, Secretary Amber Rudd. I

would like to make a statemdnt on the