Live Work and Pensions Questions House of Commons

Hello and welcome to our live

coverage of the House of Commons, at

330 Theresa May will make a

statement on the recent European

Council summit, and update the house

on the Brexit negotiations, and this

morning she and her ministers

discussed for the first time what

the UK's long-term relationship with

the EU should be but what they

decided, we don't know. Then the

committees and Local Government

Secretary Sajid Javid will update

MPs on the government's response to

the Grenfell Tower fire, and after

that the Home Secretary Amber Rudd

will make a statement on harassment

in public life. The main business is

pushed into the evening, and that

will be the birthday of scrutiny of

the Finance Bill. Please join me for

a round-up of the day in both houses

of Parliament after the Commons

finishes but first we have questions

to the secretary of state for works

and pensions David Gauke.

James

Morrison. -- Morris.

Over 5000

employees have signed up to

disability conference since its

launch in 2016 and the disability,

wouldn't business leaders group --

disability confidence business

leaders group is made up of

prominent people and I'm pleased

that all ministerial departments

have achieved disability confident

leader status.

With the Secretary of

State agree with me that it has

proved to be a very effective way of

breaking down barriers for disabled

people to get into work, especially

addressing issues of stigma which

many disabled people feel, and would

he consider attending my event in

January.

I will certainly consider

your kind invitation but I do agree

with the point he has made, it is

the case that many disability

confident of events have been very

productive in engaging employers at

a local level and encouraging them

to see the benefits of employing

disabled people, and DWP supports

authorities and MPs in holding such

events and maybe I will have the

opportunity in your constituency to

attend one.

The truth of the matter

is, this simply isn't working, my

constituent just graduated with a

nose in competing technology and he

is blind, with a guide dog, but when

he tells prospective employers in

advance, they just don't take its

application seriously -- graduated

with honours. What is he going to

do? He has made 850 applications.

We

have undoubtedly made progress in

the last six years, getting 6000

more disabled people in work that

was the case in 2010, but there is

more to do, which is why the

government has an ambition to

increase that number from three and

a half million to 4 million over the

next ten years which is why be

published our recent command paper

on this subject, but it is important

that there is the culture change

amongst employers so people like

Alan have the opportunity.

How many

of the FTSE 250 companies have

signed up to this excellent

campaign?

That is a very good

question and I will have to write to

you with the answer. What I can say,

we have businesses, small and large

are participating in this, like

Microsoft and GlaxoSmithKline,

Sainsbury's, Channel 4, but also

many small businesses up and down

the country have also signed up.

Can

I take this opportunity on behalf of

the SNP bench is to offer our

condolences to the Deputy Speaker

after the weekend's tragic incidents

and our hearts thoughts and prayers

go out to him and his family. The

Chancellor told the Treasury Select

Committee that far higher levels of

participation by marginal groups and

high levels of engagement in the

workforce, or example disabled

people, might have had an impact on

overall productivity measurement.

The Chancellor belittled the efforts

of disabled people in the workforce,

how disappointed with the Secretary

of State in this on helpful

statement

of State in this on helpful

statement?

Can I reiterate your

thoughts about the Deputy Speaker,

but in response to the question, I

do disagree, I think the point that

the Chancellor of the Exchequer was

seeking to make is that we have made

great progress in recent years in

terms of the increase in the level

of disabled people in work, that is

a good thing to do. He made it clear

that he considered that to be a good

thing and that is where the whole

government... That is what the

government wants to achieve.

The

small employment advisory at rugby

job centre has got 50 new employees

to become disability confident. --

15. Do you think this is crucial to

make sure that more disabled people

get access to the workplace, this

activity at the local level?

Very

good point, it is important that the

engagement happens up and down the

country and we are pleased to be

making progress, over 5000

disability confident employees and

we had to increase that number and

my department will be doing

everything it can to achieve that.

Thank you. In the recently published

improving lives paper, the

government said they want to work in

partnership with employers to help

them draw on the talents of disabled

people, but following the

Chancellor's comments recently,

scapegoating disabled people, as

being the reason for low productive

to, does the Secretary of State not

agree with me with the... That there

is a need for a clear message, from

the government, that in point

disabled people can enhance

productivity and make a real

contribution to organisations and

businesses across the UK very macro

-- that employing disabled people.

There is a clear message from this

government, we have seen significant

increases in the number of disabled

people in work, that is good for

disabled people and also good for

the economy as a whole and that

continues to be our message and that

is why we have published our

improving lives document and we will

continue to work to improve the

opportunities for disabled people in

the labour market.

Improving lives and helping families

hopes to improve outcomes for

disadvantaged children and is making

good progress, from next spring at

the Kelvin and will run a trial of

individual placement and support --

public-health England will run a

trial. This will be boosted by the

£30 billion budget announcement by

the Chancellor.

Coastal communities

like my own entry thoughts, face

particular difficulties -- like my

own in Cleethorpes. There is much

more low paid work up -- but not

much to encouraging people to stay

there, what encouragement can she

provide very -- provide?

I'm pleased

that the claimant count in your area

is a wee down by 49% and in North

East Lincolnshire, last March, we

saw 248 families achieve significant

progress to our troubled families

programme and the Secretary of State

is very impressed when he visited my

friend and saw the free programme

which is helping travel junctures

and the council was awarded a

coastal communities fund grant -- is

helping troubled families. Enhancing

Cleethorpes role as a high-quality

place to live, work and visit.

But

does she think that the fact she is

failing and not supporting people

who are workless and who are still

in poverty is one of the reasons why

Alan Milburn resigned as the chair

the social mobility commission?

I

think we are doing more to get

people into work than any other

government before, and we know

that... In order to make a

meaningful difference to people, and

those of the most disadvantaged

children and families it requires a

approach much more beyond welfare

support, it is about supporting

people into jobs, when people are

employed there chances are much more

likely to improve, and there are

also other key drivers of poverty

like education and things to support

children.

Question four.

Thank you.

We are committed to improving the

lives of disabled people both in the

UK and through our international

development work and we are

constructively considering the UN's

recommendations going forward, we

intend to provide an update to the

UN as requested next summer.

The UN

report specifically called for the

government to repeal the personal

independence payment Amendment

regulation 2017 and to make sure

that eligibility criteria and

assessments to access Universal

Credit is in line with the human

rights model of disability, will she

commit today to that?

We are

absolutely committed to disabled

people and we are world leaders in

disability rights and we were very

disappointed that the UN did not

consider all the information that we

provided and we strongly read but

much of what they have to say. I'm

sure the lady will agree and agree

with me in welcoming the excellent

work which has been done on

reviewing this and published today

by Palgrave which sets out a series

of reforms by this government, which

is determined to make sure that we

have the benefit system that really

supports disabled people -- Paul

Gray.

Not only did this report

similarly fail to recognise that we

now spend a record £50 billion on

supporting people with disabilities

with long-term health conditions but

also fail to recognise the work with

charities and cycle group that helps

to shape the policies, will the

minister confirm her commitment to

this proactive engagement?

I will

absolutely make that confirmation,

to work with disabled people,

organisations that work with sable

people and really to pay tribute to

the excellent work he did -- that

work with disabled people for the

I'm sure we will continue to build

on the work he did and make sure

that more disabled people have the

opportunity to fulfil their

potential in our society.

Frank

Field.

With the minister consider a

root and branch reform of Pip?

Someone visiting Birkenhead was

doubly incontinent because of

cancer, she had a neural rating from

Pip -- zero rating for the when she

did not turn up for a few days, she

was washing those babies nappies

that we had because she wanted to

get about and she was too ashamed to

ask us for more, is on there's

something wrong with the assessments

when these cases occur -- isn't

there something wrong.

I thank you

for raising this very sad case, and

clearly in that individual case

something went wrong, and I'm

looking very forward to answering

questions and spending time with his

select committee later this week,

and I really would point to him the

response to Palgrave's evaluation

which I published today and I'm sure

we will have more time to look at

this, but we remain utterly

committed to make sure that we

continue to improve Pip.

Last week I met Francis and my

surgery who has cerebral palsy. She

has made application to get e-mail

and wheels for her wheelchair which

has been denied. Does the Minister

agree that having the right

equipment to help people to get to

work is important and helps their

self-esteem and contribution to the

economy?

My honourable friend raises

an important point. It is a benefit

which is available for people in

work and out of work. It is there to

help anyone with additional costs

and of course mobility is really

important. There is also the

excellent access to work scheme

which each year is funding more

people, enabling them to play their

full part in society, including

work.

It is clear that work is the best

route out of poverty, and as the

rate of poverty in working

households is one third am an bat of

workless households, latest data

shows there were 1.9 million working

households in relatively low income.

One of the real impact of increasing

the levels of in-work poverty will

be in the changes that Universal

Credit will bring in the roll-out

that is taking place. In a written

parliamentary answer I received, I

have been told in my constituency,

the figure is incorrect. How can the

public have any trust in what the

Government is doing with Universal

Credit, if they simply don't know

the dates of roll-outs within

constituencies? Fight macro we will

certainly look into that information

that he has highlighted.

It is

really important to point out that

we know work is the best route out

of poverty and this is helping

people to stay in work longer and

there are incentives to take on more

hours, because unlike the old

system, every extra hour that people

work base more money in depth

pocket.

Does the Minister agree with me that

one of the ways we can help people

up on Lope is by increasing the

National Living Wage, by increasing

the personal tax allowance people

keep more of the money they earn,

and with helping with childcare

costs? Isn't this precisely what the

Government is doing?

Mr Speaker, I

could not put it better than myself.

We are making sure that work pays

through the National Living Wage and

lower taxes and the lowest earners

have seen their wages growth at

almost 7% above inflation over the

past two years.

Mr Speaker, could I, on behalf of my

party, at my condolences to those

already expressed in this chamber.

Our sure our hearts go out to the

Deputy Speaker's family. One of the

biggest problems facing families is

fuel poverty. O'Hara in my

constituency is every year the

coldest part of the UK so it is a

colossal problem for my

constituents. Could I ask the

Minister if you have meetings with

the Scottish Government to take

forward ways that this terrible

problem could be tackled in the

remotest and coldest parts of the

UK.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I would

also like to associate myself with

his comments regarding the Deputy

Speaker. He makes a good point about

fuel poverty. That's why the

Government has been doing so much to

make sure people are aware that by

switching, they can cut down on

those household energy bills, and by

making it easier for people to

switch. We also know that the

Scottish Government has devolved

powers to support people more with

their benefits, if that is what they

decide to do, and they are free to

develop their own approaches.

Isn't it time to have a grown-up

conversation about the measure of

poverty? Under the relative measure

thousands will be lifted out of

poverty by recession, by a reduction

in job losses and a reduction in the

level of household income. Surely

that is not the best measure and it

is vital that we look to work as the

best route out of poverty?

Mr

Speaker, he is right to raise this.

If we look at progress since 2010,

across all four measures of poverty,

without cherry picking other

statistics, people are more likely

to be in poverty today -- no more

likely to be in poverty today than

in 2010. The incomes of the poorest

have increased in real terms by

£300.

Food inflation is up 4.2%, the

highest two years, the big six

energy companies have and announced

increases of between eight and 15%

year, against a backdrop of freezes

on benefits. Isn't it surprising

that people have to go to food

banks?

Mr Speaker, the Government is

committed to building an economy

that does work for everybody, that

is why we have committed to raising

the National Living Wage, 33%

increase. This will be equivalent to

a 9% increase in the National Living

Wage since the introduction in it

represents an increase to a

full-time increase of £600.

On behalf of members on these

benches, we would like to express

our condolences to the Deputy

Speaker. Our thoughts are with him

and his family. Disabled people are

twice as likely to live in poverty

than non-disabled people, because of

the extra costs the face. The

Equality and Human Rights Commission

estimated the costs at £2500 a year

for a disabled adult. When the

Government discovered they had

underpaid approximately 75,000

people who transferred onto ESA

support, they announced they would

only be repaying claimants from

October 20 14. How many people will

receive a payment? Given that

suicide attempts amongst ESA

claimants doubled, what impact has

been studied on people's health as a

result of this study?

Mr Speaker,

I'm sure I can write to the

honourable lady with the details on

but as well as being very mindful on

the impact of people's health and

well-being, we must also apply the

law. We have to value disabled

people in our workplace, which is

why the Government is making sure

that as many more disabled people

are able to access work and getting

to work as well.

Recent data shows 8 million working

families are living in poverty. In

spite of government rhetoric, work

is not the route out of poverty.

Four out of five people who are in

low-paid work now, are likely to be

in low-paid work in ten years' time.

In his interview on yesterday's

Andrew Marr Show, the Secretary of

State failed to mention that under

Universal Credit sanctions have

escalated and are being applied to

people who are actually in work. The

public accounts select committee

National Audit Office have both

raised concerns about the impact of

sanctions on punishing people in

low-paid work by sanctioning them?

Sanctions are only applied as a very

last resort and their mitigation is

in place to support people when they

do it. But she is wrong to say that

people in work are more likely to be

in poverty. A key driver of in-work

poverty is actually the part-time

work that people were trapped in

when her party was in government.

When people were trapped working

less than 16 hours a week, they were

literally paying them to stay poor

and our reforms are about supporting

people to progress in work and keep

more of the money they earn.

Karen

Lee.

Question under six, Mr Speaker.

Mr Speaker, with your permission I

will answer questions six and 15

together. There is no reason for

people to go without while they wait

for the first Universal Credit

payment. New benefit claimants will

be able to access and advance. This

is normally paid within five working

days but can be delivered in a day

if needed. Changes announced in the

budget will allow claimants to

receive larger advances and for

advances to be recovered over a

longer period.

Given the waiting

period for Universal Credit, the

choices that people face, they can

either have no money to buy food so

they either use a food bank or staff

or they can get a loan, as you say.

Would the Minister agree with me

that pushing people into debt, is

totally unacceptable?

Identified

septet categorisation at all. The

complaint that is made about

Universal Credit has been made about

Universal Credit, is that there is a

complaint about the cash flow, that

people have to wait a period of time

before they get their first payment.

To address the cash flow point

within the Universal Credit system,

is a system of advance so that

people can get that money earlier.

It gives them flexibility to receive

the money earlier. It is in advance,

they get it paid earlier, they don't

get it paid twice, it is a perfectly

sensible way of addressing a cash

flow issue.

The Peabody trust

estimates that 60,000 households

will have made a new Universal

Credit claim in the six weeks before

Christmas, and will not receive

their first payment before the

holiday period. This need is being

felt in my constituency, where last

week Norwood food bank provided food

for an extraordinary 128 people in a

single session. What is the

Secretary of State's advice to

families who are trying to provide a

happy

Christmas for their children,

without the means to afford even

basic necessities?

We should be clear that if people

need cash before Christmas, they are

able to get it under the Universal

Credit system. It is designed so

they can do that and for people to

try to discourage people from taking

an advance, because, I'm afraid that

is the tone that we too often hear

from the party opposite, I'm afraid

it is causing unnecessary anxiety

for claimants.

Margaret Greenwood.

The chief

Executive of the Financial Conduct

Authority has risen it warned about

high levels of debt and money young

people incurred just by covering

basic household bills like rent.

Young people aged 18 to 21 are not

entitled to housing support under

Universal Credit. Why did the

Government ignore a recommendation

from the Social Security advisory

committee to exempt young people on

the edge of care?

As the honourable

member will be aware, there are a

whole host of exemptions which do

allow 18 to 21-year-olds to access

housing benefit, if those exemptions

apply. But I do have to come back to

this point, that the party opposite

don't seem to accept, that is the

best way that we can sustain the

lift people out of poverty is by

having a welfare system that

encourages them to work and

encourages them to progress in work.

That is what Universal Credit does,

that is what the legacy system

failed to do, that is why we are

making these changes.

Question number seven.

And employment among 16 to

24-year-olds is 5000 and 23,000,

down 16,000 on the year and down

416,000 since 2010.

I welcome those

figures. In my constituency of Weald

and we have just 70 young unemployed

people. Does the Minister agree with

me that making apprenticeships are

far more available helps young

people into jobs, not only in

Wealden but across the country?

Mr

Speaker, she has been a great

campaigner and champion for

apprenticeships and it is the case

that 620 starts in Wealden one of

the key policies which have

contributed to our successful labour

market. ...

What is the trend in unemployment

for young people with learning

difficulties?

We absolutely accept that young

people with learning difficulties

need additional assistance and

understanding of conditions. That is

why we have focused on that within

job centres and making sure they get

the support they deserve.

Question number eight.

I thank my

right honourable friend for his

question. The DWP does not set a

target for processing pip claims

that the department takes all

reasonable steps to obtain evidence

of individuals needs, including

independent assessment. We make

decisions as quickly as possible

based on the available information,

in order to reach the right outcome,

but I'm sure he will be pleased to

know that the current median time

from start to end is currently 13

weeks.

Notwithstanding further

appeal from the Department, will she

restore benefits after a successful

first tier decision by the

applicant?

My honourable friend

raises an important question. The

Department takes the view that

because we are appealing the

decision and it is based on an error

of law, that that really would not

be appropriate. I just want to

reassure my honourable friend and

all honourable members, that there

are always exceptions and this would

arise where racist bench and would

cause financial hardship. For most

benefits, this is considered before

suspension is imposed, but in all

cases, the suspension letter sent to

claimants invites them to contact

the department immediately, if they

are in financial hardship, so we can

help them.

65% of PIP tribunal is finding

favour of the claimant meaning

hundreds of disabled people are

being denied the support they are

entitled to, this puts an

intolerable strain on the whole

family including my constituents

Chris and Catherine, who having

coped with Catherine's bowel cancer

surgeries, brain haemorrhage and

cardiac arrest in now face a further

ordeal appealing against an unjust

assessment, will the minister agree

that this family and Nottingham

advice services to hear about how

the system is failing disabled

people? -- meet with me and his

family.

I would be very happy to

meet with you and this family to

hear about their concerns but we

should get the situation in context.

8% of decisions are appealed, and 4%

of those are upheld, but behind

every statistic is a person and I'm

very aware of that but it is

actually a small percentage of the

millions of people that do receive

their benefits and we are

continuously focused on making the

right decision right from the outset

and that is why we have commissioned

independent reviews and we welcomed

the findings of the latest one from

Paul Gray which has been published

today and we have accepted all of

these recommendations.

Thank you.

Does the minister agree with me that

Palgrave's recommendations in the

second independent review of

personal independence payment, that

the routine provision of the

assessment report to the claimant

would improve identification of

error and improve the assessment

stage and Wiltshire except that

particular recommendation? -- will

she accept.

As I have said

previously, I'm delighted with the

review, and to have received its

findings, and we have accepted all

the findings in the review. At the

moment those reports are available

for everyone. But we don't think it

is a good use of taxpayers money to

provide them to people who are happy

with the result, who will not be

going on to make any further appeal

and they are actually getting on and

getting their benefit.

Mr speaker, the department doesn't

make a forecast of the numbers of

sanctions that will be applied and

we don't want sanctions to occur but

they do play an important part in

reasonable condition amity. --

conditionality.

I have to say, that sort of

Panglossian response shows an

absence of empathy of understanding,

and my constituents say Universal

Credit as a rock rolling down a hill

next April, but this is Christmas

and we are in the spirit of giving

and generosity, with the minister

join with me to ask for additional

secretary and support during those

dark days when this awful Universal

Credit is rolled out and over our

constituents?

The gentleman is going

to get round to the West End and

perform on the stage and he will

fool so fulfilled, I think he has

all the done so -- he will feel.

When I say that sanctions are

considered to be a part of

reasonable conditionality, this was

the approach taken up fully by the

previous Labour government, and in

regards to Universal Credit over

Christmas we have in place robust

processes to make sure that claims

get paid and we can bring claims

forward to make sure that things go

smoothly as we always see two at

Christmas.

I matter of some dispute

between the gender table and I think

the gentleman is a representative of

a petro currency, but the matter

remains as yet undetermined. Mr

Graham Morris.

Thank you. Could I

refer the minister to the question

on Thursday, and can be minister

provide assurance that when the

department makes mistakes the

administration of Universal Credit,

claimants will be fully compensated

so they will be no worse off?

I

welcome the question. I have written

to him today on this specific case

but I don't know if that response

has yet come to hand following his

question on Thursday but I will be

happy to meet with him and discuss

this in detail. There was an issue

at the time the claim was made about

some of the information and there

has been some backdating but we will

talk about it later on.

The number

of people in employment has

increased by more than 3 million

since 2010 to reach 32 million in

the last quarter, the implement rate

is close to the record high and has

increased by almost five percentage

points since widget and --

employment rate.

Unemployment has continued to fall,

so would my friend agree that this

suggests the government's policies

and the work of our great job

centres are making all the

difference in matching job-seekers

with jobs available and would he

thank Ian 's boarding the manager of

the Newark job centre and his great

start -- staff who have made sure

that unemployment in Newark is only

1% -- Ian Spalding.

I will say

thanks to him and the Jobcentre

staff up and down the country to do

a job in helping to reduce

unemployment and in Newark the

claimant out -- has fallen by 42%.

And in the meetings I have had with

job centre staff they are

enthusiastic in promoting Universal

Credit because they concede this

will help them make further

progress.

Is the minister not aware

that there are hundreds of thousands

of people in this country yearning

for a good job and a well-paid job,

many of them young people who can't

get an apprenticeship, 62% down

apprenticeship starts this year, FV

colleges in trouble, when will he do

something in terms of training young

people and giving them a chance --

further education colleges.

He will

be aware that the recent

apprenticeship numbers were affected

by Spike at the end of the last

previous period but the reality is

we have increased the number of

apprenticeships in recent years and

we have introduced the

apprenticeship levy which puts them

on a sustainable financial footing

and it is this government with our

industrial strategy that is making

sure that we are creating the highly

skilled jobs that we need in this

country.

The craving process the personal

independence payment was co-produced

with disabled people -- claiming.

And also carers and organisations

helping them including mental health

territories, and we will continue to

explore opportunities to monitor and

improve the process making use of

customer testing and engagement with

disability groups.

A charity survey

PIP claimants and they found that

two out of five felt delays led to a

deterioration in their mental self

and one in five had to take higher

doses in medication to cope with the

increased stress, does the minister

think that is acceptable?

I would

like to pay tribute to the campaign

and I have read their findings with

interest and also to our key

stakeholders Mind, who helped us get

this right, and I do want to see

people stressed by the process and

that is why we are implementing a

wide range of reforms which we have

worked on with our stakeholders

where ever possible, where ever the

information enables us to, we will

make a paper-based decision and

people also have the opportunity to

be assessed at home, as well.

... In

North Durham they have told me that

the assessment is too black and

white and is not able to truly paint

a picture of someone's daily life,

this is leading to truly dramatic

and horrific experiences, regarding

claims that people really need them

up with be minister have a look into

this? -- would be minister have a

look into this?

We keep it under

constant review and we have this

independently reviewed to back sure

that if they are any problems we

will work to overcome them. -- to

make sure. But compared to the

previous benefit many more PIP

recipients with mental health

problems are getting the enhanced

rates far more than they did under

DLA.

We are committed to making sure that

claimants receive high-quality

accurate assessments and we monitor

assessment quality through

independent audit, decision-makers

can return reports rework and

additional rewrites, and a range of

measures including improvement

plans, when we experience them below

what we want. We continually look to

improve the assessment process.

40

people in Wakefield have written

with their concerns that there PIP

assessment, they were not seen by an

appropriate person, including one

person with mental health problems

who was assessed by a paramedic. The

work and pensions committee heard

that only four doctors were employed

and statistics released by this

department showed those contractors

have failed to meet their targets

for the number of unacceptable

assessments, so how can sick and

disabled people in Wakefield have

any confidence in the assessment

process?

I'm looking forward to

discussing this matter in more depth

with the select committee when I

come before you on Wednesday, but I

can assure you that all of the

assessors receive the appropriate

training for what they are there to

do, these are functional assessments

where they are properly trained to

make those assessments, doctors and

nurses and paramedics, as your

therapist is. -- physiotherapists.

We constantly keep this under

review, including the spirits of the

claimant 's themselves.

Alan Brown.

Thank you. I received a variety of

representations, orally and in

writing and in debates.

... Will take the threshold over £60

billion by the year 2025, should a

caring minister and Secretary of

State not argue... Ending

austerities.

I would revert the

gentleman to two particular points,

we have made differing views on tax

action in this country, and we

believe cuts to corporation tax will

contribute to the jobs we all want,

and the Scottish Government have

powers for working age people to

take action on the specific points

that he keeps raising, that his

government fails to do anything

about.

Stephen Lloyd.

As the

minister will be aware, in last

week's debate it was clear that

there are a number of colleagues

behind him who supported much of

colleagues on this side of the house

for the government's lock on

transitional arrangements for... So

why not call a binding vote so the

House can actually advise the

minister to do the right thing for

INAUDIBLE

Women? In days gone by the Lib Dems

were a party of fiscal discipline,

and in 2011 about he and I accepted

the need to take the decisions that

were made and he also joined us in

the lobby to vote on it but it is a

shame that he has forgotten those

views now.

Kevin Foster.

We carry

out a range of implementation

activities in advance of activation

to make sure that sites are well

prepared and we have rolled out to

235 job centres to date.

Kevin

Foster.

Roll out the full-service

Universal Credit in Torbay is due to

happen in 2018, it is vital

claimants understand the system and

their options, could he confirm what

the department is doing the Torbay's

local work advice so that claimants

can get such support if needed?

Yes,

we are making sure that stakeholders

including the key advice services

have a proper overview of Universal

Credit and we work closely with the

citizens advice bureau and others,

engaging with local authorities and

others to make sure there is a

joined up approach to supporting

payments.

I will interpret the

answer as being wide and therefore

admitted of other constituencies but

it isn't clear beyond that. Stephen

Timms.

There will be problems in

Torbay and elsewhere if the

Universal Credit calculation is

wrong, and the minister told me in a

written answer that there is no

specific initiative called Lake

missing an incorrect, but it turns

out that there is, runs by his

department and HMRC -- called late.

Will he confirm that if information

is late, missing or incorrect, then

the Universal Credit cancellation

will be wrong?

We all admire the right honourable

gentleman's deafness in getting from

Torbay to that point, -- deftness.

We want to make sure that every

aspect of Universal Credit is

working entirely as it should and he

has my commitment.

He will also

experience a long journey and we

empathise with the honourable

gentleman on his long journey from

East Ham to Torbay.

Since 2015 the level of social

security spending on families in

work has reduced. This has been over

a period when we have introduced the

National Living Wage, Clement has

reached record levels, free

childcare has doubled, the personal

allowance has increased and income

inequality has continued to fall.

With 8 million people living in

poverty in working households, and

28% of my constituency of Crewe and

Nantwich earning below the voluntary

Living Wage, what action is the

minister taking to address the

Labour market inequalities with low

paid, low skilled and insecure work?

Let me give you two examples, one of

the industrial strategy, secondly,

if we want to address in-work

poverty, one way we can do that is

to assure that people are able to

work extra hours and we need to

benefit system, we need a benefit

system that does not trap them on

working 16 hours a week. If they

work extra hours, they can increase

their income.

Looking back over these trends, has

he drawn the conclusion that every

Labour government leaves office with

higher unemployment than when they

took office, and what impact does he

believe that house on working

families?

I think he makes an

extremely good point, and I thought

we heard a very revealing comment a

little earlier today, when from the

Labour front bench, they said work

is not the route out of poverty. If

work is not the route out of

poverty, exactly what is?

Order.

Number one.

Mr Speaker, since automatic

enrolment was introduced in 2012,

nine million people have been

enrolled in a workplace pension by

over 9000 employees. Today, I can

announce the Government's plan to

extend automatic enrolment to help

more people achieve financial

security later in life. The

Government's review published today

sets out the next steps as we

continue to develop a culture of

routine pension saving. We will help

young people to save by lowering the

age of automatic enrolment from 22

to 18, and we will enable people to

start saving from the first pound of

their earnings, to provide a better

retirement income for lower earners

and those in multiple jobs. I have

today tabled a written statement

setting out further detail,

including targeted approaches to set

out the most effective ways of

increasing pension saving.

Daniel

Zeichner.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. A

superannuation scheme transferred to

scheme transfers all risk to the

employee. Many sages overcautious

accounting rules which drive these

changes, putting pressure on

universities. What is the Minister

doing to protect our higher

education sector both Mac I thank

the honourable gentleman for his

question.

A changes that might be

made to this scheme are a matter for

the joint negotiation committee of

the scheme, not the Government. The

independent pensions regulator

remains in ongoing discussions.

Nothing has been brought to DWP's

attention which we consider to be of

concern and it would be improper for

the Government to the joint

negotiation committee how to run the

scheme.

I am welcome my right for a macro's

recent announcement of all to

enrolment for 18 to 20 ones. Does he

have any figures about Sami people

have started saving and benefiting

from auto enrolment in

constituencies including mine?

Sister to 12, 7000 employees in:

South Park Shia have benefited from

a workplace pension from automatic

enrolment, and our thanks are due to

the 820 local employers. State

pensions have risen since 2010 but

we want to do more and we are

extending it to 18 to 21-year-olds

in his area.

Secretary of State will be aware of

the crisis involving members of the

British steel pension scheme by

advisers cashing in persuading them

to sink their pensions and all

manner of dodgy schemes. They will

also be aware of the failure of the

SCA to deal with that effectively?

And today with the details of the

universities superannuation scheme

is coming to ahead with the threat

of industrial action. I'm surprised

you simply sitting back and leaving

those matters to those directly

involved. Surely he can tell us

today how he will get directly

involved and take to prevent members

-- protect members of both schemes.

The position is that they worked

through with the pensions regulator

and pension protection fund is,

particularly in relation to British

steel, to assure members get

information on the effect of their

pensions rights. This include

newsletters, websites, bespoke

options packs. The Financial Conduct

Authority have also stepped in and

variety of organisations and are

providing proper advice going

forward.

What steps has my right

honourable friend's department taken

to help people who are older, who

perhaps after redundancy or caring

responsibilities are looking to get

back into work?

My honourable friend

raises a very important point. There

are more working people in older age

groups now than there have ever been

before, but much more needs to be

done. That is why we published our

full working life strategy. Many

employers are waking up to these

possibilities. We also make sure we

have more older worker champions.

Reports suggest that the Foreign

Secretary, the Environment Secretary

and others used this morning's

Cabinet meeting to start a campaign

to scrap the Working Time Directive

after Brexit, which has protection

for paid holidays and extra

protection for night workers. Can

the Secretary of State confirm what

discussions he has had and ensuring

that his colleagues are not

successful in ripping up our

workers' rights?

I think it is the

case that my right honourable

friend, the Secretary of State,

don't believe everything you read in

the newspapers. This government is

committed to protecting employment

rights.

Can I thank my right

honourable friend for the

flexibility he has shown in the

budget in terms of the changes to

Universal Credit and ask if they

will continue and the flexibility he

has shown?

I can certainly assure my

honourable friend that we will

continue to listen to constructive

critics and indeed those wanting to

make sure that Universal Credit

works, and in doing so, can I thank

my honourable friend for the

positive and constructive engagement

that he has shown, and I think what

is very clear is on this side of the

House, we are united in ensuring

that we deliver Universal Credit

successfully.

68% of pit decisions

taken to tribunal are being

overturned by judges, so is it

unsurprising that my constituent Mr

Parrish and others in his situation

have no faith in the assessment

process. What assessment has the

secretary of made regarding PIP

vestments which show a ninefold

increase in complaints to the

department in just one year?

As I

mentioned before, 8% of decisions

are taken to appeal, and only half

of those are upheld. Everyone of

those people, obviously, I

appreciate, is disappointed with

that result, and we are working

tirelessly to improve the process.

But overall, most people get a good

decision on time and their benefits.

On Friday I visited my local job

centre and saw the genuine

enthusiasm that work coaches have

for the new Universal Credit system.

Will my honourable friend confirmed

that additional help is available

for users who are not to tech savvy.

Yes, indeed, he is right about the

enthusiasm of job centre staff for

Universal Credit, or because it

enables them to help people get on

into work and yes, there are

computers available in job centres

and there is assistance available

when needed.

With the uncertainty of Universal

Credit payments following the

roll-out in Swansea last week, my

local paper has coordinated a

collection of food and warm clothes

to help those in need. Will the

Minister join me in congratulating

the South Wales evening Post for

doing what the Government is failing

to do and making sure everyone has a

good Christmas.

What I would say to

win one, whether it be members of

Parliament, newspapers, advisory

bodies and food banks, is that we

need to make sure that the facts are

put out two new claimants will stop

if they need to get access to

support, they can get it quickly,

they need to get into contact with

their job centre and they are able

to access an advance. And they can

get that money before Christmas.

Does the Minister agree with me that

auto enrolment has been a success to

date and it is right to lower it to

age 18, but the politicians,

pensions industry and everyone must

work together to meet the savings

and pensions challenges facing this

country?

I could not agree with my

honourable friend more and I'm

delighted that we have 9 million

people signed up to auto enrolment,

utterly transforming workplace

pension savings and his secular

constituency, 8000 employees and

6080 employers have signed up and

great credit to them.

My constituent in Radford West had

three of her assessment is cancelled

for a period of five weeks. She

eventually got a home visit after

seven months. What assessment have

the department made of same-day

cancellations, of workplace

capability assessments from health

professionals, the number, the

reasons given and the impact on the

mental health but our guns?

I thank

the honourable lady for her

question, and I can assure her that

we have a very robust quality

assurance process, but clearly from

the case she has highlighted today,

that is unacceptable. If you would

like to bring that case and discuss

it with me, then I would be very

happy to do so.

Every year, billions of pounds of

taxpayers money I lost due to

fraudulent or errors in benefit

claims. Can the Secretary of State

saved whether the introduction of

Universal Credit will improve this?

My honourable friend makes a very

good point, and one of the areas of

good news about Universal Credit, is

the fact that it will be able to

reduce fraud by over £1 billion.

That in itself is an important step.

There are many other very positive

reasons why Universal Credit is a

good thing.

I recently met with Hope rising

action group who work in my

constituency to support those

affected by the Government's benefit

cap and I heard stories of just how

hard people are being hit by pension

cuts. Can the Minister please tell

me how many people in Bradford will

be affected by this policy?

We have

to show we have a welfare system

that is not only fair to those in

receipt of welfare but also those

who pay for it. The lower cap is

fair to both households and the

taxpayer. Before the cap the

Department for Work and Pensions

spent a disproportionate amount

every year on just 300 families.

For those job-seekers are my

constituency, overwhelmingly it is

the can-do attitude of professionals

and the dedication of work coaches

that they value that will help them

find work, and especially at this

time of year we as a house should

definitely pay tribute to. Can I ask

my right honourable friend how the

work coaches will help those find

work?

I can confirm we have been

recruiting work coaches in every

region of the UK. We are seeking to

do with more with Universal Credit,

provide more support and ensure that

four in work support, what is needed

is there.

To constituents came to my surgery

concerned about a switch of interest

payments would force them out of the

private sector and on to housing

benefit and cost the taxpayer more

money. Is this not more evidence of

Tory austerity hitting the poorest

hardest?

Mr Speaker, the conversion

of SMI from a benefit alone is

intended to retain support to owner

occupied claimants in a more

sustainable way, but also increasing

fairness to taxpayers, many of whom

cannot afford to buy a home of their

own.

What steps is his department

taken to ensure DWP staff awareness

of military covenant issues, so they

are best able to support our brave

men and women when they leave the

Armed Forces?

Mr Speaker, he is

absolutely right. Our veterans make

an important than to our country and

it is right that we support them.

DWP staff receive continual