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Monday Volume 649 19 November 2018 No. 207 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Monday 19 November 2018 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2018 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 549 19 NOVEMBER 2018 550 Children in workless households are five times more House of Commons likely to be in poverty than those in working households. Does the Secretary of State agree that work is always Monday 19 November 2018 the best route out of poverty and that our reforms are beginning to transform lives for old and young? The House met at half-past Two o’clock Amber Rudd: I very much look forward to my visit to Stirling. My hon. Friend has made a good point; work PRAYERS is the pillar of a strong economy and a strong society. We believe that work should pay, but we need a welfare system that helps people into work and then supports [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] them when they are in work. Universal credit will result in an extra 200,000 people moving into work and will enable people to work extra hours during the year, Oral Answers to Questions empowering a great working nation. Emma Reynolds (Wolverhampton North East) (Lab): I welcome the new Secretary of State to her position. WORK AND PENSIONS Regrettably,unemployment in Wolverhampton is going up and the numbers in my constituency remain stubbornly high. What are the Government’s policies and what are The Secretary of State was asked— they going to do to bring down unemployment in areas Workless Households such as mine? 1. Chris Green (Bolton West) (Con): What estimate Amber Rudd: The best way to bring down unemployment the Government have made of the number of workless is to have a strong economy. The Government are households. [907655] focused on making sure that that is what we deliver, but I also hope that the roll-out of universal credit, with the 17. Stephen Kerr (Stirling) (Con): What estimate the benefit of work coaches, will help the hon. Lady’s Government have made of the number of workless constituents to find the work that they want to do. households. [907674] Tim Farron (Westmorland and Lonsdale) (LD): I The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Amber welcome the Secretary of State to her position. Rudd): MayI take this opportunity to thank my predecessor, There are only 220 registered unemployed people in my right hon. Friend the Member for Tatton (Ms McVey), my constituency and nearly 2,200 children living below for her great leadership of this Department and particularly the poverty line, which tells us that poverty is far more for her work on the Disability Confident campaign, complex in its causes than we sometimes think. Would which she set up? the Secretary of State consider introducing mandatory The number of workless households has decreased poverty impact assessments for all Government policies, by 964,000 since 2010, and currently stands at 3 million; including those that have a specific impact on rural this is a decrease of 24%. As the Office for National communities such as excessive transport and housing Statistics reported last week, the employment rate now costs, as well as the likely impact of withdrawing the stands at a near record high of 75.5 %, with a record basic payment system for farmers? 23.93 million people in full-time employment. In fact, there are now more than 3.3 million more people in Amber Rudd: The hon. Gentleman has raised quite a work than in 2010. few points. Let me start by congratulating his constituency and celebrating the fact that there are only 220 people Chris Green: I thank my right hon. Friend for that there without work. I hope that the roll-out of universal reply and welcome her back to her place on the Front credit will help them to find the additional work that Bench. Worklessness can hold people back in so many they seek. He has raised a number of issues about the ways. Does my right hon. Friend agree that having cost of living in his constituency. If I may, I will come people in employment can broaden the horizons not back to him on those matters. just of the person in work, but of the whole household? Working-age Benefits Amber Rudd: My hon. Friend is absolutely right. We know that children in workless families are disadvantaged in their development, as well as in their future prospects, 2. Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney and Shetland) which is why we will continue to develop policies that (LD): If she will end the freeze on working-age benefits. support and encourage employment, strengthening parents’ [907656] incentives to move into and progress in work. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work Stephen Kerr: May I also express my appreciation to and Pensions (Justin Tomlinson): The Welfare Reform my right hon. Friend the Member for Tatton (Ms McVey) and Work Act 2016 froze the majority of working-age for her service and welcome the Secretary of State to benefits for four tax years from 2016-17. Those provisions her new position? I look forward to welcoming her to will lapse in 2020, and the pre-existing statutory Stirling in due course. arrangements will come back into force. 551 Oral Answers 19 NOVEMBER 2018 Oral Answers 552 MrCarmichael:AccordingtotheResolutionFoundation, one month, the benefit payments will reflect that and the value of working-age benefits has fallen by 6.4% then be adjusted the following month, but I am quite since 2014. What does the Minister think it tells us prepared to look at any issues he wants to bring me. about the Government of which he is a part that the Chancellor’s priority in the Budget was to give a tax cut Sir Desmond Swayne: I am very glad that my right to higher rate taxpayers like him and me, rather than hon. Friend is back. Another thing to look into is the addressing that? case of Emily Lydon, reported in The Sunday Times, because it is vital that the roll-out of universal credit is Justin Tomlinson: The reality is that the poorest fifth both measured and continually improved. in society are £400 a year better off in real terms, and the richest fifth in society are £800 worse off. Amber Rudd: I thank my right hon. Friend for his welcome. I share his view that it is vital that as universal Debbie Abrahams (Oldham East and Saddleworth) credit is rolled out, we learn from any errors and adjust (Lab): The report from the UN special rapporteur on it, to ensure that it properly serves the people it is poverty in the UK was scathing. Professor Alston referred intended for. Of course I will look into that case—I saw to a the report—and, if appropriate, come back to him. “punitive, mean-spirited, and often callous approach” Frank Field (Birkenhead) (Ind): I welcome the Secretary and the “misery” that it caused, in relation to the cuts of State to her position. I will ask her an easy question. and changes to the social security system, including The Government will bring forward regulations on the universal credit and the freeze on benefits. Does the migration of beneficiaries of the existing benefits to Minister agree with him that in the UK, poverty “is a universal credit. Will she not bring forward the debate political choice”? on those regulations until we have received the Select Committee report and the Social Security Advisory Justin Tomlinson: We disagreed with the findings, but Committee has had another chance to look at the we did take the opportunity to share our record of Government’s important amendments? delivering record employment, a simplified benefits system that helps some of the most vulnerable people in society Amber Rudd: I am not sure that the right hon. Gentleman and 1 million fewer people in absolute poverty, as well has properly badged that as an easy question. I will have as our proactive work with stakeholders, which is delivering to take a look at that and come back to him, I am real life opportunities for all in society. afraid. Universal Credit Emma Hardy (Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle) (Lab): In Hull, we have the amazing Welfare Rights service, which gives free and impartial advice to the 3. Chris Philp (Croydon South) (Con): What steps the people of Hull, but one of its concerns at the moment is Government have taken to support claimants through a decision to move all universal support to the citizens universal credit managed migration. [907657] advice bureau, which will take funding away from fantastic services such as Welfare Rights. Will the Secretary of 22. Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con): State meet me to discuss how giving the money to the What steps she has taken to improve the roll-out of CAB will have a negative unintended consequence on universal credit. [907679] our wonderful Welfare Rights service in Hull? The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Amber Amber Rudd: I am very interested in responding to Rudd): The regulations were laid before the House on specific cases such as the one the hon. Lady raises. It is 5 November, following consultation with the Social important that we provide the additional service. That Security Advisory Committee. We are working with a is why we are working with Citizens Advice to provide a wide range of stakeholders on processes to ensure that consistent service, but certainly she should come to the vulnerable claimants are moved smoothly on to universal Department and meet either me or the Minister to credit.