"To ask Her Majesty’s Government what policy lessons can be learned from the forecast of growing inequality in the Resolution Foundation report Living Standards 2017...." Baroness Lister of Burtersett - View Speech
"My Lords, the Resolution Foundation argues that preventing the biggest increase in inequality since the 1980s requires a shift in social policy choices, notably the freeze in most working-age benefits in the face of rising inflation. Will the Government now follow the advice of Iain Duncan Smith and reconsider the …..." Baroness Lister of Burtersett - View Speech
"My Lords, like earlier Autumn and Budget Statements since 2012, there is no reference in this Statement to the likely impact of the measures on child poverty levels, despite the legal duty to eliminate child poverty by 2020. Can the Minister therefore tell your Lordships’ House what the impact of …..." Baroness Lister of Burtersett - View Speech
"My Lords, not everyone is able to take paid work. Will the Minister explain what impact the raft of social security cuts, which will make the poor poorer, will have on inequality?..." Baroness Lister of Burtersett - View Speech
"My Lords, the Resolution Foundation has shown that in future the 3 million taxpayers on universal credit will receive only about one-third of what other taxpayers receive from an increase in tax thresholds, and the 5 million low-paid workers below the tax threshold of course receive nothing. Does the Minister …..." Baroness Lister of Burtersett - View Speech
"My Lords, I had not planned to speak to these amendments but I have been stung into doing so by the remarks of the noble Lord, Lord Forsyth. I am going to keep my powder dry for later amendments. First, he started by saying that this is not a cut. …..." Baroness Lister of Burtersett - View Speech
"I do not want to get into a great debate about the economics of this, but are people in low-paid work who are getting tax credits not contributing to the wealth of the country in the same way? They are affected just as much as people on so-called welfare, which …..." Baroness Lister of Burtersett - View Speech
"My Lords, this Bill should really be titled the “Welfare Benefits Downrating Bill” because it will downrate the real value of the benefits and tax credits upon which the poorest members of our society rely. The Bill’s length, together with its effects and some of the divisive arguments that have …..." Baroness Lister of Burtersett - View Speech
"My Lords, the noble Lord made the point about raising people out of tax, but in my speech I said that that is the least good way of targeting help on low-income families. It is a much worse way than, say, improving child benefit. Can he explain why the Government …..." Baroness Lister of Burtersett - View Speech