Oral Answers to Questions

Anne McGuire Excerpts

Monday 22nd November 2010 Commons Chamber

[Steve Webb]

The hon. Gentleman raises an important point, and it is one that we are aware of. However, he will be encouraged to learn that in the past decade, life expectancy for both manual workers and non-manual workers, for example, has risen by two years for men. Although there are still differences, both groups are seeing improvements in life expectancy.

[Mrs Anne McGuire (Stirling) (Lab)]

2. What steps his Department plans to take to assist employers to provide real-time pay data for universal credit computations.

[The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Mr Iain Duncan Smith)]

Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs is continuing to consult with employers on how best to collect real-time pay information. I should stress that the information required for the universal credit is already being collected by HMRC as part of its reforms to the pay-as-you-earn system, which are on track. The adoption of the new real-time information system, for the benefit of employers, universal credit customers and taxpayers, is already well on track.

[Mrs McGuire]

Can the Secretary of State tell the House what proportion of the £2 billion allocated in the comprehensive spending review to implement the universal credit will go to support HMRC’s IT project, and what proportion will go as compensation, so as to avoid losers in the transition to the new universal benefit?