"The Minister spoke of the “bold” pension proposals in last week’s Budget. Now that the Chancellor has allowed people to cash in their pension pot instead of purchasing an annuity, can the Minister confirm that, under his Department’s rules on care costs, local authorities will now be able to insist …..." Barry Gardiner - View Speech
"The Secretary of State does, however, still need to explain why he came to this House in March and said the programme was proceeding according to plan when, in fact, he knew at that point that a month previously he had had to rip up those plans and reset the …..." Barry Gardiner - View Speech
"13. What redress is available to tenants whose landlords seek to evict them on the grounds that they are housing benefit recipients subject to the benefits cap...." Barry Gardiner - View Speech
"The Secretary of State is precisely avoiding the point. He knows very well that landlords are using as an excuse for getting rid of tenants, and as a reason to evict them, the fact that they are on the benefits cap. He said that the benefits cap would be a …..." Barry Gardiner - View Speech
"My right hon. Friend is making a powerful case. Does he recall that, when the housing benefit capping measures were introduced, the Government said that rents would be likely to go down? What would he say to my constituent, a higher executive officer with Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, whose …..." Barry Gardiner - View Speech
"I am grateful to my right hon. Friend for giving way; he has been extremely courteous to the whole House in giving way so many times. May I ask him to comment on the idea, mentioned many times by Government Members, that the scheme will get people into work, including …..." Barry Gardiner - View Speech
"Does the Minister think it acceptable that, in chasing an outstanding payment of more than £30,000 for a mother in my constituency, the CSA sent just one letter to the father’s known address, and accepted the result when it came back marked “Moved away”?..." Barry Gardiner - View Speech
"T7. The Government’s ethnic minority impact assessment of the housing benefit changes states that it is not possible, because of a lack of data, to make a proper assessment. In my constituency, it is estimated that 8,500 people will be displaced. On the register, 64% of claimants are from ethnic …..." Barry Gardiner - View Speech