Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Cabinet Office

Oral Answers to Questions

David Evennett Excerpts
Wednesday 12th June 2019

(4 years, 10 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Alok Sharma Portrait Alok Sharma
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As the hon. Gentleman will know, over the last two Budgets, we have put in an extra £6 billion to support the most vulnerable in universal credit. Sadly, he and his colleagues did not vote to support those changes.

David Evennett Portrait Sir David Evennett (Bexleyheath and Crayford) (Con)
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Does my hon. Friend agree that ensuring that universal credit is fair and flexible for women is a vital part of supporting women’s economic empowerment?

Alok Sharma Portrait Alok Sharma
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My right hon. Friend is absolutely right. In the universal credit system, we have one-to-one support provided by work coaches, and it is working. We have just seen the figures released yesterday by the Office for National Statistics showing that the rate of women in employment is at a record high.