"The Secretary of State’s colleague, the Under-Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the hon. Member for Kingston and Surbiton (Mr Davey), has said of the Government’s plans for the long-term unemployed:
“You have been unemployed for 12 months, you are passing the actively seeking work test…we are/the Government …..." Douglas Alexander - View Speech
"I listened with care to that answer, but given that the number of people who have been unemployed for more than 12 months, on the broader measure, went up by 41,000 in the most recent figures, can the right hon. Gentleman tell us whether the Business Minister is the only …..." Douglas Alexander - View Speech
"On the subject of unemployment, the Government are meeting businesses in Downing street today and asking them to create jobs, but in its latest forecast published since the last DWP questions, the Office for Budget Responsibility revised upwards its unemployment forecasts for 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014. Does this not …..." Douglas Alexander - View Speech
"Under the Secretary of State’s proposals, councils are to use the real-time data to calculate entitlement to council tax benefit, although the entitlements will vary according to each local authority. What is his estimate of the cost to the Department for Work and Pensions of supporting councils in creating their …..." Douglas Alexander - View Speech
"May I take the Secretary of State back to his claim that job creation will be vital and ask him specifically about what the Office for Budget Responsibility has stated will be the estimated saving from threatening the long-term unemployed, about whom he has just spoken, with the 10% figure? …..." Douglas Alexander - View Speech
"I thank the Secretary of State for his statement, for advance sight of it and for his personal helpfulness and co-operation preceding it.
I will deal directly with the principles underlying the universal credit. Both our parties want a simplified benefit system in which less money is clawed back as …..." Douglas Alexander - View Speech
"I do, which is why I wish those on the Government Benches would spend less time reading our manifesto and more time changing their proposals.
Let me deal with the substantive points. [Interruption.] Hon. Members should have just a little patience—one of the virtues that I wish the Secretary of …..." Douglas Alexander - View Speech
"I will give way in a moment or two. Next, it is stated that in the past five years housing benefit has risen by £5 billion and it has been suggested that the cuts are necessary to stop a soaring housing benefit bill. Housing benefit did rise by about 21% …..." Douglas Alexander - View Speech