Oral Answers to Questions

Helen Goodman Excerpts

Wednesday 12th June 2019 Commons Chamber

[Alok Sharma]

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.

[Helen Goodman (Bishop Auckland) (Lab)]

The Minister is also wrong with respect to national insurance contributions being attributed, or rather not attributed, to women who have more than one period of maternity leave within two years. Will he go back to look at the correspondence I have sent to the Department about this very serious problem?

[Alok Sharma]

Of course I will look at the correspondence and make sure that the appropriate Minister meets the hon. Lady.

--- Later in debate ---

[Victoria Atkins]

I join my hon. Friend in welcoming the fact that this country is a great place for women, indeed everyone, to do business. This is one of the challenges facing us in our new future outside the European Union and, with women like us in our country, we have a very bright future indeed.

[Helen Goodman (Bishop Auckland) (Lab)]

T4. Women who are in a car crash are 17% more likely to die than men, so will the Department consider a legal requirement on car manufacturers to have female dummies to test their cars?

[Penny Mordaunt]

The hon. Lady makes an extremely good point, and I will take it up with the relevant Department.