Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Justin Tomlinson and Daniel Zeichner

Monday 17th May 2021 Commons Chamber

[Justin Tomlinson]

I thank my hon. Friend for being so proactive, along with about 50 other MPs who have already agreed to host health and disability Green Paper events to look at the key themes of advocacy, getting supportive evidence, the assessment process and the appeals process. It is the Government’s absolute priority to support those with disabilities and long-term health conditions.

[Daniel Zeichner (Cambridge) (Lab)]

I have a constituent who, after having her jab recently, had a nasty reaction and could not go to work the following day. She then found that she had lost 10 hours’ pay—half her week’s wages. That is the world of precarious work, and it certainly does not encourage people to have a jab, so what can the Government do to rectify the situation?

[Justin Tomlinson]

I thank the hon. Member for raising that point. We have been improving guidance and sharing best practice with employers. We have also made changes to statutory sick pay for those who are either self-isolating or sick to remove the four-day wait. It is disappointing to hear how that specific employer has treated their hard-working employee.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Justin Tomlinson and Daniel Zeichner

Monday 27th January 2020 Commons Chamber

[Daniel Zeichner (Cambridge) (Lab)]

T3. My constituent Anna Ward has been waiting five months for a PIP home assessment, but it has been cancelled twice at very short notice. Atos tells me that currently there are no appointments for home visits available in the Cambridge area. In any other walk of life, that would be totally unacceptable, so why do the Government think it is okay to treat disabled people so badly?

[The Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work (Justin Tomlinson)]

The hon. Gentleman flagged up that issue with me earlier. We are investigating urgently, because that should not be the case.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Justin Tomlinson and Daniel Zeichner

Monday 9th May 2016 Commons Chamber

[Justin Tomlinson]

I would be happy to look into the details, but local authorities do have access to the £870 million for discretionary housing payments. We have also regularly updated the guidance for local authorities to help such individuals.

[Daniel Zeichner (Cambridge) (Lab)]

T8. The Government intend to replace the current statutory child poverty measures with new measures of life chances. Researchers at the London School of Economics analysed responses to the Government consultation on child poverty measurement and found that 99% of respondents believed income and deprivation should be included. Does the Minister agree or disagree with them?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Justin Tomlinson and Daniel Zeichner

Monday 14th March 2016 Commons Chamber

[Daniel Zeichner]

My constituent Nick Dale is 36 years old and has a complex range of disabilities. His care package has just been reduced by Cambridgeshire County Council from 17 hours a week to 6.5 hours. The council told him he should see this not negatively but as a way

“of utilizing the strengths and resources that he may not realise he has within himself.”

His mother is appalled by his loss and the patronising tone—borrowed from the Government. If I lift the Secretary of State’s wallet in the Lobby tonight, would it help him utilise hidden strengths he did not realise he had, or is he as furious as I am about the way Nick Dale has been treated?

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Disabled People (Justin Tomlinson)]

I am happy to look at that case. The Health and Social Care (Safety and Quality) Act 2015 should have put stronger protections in place, but I am happy to look at this matter further.