Disabled People in Poverty
Debate between Neil Duncan-Jordan and Andy McDonald(2 weeks, 6 days ago)
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Neil Duncan-Jordan
I absolutely agree with the hon. Member.
All the things I described need to be addressed, but the fear among disabled people is that the changes outlined in the “Pathways to Work” Green Paper, which may or may not find their way into the Bill, amount to piling more cuts on to an already broken system.
Andy McDonald (Middlesbrough and Thornaby East) (Lab)
In my constituency, 23,000 people receive universal credit and 11,000 receive PIP. I have asked what impact the changes will have on people going into poverty or being helped into work, and I have had very few answers. Estimates from Health Equity North show that the changes will amount to about £22 million a year being taken out of the local economy. Does my hon. Friend agree that it is utterly unconscionable for us to decide to produce that outcome without any evidence to demonstrate the benefits? We are effectively voting blind, and that is simply not acceptable.
Neil Duncan-Jordan
I thank my hon. Friend for his contribution. I will later talk about the evidence that we need to see before we come to a vote.