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Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 08 Jun 2016
Disability Employment Gap

"I will give way in a moment. I just want to make a few more points about universal credit, then I will happily give way to the former Minister for disabled people.

Let us move on to the work allowance under universal credit. This is another way in which the …..."
Owen Smith - View Speech

View all Owen Smith (Lab - Pontypridd) contributions to the debate on: Disability Employment Gap
Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 08 Jun 2016
Disability Employment Gap

"I said 20 seconds ago that one way in which I would reform the system would be to reverse the cuts to the work allowances under universal credit. That would clearly make work pay for 1 million disabled people in this country. I would start there, and I shall mention …..."
Owen Smith - View Speech

View all Owen Smith (Lab - Pontypridd) contributions to the debate on: Disability Employment Gap
Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 08 Jun 2016
Disability Employment Gap

"I am going to finish this point. I might give way to the hon. Lady later.

Can the Secretary of State tell us how many fewer disabled students will go to university this September? I would be really interested to know, but I am not sure that the Government gather …..."
Owen Smith - View Speech

View all Owen Smith (Lab - Pontypridd) contributions to the debate on: Disability Employment Gap
Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 08 Jun 2016
Disability Employment Gap

"I am deeply disappointed. I suspect that lots of Government Members, many of whom were sold the ESA cuts explicitly on the promise that the White Paper would come through, will be deeply disappointed. In fact, I may find it in my speech to mention a few of them in …..."
Owen Smith - View Speech

View all Owen Smith (Lab - Pontypridd) contributions to the debate on: Disability Employment Gap
Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 08 Jun 2016
Disability Employment Gap

"I am going to make a bit more progress and may give way in a minute.

Let us talk about ESA. Here is what the experts, not MPs, think about the cuts to the WRAG under ESA and how they will affect employability. Parkinson’s UK says:

“The cut to the …..."
Owen Smith - View Speech

View all Owen Smith (Lab - Pontypridd) contributions to the debate on: Disability Employment Gap
Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 08 Jun 2016
Disability Employment Gap

"I will give way to the hon. Lady and then to the hon. Member for Sherwood...."
Owen Smith - View Speech

View all Owen Smith (Lab - Pontypridd) contributions to the debate on: Disability Employment Gap
Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 08 Jun 2016
Disability Employment Gap

"I agree with lots of it, but the truth, as I have been describing, is that we have seen nothing but cuts. The shift from the Work programme to the Work and Health programme involves an 80% cut in support. Access to Work is dealing with fewer people this year …..."
Owen Smith - View Speech

View all Owen Smith (Lab - Pontypridd) contributions to the debate on: Disability Employment Gap
Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 08 Jun 2016
Disability Employment Gap

"Low-brow, low-ball comments such as that really do not help the debate. This is a serious debate. I am taking it extremely seriously on behalf of the Labour Front Bench, and I would expect better from even Tory Back Benchers than that sort of nonsense.

Where is the White Paper …..."
Owen Smith - View Speech

View all Owen Smith (Lab - Pontypridd) contributions to the debate on: Disability Employment Gap
Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 08 Jun 2016
Disability Employment Gap

"indicated assent...."
Owen Smith - View Speech

View all Owen Smith (Lab - Pontypridd) contributions to the debate on: Disability Employment Gap
Written Question
Flexible Support Fund
Wednesday 8th June 2016

Asked by: Owen Smith (Labour - Pontypridd)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Answer of 4 May 2016 to Question 35354, for what reasons the correspondence does not inform claimants of the availability of the Flexible Support Fund.

Answered by Priti Patel - Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs

The purpose of the correspondence was to notify the claimants who may be affected of the changes to the work allowances and to highlight the work coach as the primary source of additional support.

As the Flexible Support Fund is accessed at the discretion of the work coach and is based on individual claimant need, it was not explicitly referred to in the letter.