Social Security

Stephen Timms Excerpts
Wednesday 31st January 2024

(3 months, 1 week ago)

Commons Chamber
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Paul Maynard Portrait Paul Maynard
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Indeed, a few days ago I was asking those questions about whether to take the motions separately or together. They are being taken separately.

Stephen Timms Portrait Sir Stephen Timms (East Ham) (Lab)
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I am very relieved that we are getting a proper uprating this year, but the current headline rate of benefits is the lowest it has been in real terms for 40 years. Why have Ministers set benefits at a level so much lower in real terms than was chosen by Margaret Thatcher, Peter Lilley, John Major or Norman Fowler? Why is it so much lower?