Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Tony Lloyd and Thérèse Coffey

Monday 13th September 2021 Commons Chamber

[Dr Coffey]

Communications have already been issued to every UC claimant, through the journal messages, and further communications are continuing to go out.

[Tony Lloyd (Rochdale) (Lab)]

In my constituency, some 5,000 families with children—possibly more than 10,000 children—are dependent on UC. Can the Secretary of State guarantee that when the benefit is reduced by that £20 a week not one of those children will suffer as a result? Can she look me in the eye and promise that that is the case?

[Dr Coffey]

Every family has a different situation and I encourage any of the hon. Gentleman’s constituents who are concerned to approach their jobcentre. We are very conscious that where both parents are actively working, rather than one parent being economically inactive, that will bring more revenue into the household budget. That is one thing we need to do to try to make sure that as many people are economically active as possible, for not only their own prosperity, but the prosperity of the nation.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Tony Lloyd and Thérèse Coffey

Monday 28th June 2021 Commons Chamber

[Tony Lloyd (Rochdale) (Lab) [V]]

The impact of poverty is individual, but just by way of statistics, 40,000 families in the Rochdale borough are dependent on universal credit or legacy benefit; 30% of our children are growing up in poverty; yet the Government’s response is to take out, through universal credit, planned cuts of £23 million every year from the borough. The Secretary of State talked about building back fairer. Let me ask her: is that fair?

[Dr Coffey]

First, I congratulate the hon. Gentleman on his knighthood; it is well-deserved given his political and public service.

I understand the point that the hon. Gentleman and other hon. Members have made on this matter. As the House will well know, we are absolutely committed not only to making sure that this is a temporary measure, but to helping people get back into work. We believe that that continues to be the best way, especially as there are vacancies across the country, and we will strain every sinew to help make that happen.