Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment the Government has made of the effect on his Department's policies of the findings of the Social Mobility Commission report, Time for change: an assessment of Government policies on social mobility 1997-2017, published on 28 June 2017.

The Government is committed to creating a country where everyone has the chance to go as far as their talents and hard work will take them. This includes taking action that will make a meaningful difference to the lives of the most disadvantaged children and families. This requires an approach that goes beyond the safety net provided by the welfare system to tackle the root causes of child poverty and disadvantage, so that everyone has the chance to realise their potential.

We know that children living in workless families are significantly more disadvantaged, and achieve poorer long-term outcomes than other children, including those living in lower-income working families. And despite record levels of employment, around 1 in 8 children across the UK live in workless families.

We are therefore taking action to ensure that workless families who face additional, complex barriers have the support they need to help them move on with their lives. Improving Lives: Helping Workless Families, published on 4 April, provided a framework for a continued focus on improving children’s outcomes, now and in the future