argyrotsipi/train-dataset huggingface dataset:
Carillion: Pension Protection — House of Commons, 2018-02-05
Topic: Social Welfare
Esther Louise McVey (Conservative, Centre-right): When I hear some of the hon. Lady’s comments, particularly those that are out of context, I think about the letter that she has received in the past two days from the UK Statistics Authority, which states that many things she has said are not accurate. The letter said that her remarks—whether about children waking up in poverty at Christmas or linking universal credit with poverty—were not supported, that they were not true statistics and that the sources could not be relied upon. If you will allow me to ask this, Mr Speaker, will the hon. Lady make a statement straightaway about the letter from the UK Statistics Authority?
Carillion: Pension Protection — House of Commons, 2018-02-05
Topic: Labor
Esther Louise McVey (Conservative, Centre-right): Obviously, in the light of the letter from the chair of the UK Statistics Authority to the hon. Lady, it needs to be put on the record that the vast majority of defined-benefit pension schemes are working very well indeed. When we do see instances of abuse or illegal goings-on, they are investigated and the people responsible are brought to account. We have a strong Pension Protection Fund, supported by other businesses that are looking after pensioners across the country.
Consumer Advice and Assistance — House of Commons, 2018-02-05
Topic: Macroeconomics
Gillian Keegan (Conservative, Centre-right): In a recent poll conducted by Populus and The Guardian, 32% of British workers were found to have less than £500 in savings. What are the Government doing to promote long-term savings and to support employers such as the 1,340 in Chichester that have auto-enrolled their employees, currently benefiting 13,000 people?
Consumer Advice and Assistance — House of Commons, 2018-02-05
Topic: Macroeconomics
Guy Thomas Opperman (Conservative, Centre-right): The simple answer is that I will take that matter up with my colleagues at the Treasury who are handling that point, particularly in relation to the FCA. The hon. Gentleman will be aware that I am in a Bill Committee with the exact same Minister and will probably have an opportunity tomorrow—with the hon. Member for Birmingham, Erdington (Jack Dromey)—to have a discussion about this point.
Consumer Advice and Assistance — House of Commons, 2018-02-05
Topic: Labor
Guy Thomas Opperman (Conservative, Centre-right): I am grateful to have the opportunity to replay the same debate that we had in the Bill Committee last Thursday. I will give the same answer, which is that, with no disrespect to Baroness Altmann, she is incorrect on this point. The Government are addressing pensions guidance. We have introduced very stringent new laws. We have improved on the point raised by the Work and Pensions Committee, as my hon. Friend the Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Alex Burghart), who sits on that Committee, agreed in the Bill Committee last Thursday.
Supported Housing — House of Commons, 2018-02-05
Topic: Social Welfare
Christopher Laurie Malthouse (Conservative, Centre-right): It is typical of my hon. Friend that she has the welfare of her most vulnerable constituents at the forefront of her mind. I can confirm that the current proposal on which we have just consulted is that the section 31 grant paid to local authorities for provision of refuges and other short-term supported housing will be ring-fenced.
Supported Housing — House of Commons, 2018-02-05
Topic: Macroeconomics
Christopher Laurie Malthouse (Conservative, Centre-right): Given that I am not a Treasury Minister, I am not in a position to confirm that, but it would certainly be our aspiration to provide the current level of support, or indeed enhanced and better performing support, which is the purpose of the changes, in the future.
Universal Credit — House of Commons, 2018-02-05
Topic: Labor
Esther Louise McVey (Conservative, Centre-right): Universal credit has had a positive impact since its start, as shown through published research and analysis. Independent research shows us that people are spending more time looking for work, applying for more jobs and even doing jobs they would not have considered doing before.
Universal Credit — House of Commons, 2018-02-05
Topic: Social Welfare
Luke Anthony Hall (Conservative, Centre-right): Does the Secretary of State agree that universal credit is helping all those people who are stuck in a situation where they are only paid to work 16 hours a week and that it is fairer to those employees, the other employees in those businesses and taxpayers, who end up supporting the bill?
Universal Credit — House of Commons, 2018-02-05
Topic: Labor
Esther Louise McVey (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend makes a very good point. The reason we are making this significant change from the legacy system is to ensure that every hour of work counts. We will not have a situation where people are stuck not working or paying punitive rates of income tax of 90% and above if they take work after 16 hours. This is cutting-edge technology. The UK is leading the way on flexible benefits that accompany flexible working, which nowhere else has.
Universal Credit — House of Commons, 2018-02-05
Topic: Social Welfare
Esther Louise McVey (Conservative, Centre-right): These are precisely the things that have been considered in bringing forward universal credit. What support are we giving? The extra childcare support. What is the extra support? Tailor-made career advice and support. We all need humility, but, equally, we all need to hand out and deliver the correct facts to people, not embellish them, resort to sound and fury or drama, or provide obviously incorrect information, as the UK Statistics Authority has levelled against the Labour party.
Universal Credit — House of Commons, 2018-02-05
Topic: Labor
Martin John Vickers (Conservative, Centre-right): Last month, I visited Grimsby jobcentre, which serves my constituency, and it is very clear that the staff are handling the changeover to universal credit very efficiently. Will the Secretary of State join me in complimenting the staff, including the work they do in motivating claimants and improving their self-confidence so that they can seek employment?
Universal Credit — House of Commons, 2018-02-05
Topic: Labor
Esther Louise McVey (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend makes a very good point, and I have actually met the tremendous work coaches in his constituency. I go out to speak to work coaches all the time, and they are saying to me that the change we are delivering through universal credit is the best thing they have ever delivered. The support they can give—[Interruption.] Rather than Opposition Members laughing, they would be well advised to come and join me or others in meeting work coaches. I will tell them how we know this is working: if it were not working, we would not have an extra 3.1 million people in work.
Universal Credit — House of Commons, 2018-02-05
Topic: Labor
Esther Louise McVey (Conservative, Centre-right): The underlying principle of how we get people into work is working right the way across the United Kingdom. It is working in Scotland, and that is correct. Equally, we agree with giving extra powers to devolved Governments, and Scotland has the right to do things in its own way. As we pointed out earlier, however, some of the changes taken on board in Scotland have actually resulted in slower payment to people who need their benefits.
Unemployment Rates: Europe — House of Commons, 2018-02-05
Topic: Labor
Esther Louise McVey (Conservative, Centre-right): The UK has the joint fifth lowest unemployment rate in the EU—better than France, the Netherlands and Denmark. The UK’s unemployment rate, at 4.3%, is the lowest in 42 years. It is less than half that of the euro area, which is 8.7%, and 3 percentage points below the EU28 average of 7.3%.
Unemployment Rates: Europe — House of Commons, 2018-02-05
Topic: Labor
Victoria Grace Ford (Conservative, Centre-right): Unemployment in my constituency of Chelmsford is now less than 1.5%, and those who are able to work are finding jobs, but will the Secretary of State reassure my constituents who need our financial support that they will continue to be supported when universal credit is rolled out later this year?
Unemployment Rates: Europe — House of Commons, 2018-02-05
Topic: Labor
Esther Louise McVey (Conservative, Centre-right): I congratulate my hon. Friend on the work she is doing as a new MP, and her constituents on the work they are doing to find employment, getting on in their careers and moving forward. As I have said, this Government believe in hand-up support and opportunity. The support of universal credit—a benefit that supports people in and out of work—will continue not only for her constituents, but for people right across the country.
Unemployment Rates: Europe — House of Commons, 2018-02-05
Topic: Labor
Esther Louise McVey (Conservative, Centre-right): It is interesting how differently people measure getting into work, poverty and life chances. Children born into workless households are actually five times more likely to be in poverty than those in working households. Under this Government, we have seen 3.1 million more people in work, and the number of workless households has gone down by over 600,000. We are helping people out of poverty: we are helping them get a job.
Unemployment Rates: Europe — House of Commons, 2018-02-05
Topic: Labor
Philip Andrew Davies (Conservative, Centre-right): Earlier the Secretary of State mentioned dodgy statistics from the Opposition. I have heard people say that lots of the new jobs created are on zero-hours contracts and for part-time work. Can she say what the actual figures are for the number of jobs created that are full-time, permanent jobs?
Unemployment Rates: Europe — House of Commons, 2018-02-05
Topic: Labor
Esther Louise McVey (Conservative, Centre-right): It was not me talking about dodgy statistics, it was the chair of the UK stats authority who said that, but I thank my hon. Friend for pointing that out. The overwhelming majority of jobs are full-time and permanent jobs, and the vast majority of those in part-time jobs have chosen to be in part-time jobs.
Unemployment Rates: Europe — House of Commons, 2018-02-05
Topic: Labor
Esther Louise McVey (Conservative, Centre-right): It is really important that everybody gets the support they need, and a lot of the support going forward will be outreach work, so that people do not need to go to Jobcentre Plus, thanks to further support in the community. Obviously I am pleased that in the Liverpool city area—and in the north-west area—which is my hometown, employment is now far higher than it was in 2010. The unemployment rate under the Labour party was 2.8 million in 2008, even before the banking crisis, but now it is 1.4 million, so we are supporting people and we will continue to support people, because that is what this Conservative Government do.
Universal Credit: Disabled People — House of Commons, 2018-02-05
Topic: Social Welfare
Sarah Louise Newton (Conservative, Centre-right): I do not want to see anyone living in poverty, and no Conservative Member of Parliament wants people living in poverty. Disabled people are some of the biggest beneficiaries of universal credit, with around 1 million disabled households having on average around £110 a month more on universal credit than they would have had on the legacy benefits.
Universal Credit: Disabled People — House of Commons, 2018-02-05
Topic: Social Welfare
Sarah Louise Newton (Conservative, Centre-right): The hon. Lady raises a very important point about accessibility of the benefits system for everyone, which is something we all take very seriously. I am grateful for the support that the Leonard Cheshire foundation and a whole range of stakeholders give us in designing the process, to make sure that it is as accessible as possible.
Universal Credit: Disabled People — House of Commons, 2018-02-05
Topic: Social Welfare
Simon Richard Clarke (Conservative, Centre-right): Does the Minister agree that it is important that we are absolutely scrupulous in our presentation of the facts about universal credit? As the Secretary of State referred to earlier, I wrote to the UK Statistics Authority to query the shadow Secretary of State’s claim that "40,000 children will wake up in poverty on Christmas Day because the Tories refuse to pause" the roll-out of universal credit. On Friday, Sir David Norgrove told me: "It is clearly important that statements by a political party should be fully supported by the statistics and sources on which they rely. We do not believe"—
Universal Credit: Disabled People — House of Commons, 2018-02-05
Topic: Labor
Sarah Louise Newton (Conservative, Centre-right): The hon. Gentleman raises the important issue of specialist providers of employment. This is a very important sector, which the Government have a proud tradition of supporting. I meet stakeholders regularly, and we are always looking to see what more we can do to help them sustainably provide the invaluable employment opportunities that they do.
Universal Credit: Disabled People — House of Commons, 2018-02-05
Topic: Social Welfare
Sarah Louise Newton (Conservative, Centre-right): Unlike the previous system, universal credit is more targeted, and support is focused on those who need it most. Transitional protection is available for people who move into universal credit from other benefits, provided their circumstances stay the same. When giving evidence to the Select Committee last week, my hon. Friend the Minister for Employment said that he was aware of the situation, and he is thinking carefully about this issue.
Universal Credit: Household Debt — House of Commons, 2018-02-05
Topic: Social Welfare
Kevin John Foster (Conservative, Centre-right): It is a genuine pleasure to welcome the Minister to his place and, through him, to thank his Parliamentary Private Secretary for arranging a visit for me to see universal credit working in his constituency this Friday. Further to the question, will my hon. Friend outline the steps being taken to ensure that organisations on the ground help vulnerable people access 100% of universal credit advances rather than get into debt?
Universal Credit: Household Debt — House of Commons, 2018-02-05
Topic: Labor
Alok Kumar Sharma (Conservative, Centre-right): Yes, I can confirm that work coaches and those who perform the interviews at jobcentres make people aware that they can access 100% advances, which are of course interest free, as I said. The other aspect that is available is personal budgeting support, which individuals who need it can also receive.
Older Workers — House of Commons, 2018-02-05
Topic: Labor
Guy Thomas Opperman (Conservative, Centre-right): Since 2010, 1,272 new jobs have been created in South Basildon and East Thurrock—an increase due in no small part to my hon. Friend’s efforts. He will be aware that older worker employment levels are at a record high. In his region, 850,000 50 to 64-year-olds are in employment—an increase of over 120,000 people since 2010—and 120,000 people aged 65 and over are in employment. Again, that is another increase of 45,000 since 2010.
Older Workers — House of Commons, 2018-02-05
Topic: Labor
Stephen James Metcalfe (Conservative, Centre-right): Does my hon. Friend agree that encouraging businesses to be flexible in how they employ older workers is one way to bridge the skills gap and keep older workers in the employment market for longer, sharing their experience and knowledge?
Older Workers — House of Commons, 2018-02-05
Topic: Labor
Guy Thomas Opperman (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend is correct. The fuller working lives strategy, launched by the Department last year, is there specifically to support over-50s into employment and provide them with the skills and retraining that they need, and which businesses specifically value. There are a number of exemplar businesses. He will also be aware that individual people have created over 26,000 new businesses since 2011—that is for the over-50s.
Older Workers — House of Commons, 2018-02-05
Topic: Labor
Guy Thomas Opperman (Conservative, Centre-right): The Government have no intention of revising the Pension Acts of 1995, 2007 or 2011 introduced by previous Governments and by the coalition, but I make the point very strongly that average employment among the over-50s and the over-64s has increased dramatically since 2010.
Universal Credit — House of Commons, 2018-02-05
Topic: Social Welfare
Alok Kumar Sharma (Conservative, Centre-right): When we have rolled out universal credit, we have done it in a manner that makes sense and works. Right now, 9% of those who will eventually end up on universal credit are on universal credit, and it will reach 11% by June this year. I am, of course, undertaking a whole range of visits to jobcentres across the country. I will make sure that I make a visit to Scotland, and we can have a discussion about whether there is an opportunity to visit the hon. Gentleman as well.
Universal Credit — House of Commons, 2018-02-05
Topic: Social Welfare
Alok Kumar Sharma (Conservative, Centre-right): I want to be absolutely clear: the changes that we are making in universal credit and in the benefit system are there to focus on protecting the most vulnerable. That is the underlying policy of universal credit and we will continue to do that.
Universal Credit — House of Commons, 2018-02-05
Topic: Education
Alok Kumar Sharma (Conservative, Centre-right): Currently, 1.1 million young people—students—receive free school meals. If the policy that has been put forward as part of the consultation goes ahead—where there is an earnings threshold of £7,400—an additional 50,000 young people will benefit from free school meals.
Universal Credit: Child Poverty — House of Commons, 2018-02-05
Topic: Social Welfare
Questions: If she will make an estimate of the number of children who will no longer be living in poverty as a result of the roll-out of universal credit.; If she will make an estimate of the number of children who will no longer be living in poverty as a result of the roll-out of universal credit.
Christopher Laurie Malthouse (Conservative, Centre-right): Both hon. Ladies are right to recognise the role that welfare reform is playing in alleviating child poverty. Work is the best route out of poverty, and universal credit strengthens the incentives for parents to move into and progress in work. However, it cannot be considered in isolation: it is a key component of a broader strategy to move Britain to a higher wage, lower welfare and lower tax society.
Universal Credit: Child Poverty — House of Commons, 2018-02-05
Topic: Social Welfare
Questions: If she will make an estimate of the number of children who will no longer be living in poverty as a result of the roll-out of universal credit.; If she will make an estimate of the number of children who will no longer be living in poverty as a result of the roll-out of universal credit.
Christopher Laurie Malthouse (Conservative, Centre-right): I am sure that the hon. Lady, like me, welcomes the 43% fall in the claimant count in her constituency over the past few years—[Hon. Members: "That wasn’t the question."] On her question, as she and many Members will know, the causes and drivers of people going to food banks are complex. [Interruption.] In my constituency, for example, the food bank was established in 2006—at the height of Labour’s conduct of the economy and welfare system—but the Department needs to think carefully about some of these issues, and we will be doing so in the future.
Universal Credit: Child Poverty — House of Commons, 2018-02-05
Topic: Social Welfare
Questions: If she will make an estimate of the number of children who will no longer be living in poverty as a result of the roll-out of universal credit.; If she will make an estimate of the number of children who will no longer be living in poverty as a result of the roll-out of universal credit.
Michael James Tomlinson-Mynors (Conservative, Centre-right): I warmly welcome my hon. Friend to his place. Does he agree that, on the important subject of children living in poverty and universal credit, it is important to have a sensible, grown-up discussion and debate, rather than bandying around unqualified figures?
Universal Credit: Child Poverty — House of Commons, 2018-02-05
Topic: Social Welfare
Questions: If she will make an estimate of the number of children who will no longer be living in poverty as a result of the roll-out of universal credit.; If she will make an estimate of the number of children who will no longer be living in poverty as a result of the roll-out of universal credit.
Christopher Laurie Malthouse (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend makes a strong point, and he is absolutely right. National statistics, on a number of measures, have shown child poverty falling. In particular, we have seen 200,000 children over the past few years move out of absolute poverty.
Disability Confident Scheme — House of Commons, 2018-02-05
Topic: Labor
Andrew James Bridgen (Conservative, Centre-right): Last year, I attended a disability confident workshop in my constituency, where unemployment now stands at an all-time low of 1%. Also present were representatives of the DWP and the local council, as well as local employers, many of whom signed up to the scheme immediately. Will my hon. Friend give further feedback on the national roll-out of a programme that encourages employers to take advantage of keen, loyal staff who are disabled?
Disability Confident Scheme — House of Commons, 2018-02-05
Topic: Labor
Marcus Charles Jones (Conservative, Centre-right): I recently visited the excellent Oak Wood School in my constituency, whose leaders are working hard to get talented young people with special needs into work and work placements when they finish school. Will my hon. Friend, like me, encourage employers in my area to join the disability confident scheme, so that we can give opportunities to those young people, and not just give them hope for the future, but provide the labour market with a number of people who will be able to bring a vast amount of experience and difference to our workplaces?
Disability Confident Scheme — House of Commons, 2018-02-05
Topic: Education
Sarah Louise Newton (Conservative, Centre-right): I was very pleased to hear about the important work being done by Oak Wood School. Last year, more than 500 young people took part in supported internships, and this year the Department for Education has made available just under £10 million of additional funding, which will provide more work placements, particularly for young people with special educational needs. I agree with my hon. Friend that it is vital for us to ensure that more of those young people are given the opportunity to work.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2018-02-05
Topic: Macroeconomics
Esther Louise McVey (Conservative, Centre-right): We had a record-breaking 2017 for employment, and I am delighted to see the trend continue as we enter the new year. The proportion of people in work is at an all-time high at 75.3%—so 32.2 million people are now in work, 415,000 more than were working last year. Figures also show that there are a record 810,000 vacancies in the economy at any one time, which proves that the Government are delivering on our promise to build a strong economy.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2018-02-05
Topic: Social Welfare
Esther Louise McVey (Conservative, Centre-right): One thing on which both of us will agree—on which, indeed, Members in all parts of the House will agree—is that no child should be growing up in poverty. If we take action to ensure that families are working, those children will not be in poverty. We know for certain that if a child’s family are working, that child is much less likely to be in poverty when it grows up and is more likely to attain higher school qualifications. That is the action that this Conservative Government are taking.