argyrotsipi/train-dataset huggingface dataset:
Universal Credit: Food Poverty — House of Commons, 2017-11-13
Topic: Labor
Questions: If he will make an assessment of the effect of the length of waiting time to receive universal credit on levels of food poverty.
David Michael Gauke (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend is absolutely right. Part of the purpose of universal credit is to close the gap between being out of work and being in work. Most jobs are paid monthly, and getting people used to that monthly system is a sensible approach. I also very much welcome the fact that my hon. Friend has visited a jobcentre, and I recommend that other hon. Members do so, to hear how universal credit is operating on the ground. I know that many hon. Members have found the experience to be extremely positive.
Universal Credit: Food Poverty — House of Commons, 2017-11-13
Topic: Social Welfare
Questions: If he will make an assessment of the effect of the length of waiting time to receive universal credit on levels of food poverty.
David Michael Gauke (Conservative, Centre-right): The position that we have made clear for a long time is that we want to ensure that universal credit works. This is a test-and-learn system, and we are always looking at ways in which we can improve it, particularly for that first period. I would say to the right hon. Gentleman and to the House as a whole that universal credit is helping us to address the best way to deal with poverty, which is to ensure that people can get into work. That is the argument that I and my right hon. and hon. Friends will continue to make.
Universal Credit: Food Poverty — House of Commons, 2017-11-13
Topic: Labor
Questions: If he will make an assessment of the effect of the length of waiting time to receive universal credit on levels of food poverty.
William Grant (Conservative, Centre-right): I, too, have visited jobcentres, and I know that work coaches are an integral part of the universal credit system. Will my right hon. Friend tell me how the new work coaches will assist jobseekers in my constituency in their eager quest to find employment?
Universal Credit: Food Poverty — House of Commons, 2017-11-13
Topic: Labor
Questions: If he will make an assessment of the effect of the length of waiting time to receive universal credit on levels of food poverty.
David Michael Gauke (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend is absolutely right. This is why we are recruiting work coaches up and down the United Kingdom to provide the personalised support that people need to help them get into work. I come back to my experience of meeting work coaches in jobcentres up and down the country. They believe that they have a system in place that is helping them to do more to transform lives, and that is hugely important.
Universal Credit: Food Poverty — House of Commons, 2017-11-13
Topic: Labor
Questions: If he will make an assessment of the effect of the length of waiting time to receive universal credit on levels of food poverty.
David Michael Gauke (Conservative, Centre-right): Universal credit gives people a better opportunity to work, and it gives parents, including single parents, greater support with childcare. I come back to the example I gave the House a moment ago. Someone who had previously been on income support and unable to get help with childcare can now get that help and get on to the employment ladder, thanks to universal credit. That is what universal credit is delivering.
Universal Credit: Food Poverty — House of Commons, 2017-11-13
Topic: Social Welfare
Questions: If he will make an assessment of the effect of the length of waiting time to receive universal credit on levels of food poverty.
David Michael Gauke (Conservative, Centre-right): May I just point out that child poverty is down since 2010? I think the hon. Lady has rather given the game away: she does not want to pause and fix universal credit; she wants to scrap it. She wants to rewind to a system under which claimants faced marginal deduction rates of over 90% and had to cope with a multitude of benefits. We had a benefits system that was not an aid but an impediment to working people and that trapped people in poverty and dependency. That is what universal credit will bring an end to.
Employment and Support Allowance: Claimant Poverty — House of Commons, 2017-11-13
Topic: Labor
Sarah Louise Newton (Conservative, Centre-right): There are no cash losers among those in receipt of employment and support allowance and the universal credit equivalent prior to April 2017, including those who temporarily leave ESA to try out work and then return. Since April, new claimants who are capable of preparing for work receive a rate of benefits on a par with jobseeker’s allowance.
Employment and Support Allowance: Claimant Poverty — House of Commons, 2017-11-13
Topic: Labor
Sarah Louise Newton (Conservative, Centre-right): There are no cuts for people on those benefits. Let me be absolutely clear about that. Since April 2017, people who are able to work receive a personal support package. We have already recruited 300 new disability employment advisers, and we have allocated £15 million to the flexible support fund. We are doing absolutely everything that we can to ensure that people who are able to make the journey back to work have the support that they need.
Employment and Support Allowance: Claimant Poverty — House of Commons, 2017-11-13
Topic: Social Welfare
Sarah Louise Newton (Conservative, Centre-right): Let me be absolutely clear about what we are trying to achieve here. Many people in Scotland and across our country who are recovering from health conditions or who have disabilities really want to work. We are doing everything that we can to provide them with tailored support, so that they can work and that they can play the full part in society that they want to play and that we want to enable them to do.
Employment and Support Allowance: Claimant Poverty — House of Commons, 2017-11-13
Topic: Labor
Michael Alex Burghart (Conservative, Centre-right): Despite record employment, only one in every 100 people in the ESA work-related activity group leaves the benefit system each month. Will the Minister tell us what more she and the Department are doing to help those people into work?
Parkinson’s Disease: Personal Independence Payment — House of Commons, 2017-11-13
Topic: Social Welfare
Sarah Louise Newton (Conservative, Centre-right): It is absolutely right that we get PIP right for everybody with a disability, including those with degenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s. It is absolutely right to notice, as my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State did earlier, that considering that more than 2.6 million PIP assessments have been made, less than 1% have resulted in a complaint. Most of the time, this benefit is got right the first time. Of course, we work tirelessly, including with our stakeholders and voluntary sector organisations, to make improvements.
Universal Credit — House of Commons, 2017-11-13
Topic: Social Welfare
David Michael Gauke (Conservative, Centre-right): Advances are available at the start of a universal credit claim to ensure that those who need it have money to tide them over until their first payment. Our data shows that around half of claimants are receiving advances, and we have recently undertaken an exercise to improve awareness and access to this support.
Universal Credit — House of Commons, 2017-11-13
Topic: Labor
Victoria Mary Boswell Prentis (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank the Secretary of State for his very reassuring answer. In Banbury, we are fortunate to have very low unemployment rates. Can he tell me what will be the likely impact on jobs of universal credit roll-out in my constituency?
Universal Credit — House of Commons, 2017-11-13
Topic: Labor
David Michael Gauke (Conservative, Centre-right): In total, it is estimated that universal credit will help around 250,000 more people into employment. On average, that works out at around 400 extra people in work in each parliamentary constituency, but universal credit will, of course, have larger impacts in areas with a higher proportion of benefit claimants or a higher prevalence of single-parent and out-of-work families.
Universal Credit — House of Commons, 2017-11-13
Topic: Labor
David Michael Gauke (Conservative, Centre-right): We are improving the advances system, and we are improving awareness of it. Importantly, support is available, and that is a message that we can all take to our constituents. Nobody needs to wait six weeks because advances are available within jobcentres, and they are being taken up. The majority of new claimants are taking up those advances.
Universal Credit — House of Commons, 2017-11-13
Topic: Social Welfare
Nigel Paul Huddleston (Conservative, Centre-right): Last week, I heard from one of my constituents who was having difficulty getting an advance payment and who had to resort to a food bank. When the error was corrected and he got his advance payment, he took the food back to the food bank. First, does that not show that, when mistakes are made, every effort is made to correct them? Secondly, does it not show the basic human decency of those claiming universal credit?
Universal Credit — House of Commons, 2017-11-13
Topic: Social Welfare
David Michael Gauke (Conservative, Centre-right): I entirely agree with the point my hon. Friend makes. It is worth pointing out that, in the normal course of events, someone’s advance takes about three days to go through the banking system and for the money to be paid, but that, if need be, people can get support on the same day.
AEA Technology Pension Scheme — House of Commons, 2017-11-13
Topic: Labor
Guy Thomas Opperman (Conservative, Centre-right): The Government’s position has been out in a parliamentary debate in October 2016, as it was previously in March 2015 by the hon. Lady’s Liberal Democrat colleague Sir Steve Webb. I have great sympathy for those affected, but they are now covered by Pension Protection Fund compensation scheme.
Job Creation — House of Commons, 2017-11-13
Topic: Labor
Mary Josephine Robinson (Conservative, Centre-right): In addition to those almost record employment levels, 11% of people in Cheadle are self-employed. My constituent Alexandra Singer is a self-employed wheelchair user who finds that valuable opportunities to attend networking events are lost because they are not always accessible for disabled people. Does the Minister agree that to unlock the talent and energy of disabled entrepreneurs, organisers must make provision for successful businessmen and women, such as Alexandra Singer, to attend their events?
Job Creation — House of Commons, 2017-11-13
Topic: Social Welfare
David Michael Gauke (Conservative, Centre-right): I agree with my hon. Friend on that. It is right that service providers have a duty to anticipate these things and provide adjustments, where reasonable, for disabled people. In the case of her constituent, this may include arranging events at an accessible venue. It is also worth pointing out that one in five of those taking up the new enterprise allowance, which is designed to help people set up businesses, are disabled people.
Job Creation — House of Commons, 2017-11-13
Topic: Social Welfare
David Michael Gauke (Conservative, Centre-right): Of course the highest earning 1% pay a bigger proportion of income tax than they ever have done before. I am also pleased to say that our Government have substantially increased the personal allowance; we have introduced the national living wage; and the support that universal credit is going to provide will help more and more people progress in work.
Universal Credit: Advance Payments — House of Commons, 2017-11-13
Topic: Social Welfare
David Thomas Morris (Conservative, Centre-right): I am keen to ensure that advance payments are made to my constituents in need, which is why I see the jobcentre and the citizens advice bureau, one after the other, every month. Does the Minister agree that the Labour party should start acting responsibly and join me in encouraging constituents to apply for this additional help, and tone down the political rhetoric, which could deter vulnerable people from applying in the first place?
Universal Credit: Advance Payments — House of Commons, 2017-11-13
Topic: Social Welfare
Damian Patrick George Hinds (Conservative, Centre-right): I do. My hon. Friend knows, and the Labour party should acknowledge, that no one need go without money while they wait for their first regular payment. Labour should not try to put people off accessing the support that is there for them.
Universal Credit: Advance Payments — House of Commons, 2017-11-13
Topic: Social Welfare
Damian Patrick George Hinds (Conservative, Centre-right): Our record on the timeliness of universal credit payments has improved markedly and, as the hon. Lady knows, advances are also available. I should also say that in the run-up to Christmas, when many temporary work opportunities are available, universal credit works much better for people, because they are able to access those opportunities, particularly on the verge of the festive season.
Universal Credit: Advance Payments — House of Commons, 2017-11-13
Topic: Labor
Damian Patrick George Hinds (Conservative, Centre-right): We know that people on universal credit spend a great deal more time looking for work than others, and that they apply for a wider range of jobs and consider jobs that they may not have considered before. All that is part of why it involves significantly better labour market outcomes, and why people are more likely to be in work after six months than they were on the old benefits.
Benefits System: Working Hours — House of Commons, 2017-11-13
Topic: Social Welfare
Questions: What steps he is taking to ensure that the benefits system does not penalise people who wish to increase the number of hours they work.
David Michael Gauke (Conservative, Centre-right): Universal credit is transforming and modernising the welfare state, ending complicated rules around employment hours and the cliff edges of the old system. Universal credit has a clear system of allowances and tapers to ensure that claimants know that they are always better off in work.
Benefits System: Working Hours — House of Commons, 2017-11-13
Topic: Labor
Questions: What steps he is taking to ensure that the benefits system does not penalise people who wish to increase the number of hours they work.
Theresa Anne Villiers (Conservative, Centre-right): Does the Secretary of State agree that one of the fundamental flaws of the system that we inherited from Labour is that people who wanted to work more than 16 hours a week could lose 90p of every pound that they earned?
Benefits System: Working Hours — House of Commons, 2017-11-13
Topic: Social Welfare
Questions: What steps he is taking to ensure that the benefits system does not penalise people who wish to increase the number of hours they work.
David Michael Gauke (Conservative, Centre-right): My right hon. Friend is absolutely right, and it was about not only the high marginal deduction rates, which obviously we do not see with universal credit, but the fact that people who moved in and out of work, or whose hours fluctuated, could find themselves moving from one benefit system to another. That created additional hassle and uncertainty for claimants, and discouraged people from taking on additional hours.
Universal Credit: Rent Arrears — House of Commons, 2017-11-13
Topic: Social Welfare
Questions: If he will make an assessment of the effect of the length of waiting time to receive universal credit on levels of rent arrears.
Richard Michael John Ogilvie Graham (Conservative, Centre-right): The single biggest problem for some welfare recipients who move into universal credit is their high level of debt. Can my hon. Friend the Minister for Employment tell me what he can do to take forward his idea of an interest-free period to resolve outstanding debt, and to promote the use of credit unions in advising strongly against the use of loan sharks, particularly in the run-up to Christmas?
Universal Credit: Lost Applications — House of Commons, 2017-11-13
Topic: Social Welfare
Damian Patrick George Hinds (Conservative, Centre-right): We are rolling out universal credit full service in a very measured way. I am not aware of any recent cases of claims being lost, but if the right hon. Gentleman knows of such incidents, I of course very much welcome him bringing these to my attention.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2017-11-13
Topic: Social Welfare
David Michael Gauke (Conservative, Centre-right): This Department’s mission is to support people through all stages of their lives. Universal credit is being introduced slowly, and it is steadily and positively transforming people’s prospects by bringing about the satisfaction and financial security of entering work and increasing earnings. We are also helping citizens to prepare for later life with our work on pensions, and we are committed to helping people from all walks of life at all stages of their lives. We will continue to build on that body of work to achieve our aims.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2017-11-13
Topic: Labor
Questions: The Minister will know that motor neurone disease is a degenerative disease, so may I ask what plans the Government have to ensure that people who suffer from that terrible disease do not have to be re-assessed for personal independence payments?; Can the Minister update the House on progress with the pensions dashboard and confirm that all pension schemes will be required to release the comprehensive data required to make that system useful?
Guy Thomas Opperman (Conservative, Centre-right): I am firmly committed to delivering the pensions dashboard. Its introduction will clearly transform how people think about retirement. I will make a statement in the spring that will tackle some of the delivery challenges, including the point that my hon. Friend raises. There is an ongoing feasibility study and there will be a stakeholders’ meeting on 11 December, which I urge him, as well as many interested stakeholders, to attend.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2017-11-13
Topic: Labor
Questions: The Minister will know that motor neurone disease is a degenerative disease, so may I ask what plans the Government have to ensure that people who suffer from that terrible disease do not have to be re-assessed for personal independence payments?; Can the Minister update the House on progress with the pensions dashboard and confirm that all pension schemes will be required to release the comprehensive data required to make that system useful?; How does the increased conditionality associated with universal credit, such as the requirement to attend at jobcentres more frequently, square with the DWP’s estates review and the decision to close jobcentres, starting with Maryhill in my constituency—which, incidentally, I have visited?
Damian Patrick George Hinds (Conservative, Centre-right): We have a comprehensive network of jobcentres across the United Kingdom. There are more in Scotland than in England, and more in Glasgow than in other cities. Universal credit is a system that works to help and support people to get into work—it is the right system.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2017-11-13
Topic: Law and Crime
Questions: The Minister will know that motor neurone disease is a degenerative disease, so may I ask what plans the Government have to ensure that people who suffer from that terrible disease do not have to be re-assessed for personal independence payments?; Can the Minister update the House on progress with the pensions dashboard and confirm that all pension schemes will be required to release the comprehensive data required to make that system useful?; How does the increased conditionality associated with universal credit, such as the requirement to attend at jobcentres more frequently, square with the DWP’s estates review and the decision to close jobcentres, starting with Maryhill in my constituency—which, incidentally, I have visited?; Does my right hon. Friend share my concern that the inaccurate use of universal credit statistics can cause huge distress and concern to vulnerable claimants? Does he agree that everyone has a duty to check their facts before using them in this House?; Many veterans with psychological injuries carry out physical activity as part of their rehabilitation process, but some report that they are being sanctioned because of this. Will the Secretary of State give his guarantee that the Government will no longer sanction recovering veterans?
Henry Edward Millar Smith (Conservative, Centre-right): A constituent who recently contacted me is concerned about how long they are having to wait for a tribunal hearing. Will my right hon. Friend make representations to the Ministry of Justice about the efficiency of Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service?
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2017-11-13
Topic: Labor
Questions: The Minister will know that motor neurone disease is a degenerative disease, so may I ask what plans the Government have to ensure that people who suffer from that terrible disease do not have to be re-assessed for personal independence payments?; Can the Minister update the House on progress with the pensions dashboard and confirm that all pension schemes will be required to release the comprehensive data required to make that system useful?; How does the increased conditionality associated with universal credit, such as the requirement to attend at jobcentres more frequently, square with the DWP’s estates review and the decision to close jobcentres, starting with Maryhill in my constituency—which, incidentally, I have visited?; Does my right hon. Friend share my concern that the inaccurate use of universal credit statistics can cause huge distress and concern to vulnerable claimants? Does he agree that everyone has a duty to check their facts before using them in this House?; Many veterans with psychological injuries carry out physical activity as part of their rehabilitation process, but some report that they are being sanctioned because of this. Will the Secretary of State give his guarantee that the Government will no longer sanction recovering veterans?; I will take the hon. Gentleman’s place, Mr Speaker.My local authority in Renfrewshire is having to set aside nearly £1 million to mitigate the devastating impact on families of the roll-out of universal credit. It is hiring extra staff to deal with rent arrears, which it expects to increase by 5%. With all levels of government in Scotland forced to pick up this Government’s slack, what further evidence does the Secretary of State need to see the huge systemic problems in UC and to understand that he must pause the roll-out now?
David Michael Gauke (Conservative, Centre-right): Universal credit will help to transform lives positively. It is already doing so by giving people the opportunity to work and to progress in work. The Scottish National party can join the Labour party in being on the wrong side of the argument, but history will not forgive it for that.