Oral Answers to Questions

Julie Elliott Excerpts

Monday 20th February 2017 Commons Chamber

[The Minister for Employment (Damian Hinds)]

Mentoring has a critical role to play, and I would encourage those employers in my hon. Friend’s constituency, if they are not already doing so, to get in touch with local schools and colleges and to seek out more opportunities.

[Julie Elliott (Sunderland Central) (Lab)]

T7. Will the Minister look at the assessment of people with long-term progressive conditions who are applying for PIP, in the light of some of the issues that have been raised? Would she consider removing the need for continued assessment of people with long-term progressive conditions when, by the nature of those conditions, they are getting worse and not improving day by day?

[Penny Mordaunt]

The hon. Lady makes a good suggestion. We are looking at that, and if we can share data better—not just across our own systems but with local government—we could improve things, because we could cut down on a huge administrative burden for claimants.

Oral Answers to Questions

Julie Elliott Excerpts

Monday 9th May 2016 Commons Chamber

[Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South) (Lab)]

11. If his Department will introduce transitional protection for women adversely affected by changes in the state pension age.

[Julie Elliott (Sunderland Central) (Lab)]

12. If his Department will introduce transitional protection for women adversely affected by changes in the state pension age.

[Kate Hollern (Blackburn) (Lab)]

19. If his Department will introduce transitional protection for women adversely affected by changes in the state pension age.

--- Later in debate ---

[Mr Vara]

The Secretary of State made it absolutely clear earlier in these questions that he has no intention of revisiting this issue.

[Julie Elliott]

Why has the Minister not used the opportunity of a majority Conservative Government to put right the wrongs of the last Government, which have had an impact on some 4,290 women in my constituency, by introducing proper transitional arrangements—or is this just compassionate Conservatism in action?

[Mr Vara]

During the debates in 2011, the then Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and the then Pensions Minister said on Second Reading of the Pensions Bill that they would go away, consider and reflect, and they did precisely that: on Report, they made a concession worth £1.1 billion and reduced the timeframe from two years to 18 months. Transitional arrangements were put in place, and at a substantial and significant cost, notwithstanding the very tough economic climate at the time.