Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Cabinet Office

Oral Answers to Questions

Alison Thewliss Excerpts
Wednesday 15th July 2015

(9 years, 4 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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David Gauke Portrait Mr Gauke
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We will set out the details in due course, but it is perfectly reasonable to limit in future—this is prospective; this is for future births—the support that is provided to families to two children under the tax credits system, so that all households face the same consequences of decisions about how many children they have. That is what most families have to live with.

Alison Thewliss Portrait Alison Thewliss (Glasgow Central) (SNP)
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2. If he will make an assessment of the effect of benefit sanctions on (a) levels of poverty and (b) social cohesion in Scotland.

Priti Patel Portrait The Minister for Employment (Priti Patel)
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All evidence shows that work is the best route out of poverty. This Government have taken action to reform the welfare system to support people to come off benefits and get into work.

Alison Thewliss Portrait Alison Thewliss
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May I ask the Secretary of State for Scotland for an urgent review, as recommended by Citizens Advice Scotland, of the 323% increase in requests for food parcels in the past four years owing to the main triggers of benefit sanctions and benefit administration?

Priti Patel Portrait Priti Patel
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I return to the comments I have just made. The best route out of poverty is to increase work incentives and to support employment opportunities—having a job. To do that, we need a Government with a long-term economic plan that secures employment prospects for the country as a whole.