Oral Answers to Questions

Andy McDonald Excerpts

Wednesday 23rd April 2025 Commons Chamber

[Andy McDonald (Middlesbrough and Thornaby East) (Lab)]

Q6.   Happy St George’s Day, Mr Speaker. May I associate myself with the Prime Minister’s remarks about Pope Francis?After 14 years of a Conservative Government, too many of my constituents live on low incomes or in real poverty. I very much welcome the employment support proposals in the welfare Green Paper, but the Government have to be clear about the real opportunities they are offering to the more than 3 million families who they say will lose out financially as a result of this package. Before asking MPs to vote, can the Prime Minister confirm that we will see fresh analysis from the Office for Budget Responsibility, evidence on who will be affected by the personal independence payments changes, and the Government’s own assessment of the employment impact of their measures? Will he confirm that this policy will not result in increased experience of poverty?

[The Prime Minister]

We are reforming a broken system—the system that we inherited. I think most people accept that it needs reform, because it traps people in unemployment and inactivity, and we need to reform it for that reason. The principles will be that we will provide support where support is needed. Where people want to get into work, we will help them into work. The current system operates against people who want to get into work and make that transition; if they can work, they should work. Moving into work is what halves the risk of being in poverty, and that is why we have invested £1 billion in tailored employment support. Of course, we are also introducing a new premium for those with the most severe lifelong disabilities who will never be able to work.