Oral Answers to Questions

Ann Davies Excerpts

Monday 12th October 2026 Commons Chamber

[Pat McFadden]

The right hon. Gentleman is right to emphasise the importance of jobs. That is why he will be pleased to know that there are 243,000 more people in work than at this time last year. He will also be pleased to know that the employment rate in the UK is higher today than in all but one of the 14 years when his party was in power. He will be pleased a third time to know that economic inactivity is down by 367,000 since the last election.

[Ann Davies (Caerfyrddin) (PC)]

If we want to support young people into employment, we must address the barriers they face long before they enter the workplace. One is child poverty, which is why the Plaid Cymru Government will pilot the Cynnal payment. Will the Secretary of State confirm that the £10 a week payment for children in households receiving universal credit will be disregarded for benefit purposes?

[Pat McFadden]

We made a major change on this front last year, when we abolished the two-child limit. That, together with other elements in the child poverty strategy, is estimated to bring down child poverty by about half a million over the course of this Parliament. That is an important step towards children being able to live the fullest life possible. Children who are poor can also suffer from worse education results and worse mental health later in life, so this is not just an anti-poverty measure; it is a pro-opportunity measure too.