Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Bill Esterson and Rachel Hopkins

Wednesday 4th November 2020 Commons Chamber

[Bill Esterson (Sefton Central) (Lab)]

What recent assessment he has made of the effect of the migration to universal credit on the level of child poverty in Northern Ireland.

[Rachel Hopkins (Luton South) (Lab)]

What recent assessment he has made of the effect of the migration to universal credit on the level of child poverty in Northern Ireland.

[The Minister of State, Northern Ireland Office (Mr Robin Walker)]

The UK Government have provided unprecedented levels of support to families and employers throughout the covid crisis. We want to see a prospering economy that reduces child poverty. Welfare is a devolved matter in Northern Ireland, with no official statistical information yet available on its impact in the current year. However, the Northern Ireland Executive are committed to combating poverty via the anti-poverty and child poverty strategies, which were agreed in “New Decade, New Approach”.