Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Cat Smith and Justin Tomlinson

Monday 8th March 2021 Commons Chamber

[Cat Smith (Lancaster and Fleetwood) (Lab)]

What recent assessment she has made of disabled people’s experience of the personal independence payment application process.

[The Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work (Justin Tomlinson)]

We have made a series of improvements to the personal independence payment claimant experience following research and two independent reviews. Building on that, the forthcoming Green Paper on health and disability support is being influenced by the views of disabled people and representatives from disability organisations.

[Cat Smith]

I wrote to the Minister last week telling him about the work of the Morecambe Bay Poverty Truth Commission, which has empowered people who have experienced the social security system to speak truth to power and try to improve the system. Will he meet the PIP claimants in my constituency who want to tell him about their experiences?

[Justin Tomlinson]

I thank the hon. Member for that question, and I would be delighted to do that. I know that she has been very proactive on a number of issues in my area over the years, and I would be delighted to have a meeting with her and her organisation to listen to their experiences.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Cat Smith and Justin Tomlinson

Monday 14th September 2020 Commons Chamber

[Cat Smith (Lancaster and Fleetwood) (Lab)]

When she plans to publish the findings of her Department’s review of how well the welfare system supports terminally ill people, which was announced in July 2019.

[The Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work (Justin Tomlinson)]

I would like to thank all the organisations and charities that supported the consultation, which took longer than we had hoped due to covid-19. It is clear that there are three themes: the need to change the six-month rule, to improve consistency and to raise awareness of the support. We are working at pace across government to bring forward proposals.

[Cat Smith]

Having supported a number of constituents with motor neurone disease, including a close friend, I have seen some of the challenges when faced with a terminal diagnosis. Can the Minister reassure me that the Government will not just replace the six-month rule with another arbitrary time limit of, say, 12 months? That would not solve the problem and would create barriers for patients and clinicians when it comes to navigating the special rules for terminal illness.