Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Christian Matheson and Justin Tomlinson

Monday 8th March 2021 Commons Chamber

[Christian Matheson (City of Chester) (Lab) [V]]

Too many of my constituents on assessed benefits —ESA and personal independence payment—find that the reports from their assessments bear no relation to what was discussed in the interview. What measures will Ministers put in place to ensure that accuracy and honesty are carried through in those assessments so that we do not see huge numbers of those decisions overturned on appeal, which is happening at the moment?

[Justin Tomlinson]

Although the vast majority of people who access their benefits get the outcome they were hoping for, we recognise the need for continuous improvements, which we make working hand in hand with health and disability charities, organisation users and frontline staff. In the forthcoming health and disability Green Paper, we will look at the specific themes of evidence, advocacy, assessment and the appeals system to ensure we continue to deliver those improvements.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Christian Matheson and Justin Tomlinson

Thursday 14th March 2019 Commons Chamber

[Christian Matheson (City of Chester) (Lab)]

11. What recent assessment she has made of the effect of changes to the pension age on women born in the 1950s.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Justin Tomlinson)]

The state pension age reform is focused on maintaining the right balance between sustainability of the state pension and fairness between generations in the face of demographic change. Without equalisation, women would be expected to spend an average of more than 40% of their adult lives receiving the state pension.

--- Later in debate ---

[Justin Tomlinson]

That is exactly why we have continued to deliver the triple lock. We recently announced a £3 billion uprating, and 80% of women reaching state pension age before 2030 will be better off by an average of £550 a year under the new arrangements.

[Christian Matheson]

Do the Government accept that the DWP’s communication strategy was well below standard, and many women found out about changes in their pensions only a year—or even a few months—before those changes were made?

[Justin Tomlinson]

That, too, is an issue that has been debated extensively in a number of Parliaments, and it has been encountered by Governments of all political persuasions. On our watch, we redoubled efforts to ensure that there was the maximum amount of communication so that people could make informed decisions.