Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Wales Office

Oral Answers to Questions

Craig Tracey Excerpts
Wednesday 13th January 2016

(8 years, 10 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Alun Cairns Portrait Alun Cairns
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I do not recognise the premise of the hon. Lady’s question. Significant discussions are going on between the Department for Transport, the Welsh Government, rail operators and other partners about remapping and the franchises. We will happily take positive representations on that

Craig Tracey Portrait Craig Tracey (North Warwickshire) (Con)
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8. What assessment he has made of trends in the number of workless households in Wales.

Stephen Crabb Portrait The Secretary of State for Wales (Stephen Crabb)
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In all parts of the United Kingdom our welfare reforms are working, transforming the lives of those from the most disadvantaged backgrounds. The number of workless households in Wales continues to fall, with 12,000 fewer in the last year alone.

Craig Tracey Portrait Craig Tracey
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Does the Secretary of State agree that the Government’s welfare reforms are improving the life chances of children in Wales?

Stephen Crabb Portrait Stephen Crabb
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I absolutely agree with my hon. Friend. We on the Government Benches understand that work is the best route out of poverty. I am very pleased that in Wales the number of children growing up in a home where no parent works has halved, falling by 62,000 since 2010. I am clear that if we are to transform life chances, we have to go much deeper and address the root causes of worklessness, as my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister pointed out in his speech on Monday.