Universal Credit

Desmond Swayne Excerpts

Monday 5th November 2018 Commons Chamber

[Ms McVey]

The hon. Gentleman raises a good point. That is another thing we will looking at during the managed migration, as we expand the system and more people come on to universal credit—how many more people do we need in call centres; how many more work coaches?—because we will need the right number to give a good service.

[Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)]

rose—

[Mr Speaker]

I appeal to the right hon. Member for New Forest West (Sir Desmond Swayne) now to republish his brevity textbook in the hope that others will follow.

[Sir Desmond Swayne]

“The Government has listened to the frontline. These are significant improvements that will make a real difference.” Who said that?

[Ms McVey]

My right hon. Friend has just said it. I have heard many charities saying that this is positive news. The Department is listening and bringing in significant support for claimants.

Oral Answers to Questions

Desmond Swayne Excerpts

Monday 15th October 2018 Commons Chamber

[Justin Tomlinson]

I thank the hon. Gentleman. Universal credit is designed to mirror the world of work, with monthly payments. It is far better that, through the personalised and tailored support of their individual work coach, claimants are able to be given the support to navigate that now and not on the first day of entering work.

[Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)]

What sort of honeymoon is this?

[Justin Tomlinson]

It is a great honour to share my honeymoon with so many wonderful colleagues.

Widowed Parent’s Allowance

Desmond Swayne Excerpts

Wednesday 5th September 2018 Commons Chamber

[Justin Tomlinson]

I thank the hon. Lady for her response. As I said in my statement, the Court cannot change primary legislation, and many of the points she raises are the very ones we will be considering, including the potential impacts of any changes that could happen. I will happily update the House on those once we have had the chance to consider them fully.

Many of the other points raised were at the heart of the principles of why we brought forward the new bereavement payments process: it is far simpler and it is a quicker process. We did consider the point about cohabitation, but this is not straightforward, as was extensively debated during the discussions around the time of the Pensions Act 2014, particularly as the regulations were brought forward. That makes this a complex process, because it can be open to interpretation, leading to delays and additional burdens for claimants, particularly at a time of distress. Any extension could trigger multiple claims; a bereaved person may have been legally married to one person but living with a new partner, who would therefore become eligible.

The hon. Lady talked about the new proposals for families with children, but I will challenge her back on that, because the new system is easier and quicker, and the payment is in addition to other household income. It is not taxed or means-tested, and it is not applied to the benefit cap. These are all keys areas that help those with the lowest income, as the principle was based on fairness. We also widened support so that anyone of working age would qualify and younger spouses and civil partners without children would get support. Specifically for those bereaved with children, an additional £1,500 was paid as the first lump sum. In some cases, those families could be eligible for additional benefits, whether through universal credit, child benefit, tax credits or the funeral expenses payment.

[Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)]

Whatever the decision of the Court, will the Minister give consideration in his deliberations to the fact that many on these Benches have a preference for our own law made in this House over the provisions of European human rights law?

ESA Underpayments

Desmond Swayne Excerpts

Thursday 19th July 2018 Commons Chamber

[Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)]

The hon. Member for Battersea (Marsha De Cordova) has spoken of a culture of indifference, but the bill for disability benefits this year will be £5.4 billion higher than it was in 2010. Is there an exponential increase in the number of disabled people between whom payments are being spread ever more thinly?

[Sarah Newton]

We are absolutely determined to ensure that everyone with a health condition or a disability is supported so that they can lead as full and as independent a life as possible. That includes supporting people with a health condition or a disability who want to work into work. I am delighted that we have seen 600,000 more people with disabilities in work in the last four years. Of course, we want to ensure that those who are unable to work also get the support that they need.

The Secretary of State’s Handling of Universal Credit

Desmond Swayne Excerpts

Wednesday 11th July 2018 Commons Chamber

[Margaret Greenwood]

I will come on to that point in my remarks.

[Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)]

The report, rather perversely in my view, complains that the roll-out has been too slow. Is it unreasonable for us to assume that it would like us to hurry up?

[Margaret Greenwood]

The right hon. Gentleman should go back and re-read the report.

On 4 July, the Secretary of State finally admitted that she had “inadvertently” misled Parliament in claiming that the roll-out should be speeded up. This matters not just because she admitted that she had misled Parliament, but, as I will explain later, because the Government have sharply accelerated the roll-out of universal credit since May and because, from next year it, they will start a managed migration of 3.9 million people on legacy benefits across to universal credit.

Universal Credit

Desmond Swayne Excerpts

Thursday 5th July 2018 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

No, the hon. Lady has already had one bite at the cherry. Let us have a masterclass from Sir Desmond Swayne.

[Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)]

Mr Speaker, if you complain to me that I am being too slow, am I unreasonable in assuming that you want me to go faster?

Oral Answers to Questions

Desmond Swayne Excerpts

Monday 2nd July 2018 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I think we must have a dose of Swayne.

[Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)]

What is the impact on housing association tenants?

[Ms McVey]

My right hon. Friend asks a rather open question but we have a landlord portal for housing association tenants. If people need their payments done automatically, they can have just that—if that is what he is referring to.

--- Later in debate ---

[Guy Opperman]

I merely repeat the point that I made previously: between 1997 and 2010, there was a Labour Government. Not only did they support this policy, but they expanded it through the Pensions Act 2008, which, as the hon. Gentleman knows full well, raised the state pension age.

[Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)]

T1. If she will make a statement on her departmental responsibilities.

[The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Ms Esther McVey)]

Those who take an interest in disability issues will know about our Disability Confident scheme, which supports businesses to employ disabled people. We have launched the Disability Confident 100-day community challenge to get people across this House involved in supporting people in their local area. To date, in 24 hours, 23 MPs have become involved. I hope that the whole House will help disabled people in their area to get into work.

[Sir Desmond Swayne]

This is complicated, Mr Speaker, so stay with me. What can the Secretary of State do to ensure continuity of universal credit benefit entitlement for those people paid on the same day every month for whom, every now and again, two pay packets will fall into the assessment period?

[Michael Fabricant (Lichfield) (Con)]

Could you explain it again?

Oral Answers to Questions

Desmond Swayne Excerpts

Monday 21st May 2018 Commons Chamber

[Sarah Newton]

We have updated the House regularly. I published a list of frequently asked questions and placed it in the House of Commons Library on 28 March. I wrote to the hon. Gentleman on 17 April again offering a meeting and I have yet to hear a response. My door remains open and we are getting on with great urgency to begin the repayments as soon as possible.

[Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)]

From a PIP application being made to when an award is paid, what is the mode, the mean and the median waiting time?

[Sarah Newton]

I thank my right hon. Friend for his question. I cannot answer with regards to the mode, the mean and the median, but I can tell him that the average waiting time at the moment is 12 weeks. We have worked very hard to bring down the waiting time so that people can get the support they need as soon as possible.

Oral Answers to Questions

Desmond Swayne Excerpts

Monday 26th March 2018 Commons Chamber

[Kit Malthouse]

We believe that the solution for working families is universal credit and that people should take control of their own lives and work hard so that they can build a life for themselves and their families. That is exactly what we are trying to achieve through our welfare reforms.

[Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)]

rose—

[Mr Speaker]

New Forest West brevity now, to be copied by others afterwards.

[Sir Desmond Swayne]

Is there evidence that in-work benefits depress wages?

[Kit Malthouse]

My right hon. Friend raises an interesting point. A fair amount of analysis of that idea is currently going on. As soon as we have a conclusion, we will let him know.

Oral Answers to Questions

Desmond Swayne Excerpts

Monday 5th February 2018 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

That is a perfectly reasonable course of action for the Secretary of State to take, but it is not a point of order. It might be called a point of information that some colleagues will find helpful.

[Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)]

rose—

[Mr Speaker]

Is the right hon. Gentleman seeking to raise a point of order, or is he stretching his legs? [Interruption.] The right hon. Member for Broxtowe (Anna Soubry) says he is keeping himself awake.