Oral Answers to Questions
Debate between Douglas McAllister and Andrew Western(3 weeks, 1 day ago)
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Andrew Western
I hope the hon. Member has heard me say that we concur with the need for change. We have announced changes in the right direction today, and I will of course pick up with my fellow Minister about securing that meeting for her. I know they have already been in protracted talks about arranging it, and I will make sure it happens.
Douglas McAllister (West Dunbartonshire) (Lab)
My constituent, Deborah, should receive monthly child maintenance payments for her daughter, but her former partner withholds payments, despite my complaints and hers to the DWP Child Maintenance Service complaints team, advising them that he deliberately withholds payments for three months and then backdates them. That is a form of abuse and controlling behaviour, but the DWP complaints team have advised me today that there is nothing they can do to prevent it, despite a deduction-from-earnings order being in place. Does the Minister agree that that is a completely inadequate response that requires a ministerial review of the system?
Andrew Western
I am sorry to hear about the case that my hon. Friend has highlighted. He will have heard the reform that I announced earlier, but I absolutely understand why he wants to raise this issue for his constituent, and if he would like to meet me to discuss it further, I would be happy to do that.
Oral Answers to Questions
Debate between Douglas McAllister and Andrew Western(6 months, 4 weeks ago)
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Douglas McAllister (West Dunbartonshire) (Lab)
How does the Secretary of State envision the future of jobcentres in my constituency and across Scotland, and what role will technology play in that?
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Andrew Western)
My hon. Friend is absolutely right to highlight that any reform to our jobcentres must come with digital transformation. We are currently exploring schemes such as a “Jobcentre in your pocket” app, as well as looking for ways in which jobseekers can self-serve in terms of meeting the conditions of their conditionality regime.