Oral Answers to Questions

Emily Thornberry Excerpts

Monday 7th September 2015 Commons Chamber

The Secretary of State was asked—

[Emily Thornberry (Islington South and Finsbury) (Lab)]

1. What information his Department holds on the number of people in the work-related activity group who have long-term deteriorating health conditions.

[The Minister for Employment (Priti Patel)]

There is no common medical definition as to what constitutes a long-term deteriorating health condition so no data on this are held within Government. The Department will be publishing data on the number of claimants on employment and support allowance with progressive conditions on Thursday.

[Emily Thornberry]

The answer is, according to the Work and Pensions Committee, about 8,000.

Ministers seem to have discovered remarkable healing powers over the summer break. They believe cutting benefits will help people in the work-related group who have been assessed and deemed as being unable to work to suddenly find work. It will give them an incentive, we are told. These are people who have deteriorating conditions such as Parkinson’s and MS which medical experts have said mean they will never be able to work. Which medical condition would the Minister deem might be cured by cutting benefits by £30 a week?

[Priti Patel]

On the contrary, this Government believe in supporting people who are able to work to get back closer to the labour market, and the Government spend about £350 million a year on employment support for those with conditions, in particular disability. I think all Members will be pleased to know that the Budget has also provided new funding from April 2017 for additional support for claimants with limited capability for work, but importantly the principle here is that those who can work and are able to work are supported by this Government in getting closer to the labour market, and we are supporting them through our jobcentres and the initiatives we have across government.