Oral Answers to Questions

Gregory Stafford Excerpts

Monday 12th October 2026 Commons Chamber

[Andrew Western]

I would be happy to write to the hon. Lady to confirm specific timings in individual localities. We are ahead of projected delivery at the moment, having already hit more than 160 youth hubs, but we have a target of reaching more than 300 in the coming months and years. I will set out to her in writing plans for the youth hub that will serve her local area.

[Gregory Stafford (Farnham and Bordon) (Con)]

T1. If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities.

[The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Pat McFadden)]

Since our last oral questions session, we have announced an agreement with the British Retail Consortium to hire 100,000 young people not in education, employment or training over the next few years; we have announced an extension of disability bus pass usage to cover peak hours; we have rolled out more of the youth guarantee; and, as has been referred to, we have announced our intention to adjust the triple lock, ensuring rising and sustainable pensions for the future and also releasing funds for a new national care service, which is a matter of huge importance to pensioners and their families.

[Gregory Stafford]

This morning, The Times has reported that over two thirds of those on sickness benefits are awaiting their reassessment and remain unchecked, with average waits being over two years. What is the Secretary of State’s Department doing to meet its moral duty to help those who can work back into employment and its economic duty to save the taxpayer billions of pounds, with only those who genuinely need help receiving it?

[Pat McFadden]

I am glad that the hon. Member has given me the opportunity to point out what we inherited—exactly what was set out in The Times this morning—which was a backlog of 2 million people awaiting reassessment. As he knows, the Tories left a system with almost no face-to-face assessments. Since then, we announced at the Budget last year a plan to tackle the backlog in work capability assessments and reassessments. The Office for Budget Responsibility has costed that activity at saving over—