Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Guy Opperman and Michael Tomlinson

Monday 7th October 2019 Commons Chamber

[Guy Opperman]

Just today, I met Toynbee Hall and other organisations that are championing the idea of Help to Save. It is making a massive difference, and it is linked to automatic enrolment and to various other schemes we are trying to pioneer in order to ensure that people have savings as well as UC.

[Michael Tomlinson (Mid Dorset and North Poole) (Con)]

I visited my local jobcentre, and it is very positive about the effects of UC. Specifically on financial resilience, how many people have been helped into work and the security of a regular pay packet as a result of UC?

[Guy Opperman]

My hon. Friend makes the good point that hundreds of thousands of people have been helped into work, but more particularly this is about the difference between the current system and the legacy system: we now have a dedicated work coach and personalised support; we have scrapped the 16-hour cliff edge; there is more help with childcare; and we have given additional support that was never there under the legacy system.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Guy Opperman and Michael Tomlinson

Monday 5th February 2018 Commons Chamber

[Guy Opperman]

The hon. Lady will know that the policy continued for 13 years under the Labour Government, and her Government could have done something about it between 1997 and 2010, but she maintained that it was the right policy. This Government continues to maintain that it was the right policy, and if individuals require assistance, the Government give over £50 billion to the disabled on an ongoing basis.

[Michael Tomlinson (Mid Dorset and North Poole) (Con)]

rose—

[Michael Tomlinson]

What benefit has auto-enrolment provided for my constituents?

[Guy Opperman]

Seven thousand employees are now signed up, and 900 employers are doing the right thing and are providing auto-enrolment to my hon. Friend’s constituents.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Guy Opperman and Michael Tomlinson

Thursday 6th July 2017 Commons Chamber

[Guy Opperman]

I look forward to meeting the all-party group when it is reformed, but I make the point that revisiting the 1995 Act and the 2011 Act would cost well in excess of £30 billion, as my hon. Friend knows. However, I look forward to those meetings and discussions.

[Michael Tomlinson (Mid Dorset and North Poole) (Con)]

Notification is clearly a key concern. Will my hon. Friend confirm what steps have been taken to raise awareness of the changes in the state pension age?

[Guy Opperman]

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for the question. As he will be aware, there have been multiple leaflets, letters, debates, advertising and discussion all the way through from 1995—for the past 22 years. He will no doubt be aware that there have been multiple debates in Parliament as well.