Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Iain Duncan Smith and Stephen Hepburn

Monday 7th December 2015 Commons Chamber

[Mr Stephen Hepburn (Jarrow) (Lab)]

6. What estimate he has made of the proportion of working families likely to be affected by the Government’s reforms to benefits.

[The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Mr Iain Duncan Smith)]

We are fundamentally reforming the welfare system to ensure that the benefits of work are always clear for all. As part of that, we are supporting working families who are on benefits to progress in work, increase their earnings and move away from welfare dependency.

[Mr Hepburn]

The Government’s humiliating U-turn on tax credits is to be welcomed, but the Chancellor has confirmed that another £12 billion of welfare cuts will take place. Is it not a fact that those cuts will affect the poorest, the most vulnerable and those who are struggling to survive in society, like families?

[Mr Duncan Smith]

With respect to the hon. Gentleman, it was made clear at the Budget by the Chancellor that the total package of changes includes changes to the welfare budget of £12 billion, but that other Departments are also involved in the process of getting rid of the deficit. I thought that the Labour party had said it was in favour of getting rid of the deficit, so the question is what it plans to do. I remind him that a huge amount of the savings are being made because more people are going back to work and fewer people are therefore claiming benefits.