Oral Answers to Questions

James Sunderland Excerpts

Monday 11th July 2022 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I am not quite sure of your connection with this question, as a Scottish MP, because obviously it is about Northamptonshire and England. There must be one, but I cannot see it. Are you sure there is a connection to the question? [Interruption.] It is limited to three areas—the responsibility is for those areas. I call James Sunderland.

[James Sunderland (Bracknell) (Con)]

5. What steps her Department is taking to reduce the level of fraud and error in the welfare system.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (David Rutley)]

In May this year, we published “Fighting Fraud in the Welfare System”, which details our proposals for reducing fraud and error, including legislative change and closer working across Government.

[James Sunderland]

The claimant rate in Bracknell is way below the national average. My constituency enjoys high employment, but we still have lots of job vacancies. What steps is the Department therefore taking to ensure that the remaining claimants are helped into work?

[David Rutley]

With a record 1.3 million vacancies, our focus is not only on tackling fraud but on continuing to help people to get back into work and to progress in their careers. A multi-billion-pound plan for jobs will continue to help our constituents and people across the UK to find work and progress in employment.