Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between James Wild and Emma Reynolds

Thursday 13th November 2025 Commons Chamber

[Emma Reynolds]

I thank the hon. Member for his question, and I look forward to working with him on this issue. We will look at pre-pipe solutions in the forthcoming White Paper, which I look forward to discussing with him when we publish it.

[James Wild (North West Norfolk) (Con)]

7. Whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of solar farms on food security.

Social Security Advisory Committee: Winter Fuel Payment

Debate between James Wild and Emma Reynolds

Tuesday 12th November 2024 Commons Chamber

[Emma Reynolds]

The hon. Lady’s question allows me to focus on the communications around this change. It is not just about pension credit, but about people on working tax credit, child tax credit and other benefits. The committee was concerned about pensioners in receipt of child tax credit; pensioners should check whether they are eligible for other qualifying benefits for winter fuel payments, because it is quite a complicated system. It is not just about whether someone is already on pension credit.

[James Wild (North West Norfolk) (Con)]

The Government say that they want everyone who is eligible for pension credit to claim it and get it, but as the Social Security Advisory Committee points out, they expect only a 5% increase in uptake. Is the reality not that the Government need hundreds of thousands of pensioners not to claim this entitlement that they deserve, in order to make their figures add up and to cut £1.4 billion from winter fuel payments?

[Emma Reynolds]

I would be very pleased if all pensioners who are eligible for pension credit applied and received the help that they deserve.