All 2 Debates between Jane Ellison and Christina Rees

Wed 14th Sep 2016

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Jane Ellison and Christina Rees
Tuesday 25th October 2016

(8 years, 1 month ago)

Commons Chamber
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Christina Rees Portrait Christina Rees (Neath) (Lab/Co-op)
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10. What steps his Department is taking to compensate people affected by incorrect withdrawal of tax credits as a result of errors by Concentrix.

Jane Ellison Portrait The Financial Secretary to the Treasury (Jane Ellison)
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If anyone feels their tax credits have been incorrectly withdrawn owing to errors by Concentrix, they should urgently contact Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, which will review all complaint cases and will, and indeed does, pay redress where appropriate.

Christina Rees Portrait Christina Rees
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Labour welcomes the cancellation of the Concentrix contract and the fact that it will be administered in-house by HMRC staff. Will the Minister reassure the thousands of single parents and families, many in my Neath constituency, that their tax credits erroneously stopped by Concentrix will be reinstated immediately so their children can be kept safe and warm and not go unfed as winter approaches?

Jane Ellison Portrait Jane Ellison
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The hon. Lady is absolutely right to draw the House’s attention to the importance of prioritising vulnerable claimants. HMRC held a further drop-in for colleagues recently, on 19 October; it was attended by 15 Members, and a number of complaints and issues were raised, which we are on the way to resolving.

On restarting claims, the key is to get the right information. HMRC has taken back a vast number of cases, and I will say more about this tomorrow. The priority is to get the right information, to get claims started again as soon as the facts are established.

Tax Credits: Concentrix

Debate between Jane Ellison and Christina Rees
Wednesday 14th September 2016

(8 years, 2 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Urgent Questions are proposed each morning by backbench MPs, and up to two may be selected each day by the Speaker. Chosen Urgent Questions are announced 30 minutes before Parliament sits each day.

Each Urgent Question requires a Government Minister to give a response on the debate topic.

This information is provided by Parallel Parliament and does not comprise part of the offical record

Jane Ellison Portrait Jane Ellison
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In the normal course of events, we would always look to how things should be arranged in the future after reflecting on what we can learn from things that have already happened. That would happen through a normal process of review and consideration. We shall have to agree to differ on the issue of whether an inquiry is needed.

Christina Rees Portrait Christina Rees (Neath) (Lab/Co-op)
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I have been contacted by many distressed women in my Neath constituency about how awful Concentrix really is. Some Concentrix advisers have suggested to mums, who are desperately trying to renew their tax credits, to get payday loans to feed their children while their claims are being processed. A group has been formed, called “Concentrix Mums”, whose more than 5,000 members can share their horror stories. Let me provide just a couple.