Severe Disability Premium

Jim Cunningham Excerpts
Tuesday 7th May 2019

(5 years, 6 months ago)

Commons Chamber
Read Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts

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

Justin Tomlinson Portrait Justin Tomlinson
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

The judgment was given only on Friday, but we are urgently considering all the options available to us. Once we are in a position to do so, we absolutely will make sure that we communicate with all claimants.

Jim Cunningham Portrait Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South) (Lab)
- Hansard - -

Has the Minister not got the message that this system is not working? As has been pointed out repeatedly, it is not working. About a fortnight ago, I visited one of the biggest food banks in the west midlands. They are the ones helping people who cannot claim their benefits. Why do the Government not scrap it and start again?

Justin Tomlinson Portrait Justin Tomlinson
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

I could not disagree more. Under the legacy benefits—the benefits the hon. Gentleman is seemingly advocating that we go back to—700,000 of the most vulnerable people, many of whom are those using the food banks, are missing out on £2.4 billion of support.

Jim Cunningham Portrait Mr Cunningham
- Hansard - -

indicated dissent.

Justin Tomlinson Portrait Justin Tomlinson
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

The hon. Gentleman can shake his head, but these are some of the most vulnerable people. We are creating a simpler, clearer system so that those vulnerable people do not miss out on the support they are entitled to.