Oral Answers to Questions

Jim Cunningham Excerpts

Monday 26th March 2018 Commons Chamber

[Laura Smith (Crewe and Nantwich) (Lab)]

7. What assessment she has made of trends in the number of in-work households living in poverty.

[Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South) (Lab)]

10. What assessment she has made of trends in the number of in-work households living in poverty.

[Stephen Morgan (Portsmouth South) (Lab)]

24. What assessment she has made of trends in the numbers of in-work households living in poverty.

--- Later in debate ---

[Mr Speaker]

The copious character of the briefing is in one sense very impressive, but unfortunately exceeds the time available for its delivery.

[Mr Cunningham]

With your permission, Mr Speaker, I wish to pay tribute to a stalwart in Coventry who for many years helped the homeless. Mike Parker started the Coventry Open Christmas shelter in 1992 to provide warmth, food and shelter. His funeral was today. The shelter started as a one-night one-off and developed into a long-running campaign. It helps hundreds of homeless people in Coventry every year. Mike Parker helped to ensure that those who were lonely and hungry had somewhere warm and friendly to go. He will be sorely missed in Coventry.

Now for my question: will the Government look into ending the freeze on children’s benefits, lift the two-child limit on tax credit and fix universal credit to help to lift in-work households out of poverty?

[Kit Malthouse]

May I, too, salute the hon. Gentleman’s constituent? I did not know him, but he sounds like a remarkable man. I am sure he will be missed by those who loved and knew him.

The hon. Gentleman asked about the two-child limit. In our welfare reforms, we have tried to establish for those who require assistance through the welfare system the same choices that are made by those who do not have that kind of assistance. Having said that, we have ensured that nobody who currently has more than one child will suffer, and of course all children will continue to receive child benefit, irrespective of their status.