Oral Answers to Questions

Joanna Cherry Excerpts

Monday 1st July 2019 Commons Chamber

[Will Quince]

I thank the hon. Gentleman for his question. He is right that the broad market rental areas have some anomalies. I have officials looking into this. It is a huge and complex piece of work, given that there are approximately 900 of those areas. It is therefore not something that can be done quickly, but I recognise the issue and I am working on it.

[Joanna Cherry (Edinburgh South West) (SNP)]

8. What recent assessment she has made of the level of pensioner poverty in the UK.

[Martyn Day (Linlithgow and East Falkirk) (SNP)]

19. What recent assessment she has made of the level of pensioner poverty in the UK.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Guy Opperman)]

The overall trend in the percentage of pensioners living in poverty has fallen dramatically over recent decades. Relative pensioner poverty rates before housing costs have halved since 1990 and rates of material deprivation for pensioners are also at record lows. We want to maintain this achievement.

[Joanna Cherry]

On Friday, I met constituents and campaigners from Women Against State Pension Inequality Campaign Scotland. Those women told me that they are suffering poverty, distress and significant inequality as a result of a pension decision taken in the name of equality. At a time when the Tory leadership candidates are promising billions of pounds of public spending, those women would like to know why the Government cannot find the cash to right the wrong done to the WASPI women.

[Guy Opperman]

It is not the Government’s intention to change the Pensions Act 1995, the Pensions Act 2007 or the Pensions Act 2011. There was a £1.1 billion concession in 2011. The policy was conceived in 1993, continued under the Labour Government for 13 years, continued under the coalition and will continue under this Government. I should also point out that a judicial review is pending. I cannot comment any further than that.