Oral Answers to Questions

John McNally Excerpts

Monday 23rd January 2023 Commons Chamber

[Guy Opperman]

My sympathies go out to Mrs Ward and her family in the circumstances that my hon. Friend has outlined to me, both in private and in public today. I can assure him that this matter will be reviewed. It is clearly a cross-Government matter, but it will be resolved by the summer at the latest.

[John Mc Nally (Falkirk) (SNP)]

18. What recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of Government support for pensioners in the context of increases in the cost of living.

[Cat Smith (Lancaster and Fleetwood) (Lab)]

20. What recent assessment he has made of the impact of inflation on pensioners.

[John Mc Nally]

I thank the Minister for her answer, but the Government are again showing their disregard for the vulnerable of our society by failing to increase state benefits adequately for those who need them most. All the while, the Government disproportionately reward the most affluent areas of this country with their so-called levelling-up grants. Their disregard for the common people, and pensioners in particular, is plain to see. Can the Minister confirm whether there are any plans to reduce the levels of poverty suffered by people that has been caused by her Government and her Department failing to support them adequately?

[Laura Trott]

May I remind the hon. Gentleman that under the Conservatives, absolute pensioner poverty has gone down and the state pension has gone up. This Government do deliver and will continue to deliver for pensioners across the United Kingdom.