Oral Answers to Questions

Jonathan Gullis Excerpts

Monday 21st March 2022 Commons Chamber

[Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Slough) (Lab)]

10. What steps her Department is taking to support pensioners to manage the increase in the cost of living.

[Jonathan Gullis (Stoke-on-Trent North) (Con)]

12. What steps she is taking to help support pensioners with the cost of living.

[Henry Smith (Crawley) (Con)]

20. What steps she is taking to help support pensioners with the cost of living.

--- Later in debate ---

[Guy Opperman]

With respect, there are 200,000 fewer pensioners in absolute poverty, both before and after housing costs, than in 2009-10. [Interruption.] With respect, the statistics are correct. The hon. Gentleman will recall, as a Labour Member of Parliament, that when the Government changed in 2010, the state pension was barely £100; the new state pension will be over £185 this coming year. It has risen by £2,300 in cash terms over the last eight years.

[Jonathan Gullis]

Claiming pension credit is a passport to a variety of other benefits for elderly residents in Stoke-on-Trent North, Kidsgrove and Talke, so could my hon. Friend advise local people what support becomes available to them if they submit a valid claim for pension credit?

[Jonathan Ashworth]

Have you written to the local paper?

--- Later in debate ---

[Dr Coffey]

The hon. Lady raises an important point. I am confident that my Department and officials will undertake their duties carefully and considerately. I am conscious that there will be times when things go wrong and that sometimes the Department will be brought into local investigations, usually by social services. It is important that we respond to that, as well as to the ongoing lessons that we learn from broader themes that we investigate through the Serious Case Panel.

[Jonathan Gullis (Stoke-on-Trent North) (Con)]

I thank the Minister for the phone call last week about the DWP closure and the potential for more than 200 job losses in Stoke-on-Trent—she rightly understands the concern of local residents. Although it is totally irresponsible of the Public and Commercial Services Union to brief before local employees were spoken to, it is vital that we make sure we retain these types of jobs in Stoke-on-Trent, where we know that the average salary is below the weekly average of the rest of the UK and that unemployment is higher than the UK average. What can she do to keep as many of those jobs in the city and work with the local authority to find a new hub within Stoke-on-Trent?