Oral Answers to Questions

Lindsay Hoyle Excerpts

Tuesday 26th January 2021 Commons Chamber

[Stephen Kinnock [V]]

The Chancellor likes to claim that the UK offers one of the most generous support schemes for self-employed people in the world, but self-employed women who have taken maternity leave in the past few years are not supported generously at all—in fact, they have received a lot less financial support than their peers who have not taken maternity leave. The charity Pregnant Then Screwed reported that around 75,000 self-employed women have been subject to— [Inaudible.]

[Mr Speaker]

Did you get any of that, Minister Norman?

[Jesse Norman]

indicated assent.

[Mr Speaker]

If you can get something out of it, please do.

[Jesse Norman]

If I may just say, the hon. Gentleman is wrong. We are not talking about a claim that is not validated by third parties; it is understood internationally that the scheme is one of the most generous in the world. He will be aware that the issue is subject to legal challenge, which limits what I can say, but I can tell him that the Government are well aware that some self-employed people found that their eligibility for the scheme was affected if they had taken time out of their trade in 2018-19, which is why, in June last year, the scheme’s eligibility criteria were revised to ensure that people in that situation were able to claim self-employment income support.

--- Later in debate ---

[Steve Barclay]

As my right hon. Friend the Chancellor set out a moment ago, the Office for Investment, led by Lord Grimstone, is focused on exactly that issue, working in tandem with the Build Back Better Business Council, which the Prime Minister and the Chancellor chair.

[Mr Speaker]

Order. I now suspend the House for three minutes to enable the necessary arrangements to be made for the next business.