Oral Answers to Questions

Margaret Greenwood Excerpts

Monday 9th January 2017 Commons Chamber

[Damian Green]

No. Indeed, I would point out to the hon. Lady that this Government’s introduction of the national living wage last year gave the lowest earners their biggest pay rise in 20 years—an increase of 6%. That is an example of a Government measure introduced by employers. I cannot think of a better early example of the shared society.

[Margaret Greenwood (Wirral West) (Lab)]

What assessment have the Government made of how many more children will be pushed into poverty given the cuts to the work allowance under universal credit?

[Damian Green]

As I have said to a number of hon. Members on both sides of the House, the solution lies in a wider range of issues, and that is what we are introducing. We have the social justice Green Paper, about which I am sure we will have many discussions in this House and elsewhere. The root is making sure that as many people as possible can earn a salary and work. I am sure that the hon. Lady, like me, will welcome the fact that unemployment has come down by 53% in her constituency since 2010. That means thousands of families who are able to work and control their own lives, possibly working their way out of poverty. She ought to welcome that.

[Margaret Greenwood]

It is a poor Government who fail to understand the value of the nation’s children. In addition to the universal credit work allowance cuts, this Government have abolished the child poverty unit and frozen social security payments, and are removing tax credits from third and subsequent children. Does the Minister think child poverty will go up or down as a result of those measures?

[Damian Green]

I have already given the hon. Lady a number of figures relating both to adult poverty and child poverty—