Oral Answers to Questions

Mary Glindon Excerpts

Monday 28th March 2011 Commons Chamber

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Maria Miller)]

I can reassure my hon. Friend that both I and officials have met representatives from the National Autistic Society, which has put forward helpful thoughts on the new assessment. It has asked for the people who carry out the assessments to be trained in autism, for individuals to be able to bring somebody to a face-to-face assessment, and for them to be able to use the best supporting evidence. We agree 100% with its proposals.

[Mrs Mary Glindon (North Tyneside) (Lab)]

By insisting that widows’ pensions should be treated as unearned income under the universal credit, widows will lose a large slice of their pension. How can the Secretary of State justify that?

[Mr Duncan Smith]

The hon. Lady knows that we are looking at all these matters. I am happy to discuss that matter with her if she wants to talk to me.