Oral Answers to Questions

Mary Robinson Excerpts

Monday 18th March 2019 Commons Chamber

[Amber Rudd]

I ask the hon. Gentleman to engage with the change that is universal credit. People were left to languish on previous legacy benefits, and were not helped into work at all. We now have a system where the money is focused on trying to help people into work. That is why we have seen the changes with the work allowance, and why we have seen additional support from the Chancellor. It is a different system from that point of view.

[Mary Robinson (Cheadle) (Con)]

2. What steps she has taken to ensure that universal credit is tailored to individual claimants’ needs.

[Matt Warman (Boston and Skegness) (Con)]

12. What steps she has taken to ensure that universal credit is tailored to individual claimants’ needs.

[Mary Robinson]

I am grateful to the Minister for that answer. Will he say what support he is giving to people in my constituency to help them back into work?

[Alok Sharma]

I thank my hon. Friend and her parliamentary office for engaging with their local jobcentre in Stockport. I know that she has visited it and seen the one-to-one support provided. She asked for a specific example; in the past week, Stockport jobcentre has been working with claimants to prepare them for a sector-based work academy opportunity with the NHS, which will lead to 20 guaranteed interviews.