Oral Answers to Questions

Melanie Ward Excerpts

Monday 7th October 2024 Commons Chamber

[The Minister for Social Security and Disability (Sir Stephen Timms)]

I am not familiar with the report to which the hon. Member refers, but we committed in our manifesto to reviewing universal credit, nearly 15 years after it was first launched. The cliff edge issue and others will be among those that we will want to look at in the course of that review.

[Melanie Ward (Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy) (Lab)]

T6. After 14 years of Tory economic chaos and 17 years of Scottish National party public service failure, as many as one in four children in my constituency now live in poverty. Last year the Scottish Children’s Commissioner said that the former First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, had “absolutely” failed young people in Scotland. Does the Secretary of State agree that tackling child poverty will be a crucial part of the work of this Labour Government? As part of the important work that she is doing with the taskforce to develop a new child poverty strategy, will she come to my constituency—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. These are topical questions, so please can we keep them short? I have to try and get through the list to help others.