Oral Answers to Questions

Mike Hill Excerpts

Monday 30th November 2020 Commons Chamber

[Dr Coffey]

The situation that happens with aspects of pensions is quite complicated and often these are reciprocal arrangements, so that is where such things as aggregation may well happen, but that does rely on those agreements being in place. That has been the policy on pensions for longer than any of us in this House have been alive, I expect, and it continues to be honoured. I am conscious of what the hon. Member says, but there may well be other elements of support that the constituent to whom she refers may be entitled.

[Mike Hill (Hartlepool) (Lab)]

Some sources predict that 2.6 million people could be unemployed by next year. Five years on from universal credit being piloted in my constituency of Hartlepool, it still has teething problems. Can the Minister assure the House that the system will cope, should claimant numbers rise significantly?

[Will Quince]

The universal credit system has risen to the challenge, going up from 2.2 million to 5.8 million claimants. That is why we have this modern, agile, dynamic system. It has performed incredibly well and I have no doubt that it will continue to do so.