Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Cabinet Office

Oral Answers to Questions

Nia Griffith Excerpts
Wednesday 27th February 2013

(11 years, 9 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Stephen Crabb Portrait Stephen Crabb
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I will make the same point to the hon. Gentleman: the Government simply do not accept the catastrophic scenarios that Labour Members are trying to communicate. Universal credit will be a major tool in creating new incentives to work and raise employment levels in Wales. Let us not forget that Labour’s legacy in Wales was 200,000 people who have never worked at all. He should feel angry about that.

Nia Griffith Portrait Nia Griffith (Llanelli) (Lab)
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Disarray on universal credit means that children in Wales still do not know whether they will lose their free school meal entitlement, and some families in Wales will be better off not seeking more work because they would have to earn an additional £1,500 per child to make up for the loss of school meals. What is the Minister doing to safeguard free school meal entitlements for children in Wales?

Stephen Crabb Portrait Stephen Crabb
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The hon. Lady makes an important point. The Government take seriously concerns about high child care costs. On her specific point on passported benefits, of which the free school meal is one, we are in close discussions with Welsh Government Ministers. We are making good progress on resolving the outstanding questions. I will write to her with further information.