Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Priti Patel and Yasmin Qureshi

Wednesday 14th September 2016 Commons Chamber

[Priti Patel]

I thank the hon. Lady for her welcome and look forward to working with her on many such global challenges and crises. She is right to highlight the extent of humanitarian suffering in Aleppo we are comprehending. I was in Brussels on Monday meeting my development counterparts, and I speak on a near-daily basis to my opposite numbers around the world. The focus for us is the humanitarian crisis, and on getting aid into the besieged areas, and to the people who desperately need aid but who have not been receiving it. I will continue the work we are undertaking and continue to update the House.

[Yasmin Qureshi (Bolton South East) (Lab)]

3. What support her Department has provided to victims of the earthquake in Dolakha, Nepal of May 2015.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Priti Patel and Yasmin Qureshi

Tuesday 9th December 2014 Commons Chamber

[Yasmin Qureshi (Bolton South East) (Lab)]

13. How many employed people are in receipt of tax credits.

[The Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury (Priti Patel)]

Tax credits provide financial support to low-income households. In April 2014 there were 3.3 million families in work receiving tax credits. That had fallen from 4.8 million in April 2010. In total there are 4.7 million families receiving tax credits, 71% of whom are in work.

--- Later in debate ---

[Priti Patel]

I thank my hon. Friend for his question. It is fair to say that this Government are not returning to the failed policies of the past as seen under the Labour party. The key measure explaining why we have had so much growth in our economy is our focus on our long-term economic plan, which is securing a better future for our economy, for the country and, of course, for hard-working taxpayers.

[Yasmin Qureshi]

rose—

[Yasmin Qureshi]

Thank you, Mr Speaker. Will the Minister confirm that 10 million households will be affected by the two-year freeze on tax credits and benefits and that the average household will be £974 worse off? This will hit working people the most, and women in particular, so will the Government reconsider their position?

[Priti Patel]

I come back to my earlier point about employment increasing and more women being in work than ever before. When it comes to tax credits, universal credit will go on to replace the current complex and broken system of means-tested benefits—introduced by the Labour party, by the way—and we are the party that has supported people to get into work and reduce dependency rather than confining them to dependency and welfare.