Oral Answers to Questions

Rachael Maskell Excerpts
Monday 13th May 2019

(5 years, 3 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Lord Sharma Portrait The Minister for Employment (Alok Sharma)
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Yes, I will of course meet the hon. Lady.

Rachael Maskell Portrait Rachael Maskell (York Central) (Lab/Co-op)
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According to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, 1.9 million pensioners now live in poverty, which is a complete disgrace. Given that 46,000 pensioners died prematurely last year, why has the winter fuel allowance not been increased for more than a decade?

Guy Opperman Portrait Guy Opperman
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It is not specifically the case that pensioners are in poverty compared with previous records, which show that pensioner poverty is coming down. I will write to the hon. Lady in respect of her specific point about the winter fuel allowance.