Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Rachael Maskell and Justin Tomlinson

Monday 1st July 2019 Commons Chamber

[Justin Tomlinson]

I would be happy to meet my hon. Friend. We work closely with stakeholders to look at how we can continue improving the system, but I repeat that we are now spending an additional £6 billion and that a significantly higher rate of claimants are now on the highest level of support, and rightly so.

[Rachael Maskell (York Central) (Lab/Co-op)]

T7. With the childcare element of universal credit being paid in arrears, many people, particularly women, face a real barrier to entering work. Will the Secretary of State look at either paying that element in advance or paying for the first month of childcare for free so that all parents can access the employment market?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Rachael Maskell and Justin Tomlinson

Monday 14th March 2016 Commons Chamber

[Rachael Maskell (York Central) (Lab/Co-op)]

4. What steps he has taken to review the system of assessments for disabled people seeking welfare support.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Disabled People (Justin Tomlinson)]

Independent reviews have been carried out of the assessments for personal independence payment and work capability assessment. The first review of the assessment for personal independence payment was undertaken and published in December 2014. There have also been five independent reviews of the work capability assessment.

[Rachael Maskell]

Disabled people, particularly those with mental challenges, report that the work capability assessment is exacerbating their ill health, even to the point that they want to take their own life. Those constituents are vulnerable and fragile. The situation is made worse by changes in benefits, financial hardship, and threats of future cuts. Rather than deny the problem, will the Secretary of State order an independent review of those with mental health challenges to assess the impact of the system from a service user’s perspective?

[Justin Tomlinson]

Following the Dr Litchfield recommendations, we accept that more needs to be done. We are improving training for staff, and now, across the jobcentre networks, we have mental function champions who can spread best practice in mental health.