Oral Answers to Questions

Rachel Hopkins Excerpts

Monday 4th September 2023 Commons Chamber

[Mel Stride]

There is help within jobcentres. There is also Citizens Advice, and a help to claim process available there. When people make genuine errors and when they have been overpaid for various reasons, we are of course sympathetic, to ensure that we do not put them in a position where it is incredibly difficult for them to repay those amounts.

[Rachel Hopkins (Luton South) (Lab)]

15. What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of its policies on reducing the level of inactivity in the labour market.

[The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Mel Stride)]

We are doing a great deal to bear down on economic inactivity. As of August this year, the figures show that over half the increase in economic activity that occurred during the pandemic has since unwound. That is more than 300,000 people into work.

[Rachel Hopkins]

The Secretary of State’s comments suggesting that unemployed over-50s should consider becoming delivery riders clearly show that the Government are failing to help older workers into stable employment. Rather than glorifying precarious work in the gig economy, will he commit to rolling out a plan that gives older workers the dignity, respect and support they deserve to rejoin the workforce?

[Mel Stride]

I think it is very unfortunate when any Member of this House looks down on a certain category of job that is employing hundreds of thousands of people perfectly satisfactorily. In fact, in that interview I said:

“I think as a department we shouldn’t be prescriptive,”—

referring to the over-50s—

“so we’re not here to start pontificating about whether people should or should not go back into work”.

Hopefully that has put the record straight. We are doing a huge amount to support those over 50 who have retired prematurely, including the midlife MOT, returnerships and the tax changes we have made around pensions, and we will continue to support people. That is why we are seeing those inactivity rates above 50 declining quite strongly.