(6 years ago)
Commons ChamberThe hon. Lady is quite right to draw attention to that. We believe that there are currently some 40 individuals in Pakistan on death row because of blasphemy offences. That highlights perfectly her concerns. I am sure that the whole House shares those; we will always do what we can to help.
(7 years, 9 months ago)
Commons ChamberThis may well be an issue for the Department for Transport, but I would be more than happy if the right hon. Lady wrote to ask me to take a look.
Can the Minister say what plans he has to introduce a new homes ombudsman?
(11 years, 10 months ago)
Commons Chamber13. How many working households will be affected by the changes to the uprating of tax credits and other payments announced in the autumn statement.
The 1% uprating of working age benefits and tax credits is estimated to affect 1.65 million working age households in 2015-16. Of this total, around half of the households have no individual in work and half are households in which at least one individual works at least an hour a week.
Can the Minister confirm that his Government’s own figures show that, shamefully, cuts to tax credits and other benefits will push hundreds of children in North Tyneside—and 200,000 children nationally—into poverty?
What I can confirm is that the Government are taking a very focused approach to welfare. Under the previous Government, nine out of 10 families with children were eligible for tax credits. No wonder our welfare budget was out of control. Through the Welfare Benefits Up-rating Bill and other reforms the Government have introduced, we are making our welfare system affordable and more focused.