Inequality and Social Mobility Debate

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Department: Department for Work and Pensions

Inequality and Social Mobility

Sarah Jones Excerpts
Wednesday 12th June 2019

(4 years, 9 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Amber Rudd Portrait Amber Rudd
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I will make a little more progress and then take some more interventions.

I was referring to the information from the IFS that the hon. Member for Wirral West cited. It went on to say that household incomes are now more evenly distributed than 25 years ago. However, improving opportunities for those on the lowest incomes will always be a priority for a one nation Conservative Government.

Sarah Jones Portrait Sarah Jones (Croydon Central) (Lab)
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About 1.3 million children living in poverty in this country at present are in the private rented sector. Many of them would be lifted out of poverty if we had more council housing, which is far cheaper to live in. Does the Secretary of State agree that we need council building again and to build more homes that are more affordable, so we can lift those children out of poverty?

Amber Rudd Portrait Amber Rudd
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I certainly agree with the hon. Lady that we need to do more to provide more housing for people on low incomes, and this Government are committed to ensuring that we do build more houses, that we make more available and that we make more houses available at prices within the local housing allowance, which has also been a challenge.