Child Poverty

John Bercow Excerpts

Wednesday 1st July 2015 Commons Chamber

[Several hon. Members]

rose—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. I remind colleagues that it is a very long-established convention in this House that if a Member wishes to be called in response to a ministerial statement, that Member must be present at the start of the statement; it is no good wandering in at some later point, even if it is only shortly afterwards. Any Members who came in late should please not carry on standing, because they will not be called.

[John Howell (Henley) (Con)]

Prior to 2010, when I was the party’s child poverty champion, we discussed these changes, so I welcome the Secretary of State’s statement. Does he accept that they represent a comprehensive approach to dealing with child poverty that is actually going to help?

--- Later in debate ---

[Heidi Allen (South Cambridgeshire) (Con)]

rose—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. I do not intend any unkindness to the hon. Lady and I want to be fair, but I do not think she has been present throughout the exchanges or that she was here at the start. Did she leave at any stage during the proceedings?

[Heidi Allen]

indicated dissent.

[Mr Speaker]

She did not. I will take that from her. If that is what she tells me, I am content with that.

[Heidi Allen]

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I was here towards the end of the transport statement.

I want to draw on my own experiences as a business owner. It is important that, however we choose to describe the measures, we tackle child poverty head-on. During the early days of one particular employee’s employment, it felt like I had to drag him to work. He was a young man aged 21 with three small children and it was clear that nobody, including his peers and parents, had brought him up in the world. When I gave him employment and put his money up, he was still culturally unable to find the mental drive to go to work. We have to tackle child poverty by getting to people when they are young, through education, giving them hope and making sure they have food in their bellies—whatever it takes—and we have to achieve that together. I have seen it at the other end—you can drag a horse to water—so I welcome what the Secretary of State is trying to do.

--- Later in debate ---

[Mike Wood (Dudley South) (Con)]

rose—

[Mr Speaker]

Mr Wood, were you here at the start?

[Mike Wood]

I certainly was.

[Mr Speaker]

Good. Let us hear from Mr Wood.

[Mike Wood]

Despite the progress that has been made during the past five years, too many children of disabled parents remain in poverty. Will my right hon. Friend assure us that the Government will continue to work to help more disabled people into work—and well-paid work—so that such children can look forward to better outcomes?