Welfare Benefits Up-rating Bill

Debate between Toby Perkins and David Anderson

Monday 21st January 2013 Commons Chamber

[Toby Perkins]

I would like to finish my point. I am glad that my comments have elicited so much excitement and that lots of people want to intervene. There are basic things that we need in order to sustain life, and if someone is on poverty money—the hon. Member for Dover (Charlie Elphicke) said there are 600,000 people in severe poverty—their 1% increase cannot be compared with a school teacher, for example.

[Mr David Anderson (Blaydon) (Lab)]

Or an MP.

[Toby Perkins]

Such increases cannot be compared with how a Member of Parliament is able to sustain small increases. There is no comparison between what someone in severe poverty is able to cut and the situation faced by public sector workers, despite their currently being hard pressed, as many will testify.