Personal Independence Payments Debate

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Department: Department for Work and Pensions

Personal Independence Payments

Vince Cable Excerpts
Monday 4th June 2018

(6 years, 6 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Esther McVey Portrait Ms McVey
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I can tell my hon. Friend that the expenditure has continued to go up and will go up every year until 2022; it has increased from 2010. For PIP, DLA and attendance allowance alone, expenditure is £5.4 billion higher than it was in 2010. There will be future announcements on the continuous improvements for PIP, but I can say now that we want to introduce video recording—that is key—and when we do we will start with pilots to make sure it is right. We want a modern benefit that looks after and reaches out to disabled people and gives them the money they should be getting.

Vince Cable Portrait Sir Vince Cable (Twickenham) (LD)
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The Secretary of State has acknowledged that the new benefits are available for a wider range of conditions, including neurological conditions and mental illness. What steps is she taking to ensure that the assessors are fully competent to make these judgments on the wider range of conditions?

Esther McVey Portrait Ms McVey
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We provide consistent training and updating and have mental health champions in place. Of course we constantly review what we do and constantly support our assessors; that is what is needed going forward.