Business of the House

Wendy Chamberlain Excerpts

Thursday 17th September 2020 Commons Chamber

[Mr Rees-Mogg]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. We really need to discourage councils from their war against the motorist. We should be backing the motorist. Driving is a great sign of one’s independence, liberty and exercise of historic freedoms. But local authorities are, quite rightly, independent, so the answer is to campaign to get in a Conservative council.

[Wendy Chamberlain (North East Fife) (LD)]

On 22 June, the Court of Appeal ruled that the Government’s periodic assessment regulations for universal credit were illegal. The next day, the Minister for welfare delivery said that the Government would now begin the process of carefully considering possible solutions. Three months, several written questions and an early-day motion later, there has been no update. Tens of thousands of people are affected by this. One of my constituents has continually had her passported benefits wrongly taken away because of this problem—devastating at any time but especially during covid. Will the Leader of the House therefore speak to the Minister for welfare delivery and encourage him to come before this House to provide a meaningful update on the Government’s plans?

[Mr Rees-Mogg]

When court cases do not go the Government’s way, it is obviously right that things are considered very carefully. It is worth saying, though, that there has been £9 billion of support for universal credit following the coronavirus crisis. An enormous number of people have received extra support during that period, and the Government have been making the money available to ensure that that happens. But it is only right that when there are court judgments, they are examined carefully.