Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Will Quince and Harriett Baldwin

Monday 7th October 2019 Commons Chamber

[Will Quince]

I totally disagree with the hon. Gentleman’s comments. We are committed to helping lone parents into a job that fits around their caring responsibilities. There are now more than 1.2 million lone parents in work. To support parents into work, the Government spend £6 billion on childcare each and every year.

[Harriett Baldwin (West Worcestershire) (Con)]

Has the Minister read the report from the Resolution Foundation that stated:

“Low pay is falling for the first time in four decades”

and that women were the biggest beneficiaries? It pointed out that since the national living wage was introduced in 2016 the percentage of employees on low pay has fallen from 20.7% to 17.1% last year.

[Will Quince]

I thank my hon. Friend for raising that matter. I have not seen the report, so I will go away and dig it out. We have invested £8 million to develop the evidence on what works to support people to progress in work, including enhancing our operational capability to support claimants to make good decisions on job switching.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Will Quince and Harriett Baldwin

Wednesday 9th January 2019 Commons Chamber

[Will Quince (Colchester) (Con)]

T5. Sadly, Ethiopia has one of the worst neonatal mortality records in the world. Will the Minister join me in thanking all those in Colchester, including the CHUFT Blanketeers, who have been busy knitting in support of my campaign to send thousands of knitted hats for newborn babies in Ethiopia?

[Harriett Baldwin]

Ethiopia is one of the countries in which the Department for International Development has extensive programmes. I am very pleased to hear that the good folk of Colchester are supplementing that work with this wonderful project to knit hats for babies.