Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will suspend the sanctioning regime in universal credit areas until Jobcentre staff and claimants have a better understanding of the new system.

The sanctions system in its current form has been in place since 2012. Since then, we have created a range of learning products and training to ensure our staff understand sanctions and how they work in Universal Credit.

We also provide claimants with sanctions information when they agree their Claimant Commitment, and we regularly remind them of the importance of meeting their commitments and the consequences of not doing so.

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