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  • Wera Hobhouse – 2022 Parliamentary Question on Universal Credit and the Death of a Child

    Wera Hobhouse – 2022 Parliamentary Question on Universal Credit and the Death of a Child

    The parliamentary question asked by Wera Hobhouse, the Liberal Democrat MP for Bath, in the House of Commons on 5 December 2022.

    Wera Hobhouse (Bath) (LD)

    Whether his Department is taking steps to support parents in receipt of universal credit with the financial transition when a full-time caring role changes following the death of a child with a life-limiting condition.

    The Minister for Employment (Guy Opperman)

    The answer is yes. We want universal credit to provide support to claimants even where they have suffered bereavement of a child. Where a bereavement happens, we seek to ensure that the child element, disabled child element, childcare, carer element and housing element with the run-on provisions will all continue, notwithstanding the loss.

    Wera Hobhouse

    I am not entirely certain whether the Minister just announced a change in what the Government are doing, but may I press him on the issue affecting my constituents? The loss of these benefits places a heavy financial strain on parents who are already suffering from overwhelming grief. One of my constituents knows this. I have asked the Minister and his predecessor on several occasions for a meeting to see how to mitigate that. If he has just announced a change, I would be happy if he could explain what has now changed. Will he please meet me to explain what the changes are?

    Guy Opperman

    The hon. Lady may not know, but I lost twin boys and fully understand the difficulties her constituent faces in terms of bereavement. It is clearly the case that there are the run-on provisions, but I would happy to sit down with her to explain the run-on provisions and the extent to which there is ongoing support for the bereaved.

  • Gerald Jones – 2022 Parliamentary Question on the Local Housing Allowance

    Gerald Jones – 2022 Parliamentary Question on the Local Housing Allowance

    The parliamentary question asked by Gerald Jones, the Labour MP for Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney, in the House of Commons on 5 December 2022.

    Gerald Jones (Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney) (Lab)

    What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of real-term reductions in local housing allowance rates on levels of poverty.

    The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Mel Stride)

    First, on behalf of the whole House, may I welcome the hon. Member for City of Chester (Samantha Dixon) to this House, and wish her every happiness and a productive time in the House?

    The Government have maintained the uplift they provided in the local housing allowance in 2020, at a cost of almost £1 billion, targeting the 30th percentile of rents. Those who need assistance with housing costs also have recourse to the discretionary housing payments administered by local authorities.

    Gerald Jones

    I welcome the Secretary of State’s comments about my new colleague, my hon. Friend the Member for City of Chester (Samantha Dixon), but that is as far as I can go.

    The local housing allowance is a lifeline for tenants to access the private rented sector. The Government have accepted the need to uprate most benefits in line with inflation, so why have they chosen to freeze the local housing allowance, which will have a disproportionate impact on constituents in my constituency of Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney? Will he commit to reviewing that situation urgently?

    Mel Stride

    As the hon. Gentleman will know, annually I review all benefits, including LHA—indeed, around this time next year, I will do precisely that. It has to be borne in mind that we are currently spending almost £30 billion a year on housing allowance and that figure is expected to increase to around £50 billion by 2050, so there are cost considerations.

  • David Davies – 2022 Comments on Opening of Tŷ William Morgan

    David Davies – 2022 Comments on Opening of Tŷ William Morgan

    The comments made by David Davies, the Secretary of State for Wales, on 5 December 2022.

    Tŷ William Morgan is central to the UK Government’s ambitious plans to create a dynamic and flexible civil service which is equipped for the future.

    Its position in the heart of Cardiff also demonstrates the UK Government’s commitment to Wales. It is already providing a modern working environment to attract and retain high-calibre staff who will be able to grow and develop their careers here in Wales.

    Being able to work with colleagues from right across government under one roof is proving hugely beneficial and it is fantastic to be able to open Tŷ William Morgan officially.

  • Keir Starmer – 2022 Comments on Labour’s Plan for the Constitution

    Keir Starmer – 2022 Comments on Labour’s Plan for the Constitution

    The comments made by Sir Keir Starmer, the Leader of the Opposition, on Twitter on 5 December 2022.

    My Labour government will place power in the hands of cities and regions across Britain.

    We will match the ambitions of people across the country to reignite our economy and build a better future.

  • Kerry McCarthy – 2022 Parliamentary Question on Mentally Ill Prisoners

    Kerry McCarthy – 2022 Parliamentary Question on Mentally Ill Prisoners

    The parliamentary question asked by Kerry McCarthy, the Labour MP for Bristol East, in the House of Commons on 30 November 2022.

    Kerry McCarthy (Bristol East) (Lab)

    Way too many people who are seriously mentally unwell are still being held in prison. I know that Government guidance is that they should be moved to secure hospitals when they have been assessed as needing hospital treatment within 28 days, but that is simply not happening, so they are getting more ill, which is possibly putting their lives at risk, and that makes prisons far harder to govern. Will the Minister assure me that those people will not be among those being held in the 400 police cells and that we can accelerate the transfer out of prison of people who need to be in hospital?

    Damian Hinds

    The hon. Lady made two important points. First, there is quite rightly screening and prioritisation to do with individual characteristics, including individual risks, when considering where people will go and who might be in the relatively small group of people going to a police cell. Of course, there is prioritisation, with those with underlying mental health issues or perhaps at risk of self-harm going straight to prison. On transfer from prison to secure hospital and the 28-day guidance, as she will know, that will become a statutory right subject to reform of the Mental Health Act 1983 passing through its stages in the House, which is important.

  • Deidre Brock – 2022 Comments on John Nicolson

    Deidre Brock – 2022 Comments on John Nicolson

    The comments made by Deidre Brock, the SNP parliamentary spokesperson at Westminster, in the House of Commons on 29 November 2022.

    It is extremely unfortunate that matters have come to this, but I understand the conventions of the House that brought us here. The Scottish National party respects the need for a transparent and open process.

    The Leader of the House has previously spoken of the importance of parliamentary modernisation, and of how the House operates unlike any normal administrative centre in the public or private sector, and I agree with her. The procedures of the Houses of Parliament need updating, and this situation perhaps provides us with an example of where some reform could take place.

    I am confident, having spoken to my hon. Friend the Member for Ochil and South Perthshire (John Nicolson), that he was completely unaware of the conventions of the House at the heart of this issue. He sought clarity on proper procedure and was caught out. He has already spoken at length, with his customary eloquence, outlining his position and how there was no malicious intent.

    In closing, I repeat that the SNP respects the need for transparency and openness.

  • David Davis – 2022 Comments on Asylum Seekers Leaving their Accommodation

    David Davis – 2022 Comments on Asylum Seekers Leaving their Accommodation

    The comments made by David Davis, the Conservative MP for Haltemprice and Howden, in the House of Commons on 28 November 2022.

    Mr David Davis (Haltemprice and Howden) (Con)

    Earlier this year, I informed the Home Office that some 30 Albanian asylum seekers had absconded from the Thwaite Hall facility in my constituency. The then Minister for Immigration, the Minister’s predecessor, informed me in his reply that asylum seekers

    “are not prevented from leaving it, or legally required to stay within its confines.”

    He might as well have said, “Not my problem, Guv.” Considering the reports that there has been an outbreak of a highly contagious and dangerous disease at the Manston processing facility, how can the Minister square this laissez-faire approach to asylum seeker dispersal with any serious concern for public health?

    Robert Jenrick

    It is for those reasons that I took the decision today that no asylum seeker will leave Manston if they are displaying any symptoms whatsoever of diphtheria, or indeed of other serious infectious diseases. They will either remain there or, more likely, be taken to one of our secure isolation hotels—the type of hotel that we used during the covid pandemic. They will remain there and will not leave while they are being treated. Hopefully, they will make a full recovery and then they will be transported to other accommodation elsewhere in the country. I think that is the right approach. It goes beyond the advice that Dame Jenny and her colleagues at the UKHSA have provided to us, because I want to ensure that we are doing absolutely everything we can to take this issue seriously.

  • James Cleverly – 2022 Comments on Arrest of BBC Journalist in China

    James Cleverly – 2022 Comments on Arrest of BBC Journalist in China

    The comments made by James Cleverly, the Foreign Secretary, on Twitter on 28 November 2022.

    Media freedom and freedom to protest must be respected. No country is exempt.

    The arrest of BBC journalist @EP_Lawrence (Edward Lawrence) in China is deeply disturbing.

    Journalists must be able to do their job without intimidation.

  • Paul Holmes – 2022 Comments on Becoming Vice-Chair of the Conservative Party

    Paul Holmes – 2022 Comments on Becoming Vice-Chair of the Conservative Party

    The comments made by Paul Holmes, the Conservative MP for Eastleigh, on Twitter on 24 November 2022.

    An honour to be asked by the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Nadhim Zahawi to be Vice Chairman of the Conservative Party with responsibility for Policy. Looking forward to engaging with members across the country.

  • Ursula von der Leyen – 2022 Comments on Russian Attacks on Ukraine Energy

    Ursula von der Leyen – 2022 Comments on Russian Attacks on Ukraine Energy

    The comments made by Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, on Twitter on 24 November 2022.

    As winter grips Europe, my thoughts are with our Ukrainian friends. Women, men, children are freezing in the dark because of Putin’s deliberate & barbaric targeting of the country’s civilian infrastructure. The sole purpose is to terrorise civilians. These acts are war crimes.