In Parliament - Jonathan Reynolds MP

Universal Credit and Working Tax Credits

Commons debates

It is incredibly generous of the Secretary of State to take an intervention from me on the Front Bench, but if relative poverty is what we are measuring—although Conservative MPs have...

Universal Credit and Working Tax Credits

Commons debates

No, we have had enough history and the hon. Gentleman has intervened twice; we can look forward to his speech. In relation to the tax rises announced last week, the combination of this cut and...

Universal Credit and Working Tax Credits

Commons debates

I have dealt with this intervention before—being involved in so many Finance Bills does give that experience—and that is false; a quick Google search will put the record straight for...

Universal Credit and Working Tax Credits

Commons debates

I have a lot of time for the right hon. Gentleman, as he knows, and he has been vocal in opposing the Government and we all have respect for that, but I must put a few things on the record in...

Universal Credit and Working Tax Credits

Commons debates

I addressed that in an entire section of the speech so I refer the hon. Gentleman to Hansard.

Universal Credit and Working Tax Credits

Commons debates

My hon. Friend is right. The lever the Government have to alleviate this basket of problems—childcare costs, fuel costs, food costs—is to not go ahead with this decision. My hon....

Universal Credit and Working Tax Credits

Commons debates

Absolutely. That investment in people is essential, and this uplift that we are talking about today cannot be considered without remembering the benefits freeze that lasted for four years prior...

Universal Credit and Working Tax Credits

Commons debates

I will tell the hon. Member about the real people. There are 7,700 families in his constituency whom this cut will affect, and the decisions the Government will make—[Interruption.] I am...

Universal Credit and Working Tax Credits

Commons debates

Again, I am pleased my hon. Friend has been able to place this on the record for his constituency, because that is how everybody sees it. Last week I met some of the families who gave evidence at...

Universal Credit and Working Tax Credits

Commons debates

Again, I think the case my hon. Friend has made is self-evident. I would also say that if we look at the moments of national crisis in British history and at how the country has responded to...

Universal Credit and Working Tax Credits

Commons debates

Again, no one could dispute that case. Last week I went on a visit to Peterborough, which is the Conservative constituency most affected by this cut, and I went to volunteer in a local food bank....

Universal Credit and Working Tax Credits

Commons debates

My hon. Friend is my constituency neighbour, and she knows that her constituency is very much like mine. We have seen the impact of the austerity years and what that has meant, not just in terms...

Universal Credit and Working Tax Credits

Commons debates

I am grateful to the hon. Member, who makes two points: first, if the Government believed this level of need was evident during the pandemic, the crisis that people face—whether that is...

Universal Credit and Working Tax Credits

Commons debates

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. However, it is also important to say that there are 1.7 million people this will affect who cannot work, owing to disability, illness or caring...

Universal Credit and Working Tax Credits

Commons debates

I agree absolutely; that is the point. We saw in the exchanges between the Secretary of State and me on Monday, as well as in Prime Minister’s questions, that the Government’s...

Universal Credit and Working Tax Credits

Commons debates

Of course it is better that people are in work, but the whole point of reform in this area over the last decade and a half has been to try to create a system that integrates with the world of...

Universal Credit and Working Tax Credits

Commons debates

I will give way to the hon. Member one more time.

Universal Credit and Working Tax Credits

Commons debates

In the right hon. Member’s constituency, 4,000 households are in receipt of universal credit. I want to ensure that, at the beginning of the debate, we knock down the argument, which we...

Universal Credit and Working Tax Credits

Commons debates

I agree with the hon. Member. Opposition to the cut is truly universal, for those reasons. It includes MPs, charities, unions and six former Conservative Secretaries of State for Work and...

Universal Credit and Working Tax Credits

Commons debates

Will the hon. Member tell me how many households in his constituency are in receipt of universal credit? I am giving him a chance to put on the record how many of his constituents are affected....