To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many apprenticeships there were in Darlington in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many apprenticeships there were in Darlington in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

I welcome the fact that the hon. Gentleman will not be voting against the measures. I was looking at the exchanges from last year, when he was teasing my predecessor about welfare reform. It is interesting to look back. The hon. Gentleman said that the Government were dithering about incapacity...

I welcome the fact that the hon. Gentleman will not be voting against the measures. I was looking at the exchanges from last year, when he was teasing my predecessor about welfare reform. It is interesting to look back. The hon. Gentleman said that the Government were dithering about incapacity...

I should like to thank the Minister for his usual courtesy in allowing me an advance copy of his statement. Naturally, I welcome the increases in benefits, as far as they go. We will certainly not follow the example set by the Liberal Democrats a couple of years ago and...

I should like to thank the Minister for his usual courtesy in allowing me an advance copy of his statement. Naturally, I welcome the increases in benefits, as far as they go. We will certainly not follow the example set by the Liberal Democrats a couple of years ago and...

I completely agree with my hon. Friend. The Eaga partnership has made real progress on getting people to take up energy efficiency measures and to get new central heating systems fitted. However, it is important that we reach everybody who is entitled to that help and particularly people who may...

I completely agree with my hon. Friend. The Eaga partnership has made real progress on getting people to take up energy efficiency measures and to get new central heating systems fitted. However, it is important that we reach everybody who is entitled to that help and particularly people who may...

I welcome my hon. Friend’s statement. More than 10,000 pensioners in Tooting will benefit from the increase in the basic state pension. A significant proportion of them will benefit from the increase in pension credit. Will he join me in paying tribute to the staff at Eaga, who have done...

I welcome my hon. Friend’s statement. More than 10,000 pensioners in Tooting will benefit from the increase in the basic state pension. A significant proportion of them will benefit from the increase in pension credit. Will he join me in paying tribute to the staff at Eaga, who have done...

With permission, Mr. Speaker, I wish to make a statement on benefits uprating in the context of our reforms of pensions and our commitment to tackle poverty and build an active welfare state. I shall place full details of the uprating in the Vote Office and arrange for the figures...

With permission, Mr. Speaker, I wish to make a statement on benefits uprating in the context of our reforms of pensions and our commitment to tackle poverty and build an active welfare state. I shall place full details of the uprating in the Vote Office and arrange for the figures...

May I also thank the Minister for his Department’s typical courtesy in releasing the statement to us well in advance? He is entitled to draw attention in his comments to those achievements that the Government have made in this area since 1997. However, may I gently suggest that there was...

May I also thank the Minister for his Department’s typical courtesy in releasing the statement to us well in advance? He is entitled to draw attention in his comments to those achievements that the Government have made in this area since 1997. However, may I gently suggest that there was...

As usual, the Liberal Democrat money tree is in evidence again, with a whole bunch of unfunded spending promises, which we will continue to tot up on his account. I reject the hon. Gentleman’s accusation that we are in any way adopting a complacent approach to welfare reform. Our approach...

As usual, the Liberal Democrat money tree is in evidence again, with a whole bunch of unfunded spending promises, which we will continue to tot up on his account. I reject the hon. Gentleman’s accusation that we are in any way adopting a complacent approach to welfare reform. Our approach...

I heard what the Minister said about taking pensioners out of poverty. I had thought that, with the Government’s intention of increasing the age at which people can retire, they just wanted to stop people from becoming pensioners in the first place. Is it not a fact that council tax...

I heard what the Minister said about taking pensioners out of poverty. I had thought that, with the Government’s intention of increasing the age at which people can retire, they just wanted to stop people from becoming pensioners in the first place. Is it not a fact that council tax...

That is yet another division between the Tory Back Benchers and their Front-Bench team, given that their Front Benchers support the raise in the state pension age. If the Conservatives want to be a serious political party, they will have to face up to big decisions. If the hon. Gentleman...

That is yet another division between the Tory Back Benchers and their Front-Bench team, given that their Front Benchers support the raise in the state pension age. If the Conservatives want to be a serious political party, they will have to face up to big decisions. If the hon. Gentleman...

That is why the inflation rate in the pension for next year will be higher than in recent years. Over the past 15 to 18 years, inflation faced by pensioners has gone up less fast than the retail prices index overall. I am not sure that linking pensions to a...

That is why the inflation rate in the pension for next year will be higher than in recent years. Over the past 15 to 18 years, inflation faced by pensioners has gone up less fast than the retail prices index overall. I am not sure that linking pensions to a...

How concerned is the Minister that pensioners are, in effect, facing an inflation rate that could be three times the rate faced by the rest of us? Should not far more work be done by his Department to ensure that pensioners are protected from those cost-of-living increases? In that regard,...

How concerned is the Minister that pensioners are, in effect, facing an inflation rate that could be three times the rate faced by the rest of us? Should not far more work be done by his Department to ensure that pensioners are protected from those cost-of-living increases? In that regard,...

One group of people who, sadly, do not take up the benefits that they deserve, or for whom the take-up rate is low, are terminally ill patients, and although there is a special fast-track benefit system for them, it is clearly not working. Will the Minister look into how benefits...

One group of people who, sadly, do not take up the benefits that they deserve, or for whom the take-up rate is low, are terminally ill patients, and although there is a special fast-track benefit system for them, it is clearly not working. Will the Minister look into how benefits...

I reassure my hon. Friend that many of us on the Labour Benches who also voted against the 75p pension increase are very much happier with the direction in which the Government are now moving on pensions and with this year’s statement on pensions. However, will he acknowledge that some...

I reassure my hon. Friend that many of us on the Labour Benches who also voted against the 75p pension increase are very much happier with the direction in which the Government are now moving on pensions and with this year’s statement on pensions. However, will he acknowledge that some...

In his opening remarks, the Minister said that he wanted to reduce prejudice in employment. He also announced improvements in maternity benefit, which are welcome to pregnant women and new mums but less welcome to small employers whose firms employ only a handful of people. When the absent employee is...

In his opening remarks, the Minister said that he wanted to reduce prejudice in employment. He also announced improvements in maternity benefit, which are welcome to pregnant women and new mums but less welcome to small employers whose firms employ only a handful of people. When the absent employee is...

May I direct the Minister’s attention to pensioners and council tax? He appears to avoid questions on the matter or to avoid responding positively to them. Does he share with me and many Members on both sides of the House—not least his hon. Friend the Member for Newcastle upon Tyne,...

May I direct the Minister’s attention to pensioners and council tax? He appears to avoid questions on the matter or to avoid responding positively to them. Does he share with me and many Members on both sides of the House—not least his hon. Friend the Member for Newcastle upon Tyne,...

The Pension Service is sensitive in such cases and there is specific training to make sure that people deal with customers appropriately. Age Concern carried out research with people who had gone through that process with the Pension Service. There have been concerns that older people do not find it...

The Pension Service is sensitive in such cases and there is specific training to make sure that people deal with customers appropriately. Age Concern carried out research with people who had gone through that process with the Pension Service. There have been concerns that older people do not find it...

I welcome the hon. Lady’s support for the progress that is being made on maternity and paternity leave. I understand that my hon. Friend the Minister for Employment and Welfare Reform is in discussion with representatives of the small business sector to make sure that the hon. Lady’s concerns are...

I welcome the hon. Lady’s support for the progress that is being made on maternity and paternity leave. I understand that my hon. Friend the Minister for Employment and Welfare Reform is in discussion with representatives of the small business sector to make sure that the hon. Lady’s concerns are...

I think that the Minister said in his statement that the Pension Service is encouraging pension credit take-up by visiting pensioners in their own homes. My father, Mr. William Bone—a man of great integrity and a public servant all his life—is a little frail now. A little while ago, he...

I think that the Minister said in his statement that the Pension Service is encouraging pension credit take-up by visiting pensioners in their own homes. My father, Mr. William Bone—a man of great integrity and a public servant all his life—is a little frail now. A little while ago, he...