My Lords, it is a great pleasure to follow the noble Baroness, Lady Meacher, and I applaud her campaign. Recent years have seen a number of key changes to the UK pensions landscape, some concerning accumulation, such as auto-enrolment and master trusts, and some decumulation, notably pension freedoms. Some concern...

My Lords, it is a great pleasure to follow the noble Baroness, Lady Meacher, and I applaud her campaign. Recent years have seen a number of key changes to the UK pensions landscape, some concerning accumulation, such as auto-enrolment and master trusts, and some decumulation, notably pension freedoms. Some concern...

My Lords, we should thank the noble Baroness, Lady Scott of Needham Market, for initiating this debate. While the referendum campaign provoked some discussion around the significance for disabled people of remaining in or leaving the EU, these matters were not centre stage in our national debate. There was neither...

My Lords, we should thank the noble Baroness, Lady Scott of Needham Market, for initiating this debate. While the referendum campaign provoked some discussion around the significance for disabled people of remaining in or leaving the EU, these matters were not centre stage in our national debate. There was neither...

Before the noble Lord sits down, I thank him for that full response, but can he deal with the point about whether there has been any development of the definition of work for the operation of the cap in universal credit?

Before the noble Lord sits down, I thank him for that full response, but can he deal with the point about whether there has been any development of the definition of work for the operation of the cap in universal credit?

My Lords, I am grateful for the update that we have had. I guess that we just look forward to further developments on those issues. I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment 4 withdrawn. Clause 43 : Regulations: procedure Amendments 5 and 6 Clause 43 : Regulations: procedure Amendments...

My Lords, I am grateful for the update that we have had. I guess that we just look forward to further developments on those issues. I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment 4 withdrawn. Clause 43 : Regulations: procedure Amendments 5 and 6 Clause 43 : Regulations: procedure Amendments...

Before the Minister answers the question that I posed earlier, perhaps I may take the opportunity to add our thanks. The Minister’s enthusiasm for universal credit and his commitment to evidence-based policy have been evident to all of us. He has borne a very heavy load in bringing the Bill...

Before the Minister answers the question that I posed earlier, perhaps I may take the opportunity to add our thanks. The Minister’s enthusiasm for universal credit and his commitment to evidence-based policy have been evident to all of us. He has borne a very heavy load in bringing the Bill...

My Lords, it is a pity that this came up at the end of the Report stage and that we do not have another chance to review the record. I am minded not to press the matter this evening, but frankly I am not sure whether colleagues in another place...

My Lords, it is a pity that this came up at the end of the Report stage and that we do not have another chance to review the record. I am minded not to press the matter this evening, but frankly I am not sure whether colleagues in another place...

From what the noble Lord has just said, it seems that what the Government did on Report sought to change the import of what is set out in the Child Poverty Act. If it removes what the noble Lord thought might be the need to have interim targets along the...

From what the noble Lord has just said, it seems that what the Government did on Report sought to change the import of what is set out in the Child Poverty Act. If it removes what the noble Lord thought might be the need to have interim targets along the...

I do not know whether the Minister is going to say anything further about poverty figures, but how does he deal with the report from the Family and Parenting Institute, prepared by the IFS, showing that relative child poverty will increase between 2010-11 and 2015-16 by around 400,000, and that...

I do not know whether the Minister is going to say anything further about poverty figures, but how does he deal with the report from the Family and Parenting Institute, prepared by the IFS, showing that relative child poverty will increase between 2010-11 and 2015-16 by around 400,000, and that...

4: Clause 40, page 18, line 40, leave out ““work has such meaning as may be prescribed”” and insert ““““better paid work”” and ““more paid work”” shall have such meaning as may be prescribed in regulations subject to the affirmative resolution procedure””

4: Clause 40, page 18, line 40, leave out ““work has such meaning as may be prescribed”” and insert ““““better paid work”” and ““more paid work”” shall have such meaning as may be prescribed in regulations subject to the affirmative resolution procedure””

14: Clause 146, page 109, line 4, at end insert— ““( ) Nothing in subsections (1) to (5) have the effect of changing the requirement in the Child Poverty Act 2010 for the Secretary of State to publish and lay before Parliament a UK Child Poverty Strategy and to describe...

14: Clause 146, page 109, line 4, at end insert— ““( ) Nothing in subsections (1) to (5) have the effect of changing the requirement in the Child Poverty Act 2010 for the Secretary of State to publish and lay before Parliament a UK Child Poverty Strategy and to describe...

My Lords, one issue that lacks clarity at present concerns ““work””, ““better paid work”” and ““more work””. We are using the opportunity of Third Reading to elicit further information on this important matter. The amendment seeks to ensure that not only ““work”” must be defined for the purposes of universal...

My Lords, one issue that lacks clarity at present concerns ““work””, ““better paid work”” and ““more work””. We are using the opportunity of Third Reading to elicit further information on this important matter. The amendment seeks to ensure that not only ““work”” must be defined for the purposes of universal...

I am grateful to the noble Lord. Obviously we support the amendment. Amendment 3 agreed. Clause 40 : Interpretation of Part 1 Clause 40 : Interpretation of Part 1

I am grateful to the noble Lord. Obviously we support the amendment. Amendment 3 agreed. Clause 40 : Interpretation of Part 1 Clause 40 : Interpretation of Part 1

My Lords, I do not believe that we have a problem with the amendments in this group, but perhaps the noble Lord will clarify something. If we are removing the power of Scottish Ministers to deal with consequential amendments, where does the power lie—or is the Minister saying that there...

My Lords, I do not believe that we have a problem with the amendments in this group, but perhaps the noble Lord will clarify something. If we are removing the power of Scottish Ministers to deal with consequential amendments, where does the power lie—or is the Minister saying that there...

What the Minister says about affirmative regulations is right, but is he aware that it is the stated position of the Conservative Party in this House that it does not vote against affirmative regulations? In recent times we have had several such debates, and the Conservative Party has declined to...

What the Minister says about affirmative regulations is right, but is he aware that it is the stated position of the Conservative Party in this House that it does not vote against affirmative regulations? In recent times we have had several such debates, and the Conservative Party has declined to...

My Lords, we support the amendment moved so comprehensively and eloquently by the noble Baroness, Lady Meacher. This has been a powerful debate with a strong ethical strand, as my noble friend Lord Peston said that it should be. My job is made easier by the contribution we have just...

My Lords, we support the amendment moved so comprehensively and eloquently by the noble Baroness, Lady Meacher. This has been a powerful debate with a strong ethical strand, as my noble friend Lord Peston said that it should be. My job is made easier by the contribution we have just...

My Lords, Amendment 14 seeks further clarification about the purpose of the changes that the Government introduced to the Child Poverty Act on Report. These altered the description of what the Government would do to achieve the target to end child poverty by 2020, as set out in the Act,...

My Lords, Amendment 14 seeks further clarification about the purpose of the changes that the Government introduced to the Child Poverty Act on Report. These altered the description of what the Government would do to achieve the target to end child poverty by 2020, as set out in the Act,...

My Lords, we support the thrust of this amendment. Perhaps I may ask one question. We had a helpful briefing note from the Box which reads as follows: ““This amendment therefore is designed through this regulation-making power to enable the Secretary of State, so far as possible within the unified...

My Lords, we support the thrust of this amendment. Perhaps I may ask one question. We had a helpful briefing note from the Box which reads as follows: ““This amendment therefore is designed through this regulation-making power to enable the Secretary of State, so far as possible within the unified...

Welfare Reform Bill. Lords third reading debate, agreed to on question. Bill passed and returned to the Commons with amendments.

Welfare Reform Bill. Lords third reading debate, agreed to on question. Bill passed and returned to the Commons with amendments.

To ask Her Majesty's Government how many National Insurance numbers have been allocated to (a) Bulgarians, and (b) Romanians, since those countries’ accessions to the European Union.

To ask Her Majesty's Government how many National Insurance numbers have been allocated to (a) Bulgarians, and (b) Romanians, since those countries’ accessions to the European Union.

To ask Her Majesty's Government why data on allocation of National Insurance numbers were removed from the UK Border Agency's quarterly Bulgarian and Romanian accession statistics; and where they are now.

To ask Her Majesty's Government why data on allocation of National Insurance numbers were removed from the UK Border Agency's quarterly Bulgarian and Romanian accession statistics; and where they are now.