Speeches by Timms.

“We need to do a good deal more to make sure that people are aware of the help and support that is available, and we are on the case at the moment to seek to do that. The Department needs to understand better the barriers and challenges that people run into when they use the benefit system, and we need to change the ser…”

“Are we using AI for that?”

“On that, there is one use of AI that is quite interesting, which is scanning incoming letters—handwritten or typed letters. We look at those and AI is used to find out whether the letter is revealing some element of risk or vulnerability around the person. We can do that on the day the letter is received so that you ca…”

“I will ask Elizabeth to comment on this.”

“That is the intention behind this approach that I have referred to—a new safeguarding approach in the Department to be embedded right across the Department in all the things that we do. The Secretary of State made the point that we certainly have not ruled out the idea of a statutory duty, but that is not something tha…”

“I am delighted to be serving under your chairmanship for the first time this afternoon, Sir Jeremy. This debate, which happens every year, gives us a good opportunity to consider not only the uprating instruments, but the wider topic of dust-related diseases that are covered by these schemes, and to consider the impact…”

“I beg to move, That the Committee has considered the draft Mesothelioma Lump Sum Payments (Conditions and Amounts) (Amendment) Regulations 2025.”

“I agree it is an important element of the thinking behind the Green Paper.”

“Thank you very much. I am delighted to be back, albeit with the tables turned. Thank you for inviting me. I very much welcome the fact that the Committee has decided to resume this inquiry, which we did not manage to finish before the election. I am very aware that you played a key role in setting the inquiry up in the…”

“I am grateful for the support across the Committee for the regulations. Let me have a go at answering the questions that the shadow Minister raised. I do not think we have a better estimate for the numbers in the coming year than the ones I gave for the previous year. It is likely that the numbers over time will decrea…”

“I can reassure my hon. Friend that we have been elected on a manifesto of change, and change is we what will deliver. We have been working hard on Grangemouth. On the question of WASPI, we do not think that compensation is appropriate. The evidence is that 90% of those affected did know that a change was coming, but we…”

“We are going to work with the ombudsman to make sure that this never happens again. A detailed report will be published, and we are committed to making sure that in future, sufficient notice is given of any state pension changes. We are also going to develop a communications strategy using the most up-to-date methods f…”

“The Government have made and published their decision. We accepted the ombudsman’s finding of maladministration and apologised for the delay in writing to the women affected. We have started working with the ombudsman to make sure that lessons are learnt, and we will develop a plan for effective and timely state pensio…”

“The hon. Gentleman is quite right; it is important that applications are processed speedily, and I am pleased with the number of applications. I can confirm—I think he knows this—that everybody who applied before 21 December will receive, if they are successful, their winter fuel payment. We have also moved extra staff…”

“I will give way one more time to the hon. Gentleman.”

“I simply point out to the hon. Gentleman that his party appears to no longer be committed to the triple lock. We look forward to clarification on that point from the shadow Minister. Other components of state pension awards, such as those previously built up under earnings-related state pension schemes, including the a…”

“My understanding, from what the Leader of the Opposition has said, is that the Conservative party is no longer committed to the triple lock, let alone the triple lock plus. I can tell the hon. Member that we do not have any plans to do what he suggests.”

“In my view, the instruments are compatible with the European convention on human rights. The draft Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order 2025 will increase relevant state pension rates by 4.1%, in line with the growth in average earnings in the year to May to July 2024. It will increase most other benefit rates by 1…”

“I am not quite sure what change the hon. Gentleman is referring to, but I certainly agree that people need to be confident about what the arrangements will be in the future so that they can plan accordingly. That is the one of the reasons why the pensions triple lock is important, as it gives people confidence about ho…”

“I beg to move, That the draft Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order 2025, which was laid before this House on 15 January, be approved.”