Clause 70, discussed with new clause 55, agreed to. Clauses 71 to 74 agreed to. New clauses 14 and 60 agreed to. New clause 2, discussed with new clauses 3, 15, 16, 17, 38, 39, 45 and 51, negatived on division (3 to 10). New clause 3 negatived on division (2 to 10). New clause 4, discussed with new clauses 12 and 20, debated and withdrawn. New clause 6, discussed with new clauses 7, 8, 42 and 43, debated and withdrawn. New clause 8 negatived on division (5 to 10). New clause 15 negatived on division (3 to 10).

Clause 70, discussed with new clause 55, agreed to. Clauses 71 to 74 agreed to. New clauses 14 and 60 agreed to. New clause 2, discussed with new clauses 3, 15, 16, 17, 38, 39, 45 and 51, negatived on division (3 to 10). New clause 3 negatived on division...

The Sentencing Bill was introduced to the House of Commons on 2 September 2025 and is scheduled for report stage on 29 October 2025.

The Sentencing Bill was introduced to the House of Commons on 2 September 2025 and is scheduled for report stage on 29 October 2025.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of how many of his Department's staff are involved in sanctions (a) referral, (b) decision making, (c) administration and (d) appeals.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of how many of his Department's staff are involved in sanctions (a) referral, (b) decision making, (c) administration and (d) appeals.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance his Department issues to its staff on the (a) suspension and (b) closure of a claim for carer's allowance when eligibility has ceased.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance his Department issues to its staff on the (a) suspension and (b) closure of a claim for carer's allowance when eligibility has ceased.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to her Department's publication Benefit sanctions statistics to October 2022, how many hours of (a) payroll and (b) non-payroll staff were dedicated to the investigative work on sanction durations data in each month for which data is available...

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to her Department's publication Benefit sanctions statistics to October 2022, how many hours of (a) payroll and (b) non-payroll staff were dedicated to the investigative work on sanction durations data in each month for which data is available...

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to her Department's publication Benefit sanctions statistics to October 2022, how many full time equivalent (a) payroll and (b) non-payroll staff are tasked exclusively with the investigative work on sanction durations data.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to her Department's publication Benefit sanctions statistics to October 2022, how many full time equivalent (a) payroll and (b) non-payroll staff are tasked exclusively with the investigative work on sanction durations data.

Motion, That this House has considered DWP’s policy on benefit sanctions. Agreed to on question.

Motion, That this House has considered DWP’s policy on benefit sanctions. Agreed to on question.

I beg to move,

That this House has considered DWP’s policy on benefit sanctions.

It is a pleasure to see you in the Chair, Mr Pritchard. I refer colleagues to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests, particularly my position as chair of the PCS parliamentary group as I will...

I beg to move,

That this House has considered DWP’s policy on benefit sanctions.

It is a pleasure to see you in the Chair, Mr Pritchard. I refer colleagues to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests, particularly my position as chair of the PCS parliamentary group as I will...

A few months ago, a vulnerable constituent contacted me after she had been sanctioned for missing an appointment, despite being assured that she did not need to attend it for very good and sensitive reasons. She was

an older woman who had been through extreme trauma and who had no...

A few months ago, a vulnerable constituent contacted me after she had been sanctioned for missing an appointment, despite being assured that she did not need to attend it for very good and sensitive reasons. She was

an older woman who had been through extreme trauma and who had no...

I thank my good and hon. Friend for that intervention. I will mention similar specific case studies, and there are clear questions for the Department to answer on this matter.

Going back to the Work and Pensions Committee 2018 report, it criticised the fact that a sanction incurred under one conditionality...

I thank my good and hon. Friend for that intervention. I will mention similar specific case studies, and there are clear questions for the Department to answer on this matter.

Going back to the Work and Pensions Committee 2018 report, it criticised the fact that a sanction incurred under one conditionality...

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his points about the Select Committee’s report, and I pay tribute to him for his work on this subject. I understand that his membership on the Committee will shortly come to an end, but I thank him very much for all his...

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his points about the Select Committee’s report, and I pay tribute to him for his work on this subject. I understand that his membership on the Committee will shortly come to an end, but I thank him very much for all his...

It should be among the highest. I thank the Chair of the Select Committee for his very kind words, which I appreciate. I have enjoyed working with him, and he chairs the Committee very effectively indeed. He is absolutely correct to say there is a real question about reports that...

It should be among the highest. I thank the Chair of the Select Committee for his very kind words, which I appreciate. I have enjoyed working with him, and he chairs the Committee very effectively indeed. He is absolutely correct to say there is a real question about reports that...

Will the hon. Member give way?

Will the hon. Member give way?

I give way to my fellow Select Committee member.

I give way to my fellow Select Committee member.

I congratulate the hon. Member on securing this debate, and on all his work on the Select Committee. Is he as worried as I am that this is just a further iteration of the DWP sanctions issues going back to 2012? I particularly remember David Clapson, who was the first...

I congratulate the hon. Member on securing this debate, and on all his work on the Select Committee. Is he as worried as I am that this is just a further iteration of the DWP sanctions issues going back to 2012? I particularly remember David Clapson, who was the first...

I thank the hon. Lady, who is a good friend, for her intervention. She has done fantastic work in this area, which I very much support. I am concerned about the effects that sanctions have, and that the whole deductions policy has. The effect that taking money away from people...

I thank the hon. Lady, who is a good friend, for her intervention. She has done fantastic work in this area, which I very much support. I am concerned about the effects that sanctions have, and that the whole deductions policy has. The effect that taking money away from people...

I agree with my hon. Friend that sanctioning people on the lowest of incomes at any time is grossly unfair, but at this time, when even many people in well-paid work are struggling to pay their bills, it is obscene. I had not been aware, so I thank him for...

I agree with my hon. Friend that sanctioning people on the lowest of incomes at any time is grossly unfair, but at this time, when even many people in well-paid work are struggling to pay their bills, it is obscene. I had not been aware, so I thank him for...