House of Commons
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MPs are voting now on a Labour motion calling for a pause in the roll out of universal credit.

Conservative MPs are expecting to abstain.

Rather than the allow the motion to go through on the nod, Labour has forced a vote.

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Winding up the debate for the government Work and Pensions Minister Damian Hinds says there's been "much talk of pauses", and today's motion calls for a pause in the roll-out of UC, but he says they have already had pauses this month and last month.

The pauses allow them to take stock.

Damian Hinds promises to follow up with MPs on a number of issues raised, including safeguards for victims of domestic violence, the universal support scheme and childcare.

He's interrupted mid flow by the Labour chief whip Nick Brown, who calls for a division on the motion, which calls for a pause in universal credit.

It's quickly clear, though, that the Conservatives are abstaining. All four tellers, who count the votes, are Labour MPs, as were, presumably, those MPs who shouted "no".

The result of the division is expected at around 7.15pm.

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The party will not be used for headline-grabbing defeats of the government, says MP Sammy Wilson.

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Winding up for Labour, Margaret Greenwood raises the fact that couples will complete one claim for universal credit, paid into one bank account., external

She says this has implications for victims of domestic violence in particular.

She also criticises the need for internet access to apply, saying that many of the most vulnerable and poorest in society don't have their own internet access.

She says changes can be made but she has seen "very little evidence of learning" but there is "still time".

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Lib Dem Stephen Lloyd says he believes UC "could be of tremendous benefit" but believes that some issues with it means it's going to "fail".

He says the government must put more money into the system to ensure it's properly funded.

He also says that change to housing benefit, where it is now paid to a tenant rather than landlord, must be reversed, at least for those living in the private rental sector. He believes that private tenants are at greater risk of being evicted by their landlords.

Last month three London councils said that council tenants on universal credit had built up a combined £8m in rent arrears, and 2,500 were at risk of eviction.

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That's all from the committee.

Chair Damian Collins thanks the witnesses for their time and closes the evidence session.

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Select Committee
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SNP MP Brendan O'Hara says the case of Eni Aluko will never be regarded as the FA's "finest moment" and asks Chief Executive Martin Glenn how damaging this case has been to the Football Association.

Mr Glenn says he is working to ensure the FA is more "reflective of 21st century Britain" but says his "main frustration" is that much of the "progress will be overshadowed by this".

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FA Technical Director Dan Ashworth is asked about Eni Aluko being dropped from the England Squad.

Mr Ashworth tells the committee, "the head coach picks the team, not me".

Chair Damian Collins presses Mr Ashworth on the fact that Ms Aluko was dropped directly after giving evidence against Mark Sampson. "That can't be a coincide?" he says.

Mr Ashworth responds: "What I would say is Mark would have picked the team on form. Knowing the facts that I do, no it does not seem a coincidence. To the outside world? Yes."

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The two minute time limit means MPs are having to be concise.

Conservative Matt Warman says the government have "demonstrated they have been listening" and urges all sides of the House to "calm down".

Labour's Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi says he's worried at how the UC system will cope when the expanded roll-out "floods the system" with 500,000 new claimants.

Mansfield Conservative MP Ben Bradley says universal credit will be an improvement on the "disastrous system that held people down" in the Labour era.

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Labour's Julie Elliott asks Martin Glenn if he accepts the FA has failed in its duty of care to players.

"We have clearly made mistakes," he replies.

"You can't say you haven't failed in your duty of care. I think that speaks of volumes," says Ms Elliott.

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With so many MPs left to speak before 7pm, the speaking time limit is now down to just two minutes.

Labour's Fiona Onasanya uses her two minutes to say that the roll-out is turning universal credit "universal crisis". It is "hurting and not working", she says, and calls for the government to pause while problems are ironed out.

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Greg Clarke, Chairman of the FA, tells the committee that "due diligence didn't happen then", when asked about the hiring of Mark Sampson as England women's manager in 2013.

"We are doing things differently now," he says.

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Conservative MP Heidi Allen says she believes Universal Credit will have a transformative effect on the benefit system.

She says there are flaws, though, and she is disappointed that the rollout was not paused.

The biggest single criticism is the time it takes for people to receive their first payment. The in-built six-week wait does not work. Removing it, is the "very least we can do", she says.

"Let's stop convincing ourselves that advance payments are the answer," she says.

"If over 50% of claimants have taken up an advance payment...we must accept that there is a reason why that percentage is so high."

She calls for fortnightly payments, and for housing payments to go direct to landlords.

Having spoken to the prime minister, she says she thinks Theresa May will listen because it is the "compassionate" thing to do.

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Conservative MP Sarah Wollaston - a potential rebel over the Universal Credit issue - says she supports the principles of Universal Credit but asks why a fundamental flaw at its heart is not being addressed.

If we have a policy of test, learn and rectify we've seen that can work," she says and she points to the announcement of the free helpline today.

But it doesn't get us away from the problem of a minimum six week wait, she says. That means that constituents living on the edge will start the process in debt and in arrears.

She says she wants the frontbench, in summing up, to address the six week wait "because the advance [payment] doesn't solve the issue".

"Can we hear a reassurance that there's a recognition there's a fundamental flaw?" she says.

She says the House should have an opportunity to express its view and, she says, if there's no way to express my view on behalf of my constituents that this flaw must be addressed "I'm afraid I will have to vote against the government".

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Martin Glenn is quizzed over why Mr Sampson was sacked last month over safeguarding at his Bristol job, rather than when the report was written in 2015.

Labour's Jo Stevens asks why the FA did not properly read the report in 2015.

"Because it was presented to me as a closed case," Glenn said. "HR did not present any concerns on his conduct".

Mr Sampson was sacked due as a result of his behaviour during his time coaching at Bristol Academy.

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FA Chairman Greg Clarke is asked by the committee about his "oafish" and "passive aggressive" email response after Ms Aluko first took the allegations to him.

The email read: I've no idea why you're sending me this, perhaps you can enlighten me.

Mr Clarke says he was "trying to get him [the sender of the email] to cease and desist" because hearing information of the complaints would "destroy my governance role".

"Sometimes in life you have to be abrupt," he adds.

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The DUP's Sammy Wilson says he is surprised by the intensity which has crept into the debate, because he says Labour and the SNP say they support the principles behind UC.

"There are hard stories that have been heard here today," he says. "But let's make it clear, the existing system produces hard stories."

Built into the system in Northern Ireland is automatic direct payments to landlords, he says. There's no reason why rent can't be paid directly and he says he suspects Northern Ireland will not have the same problems with rent arrears. He says he hopes the minister learns from that lesson.

At low income levels, many people are paid on weekly or biweekly basis, he says; and he hopes that the NI example of paying on a bi-weekly basis will be replicated.

He also calls for a split payment system, to tackle the issue of domestic violence, which has been raised during the debate.

He says the DUP will be abstaining in the vote tonight, because, he says, it is better to talk to the government to get solutions.