House of Commons
Parliament

DUP Westminster Leader Nigel Dodds asks for a response to the report proposing cutting MLA's pay as the Northern Ireland Assembly has not been sitting.

He suggests that this should also apply to MPs who do not fulfill their functions in this place - making reference to Sinn Fein MPs who do not take their seats in the House of Commons.

"We do want to see the executive restored," replies Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire. He adds that he is currently considering the report on MLA pay.

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, hoc

The chair of the Northern Ireland Committee, Andrew Murrison, questions whether Theresa May managed to raise the security implications of the Bombardier dispute with the US President Donald Trump in her telephone conversation with him yesterday.

There have been discussions with the authorities about the continuing dispute, James Brokenshire says. The government will continue to challenge this and work to ensure the Belfast jobs are protected.

Select Committee
Parliament

Chair Frank Field asks if the government will provide the committee with the contracts of Atos and Capita that are due to expire.

Sarah Newton replies that she is not sure if there are legal constraints and suggests that the committee contacts the secretary of state.

And there the committee comes to an end.

Select Committee
Parliament

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Labour's Neil Coyle welcomes the scrapping of the 80% target for upholding original PIP and ESA assessment decisions.

However, he says this means that there could be up to 83,000 disabled people who were not given the correct assessment before the 80% target was scrapped.

James Wolfe, Director for Disability Employment and Support, says the 80% figure was "an aspiration" rather than a target.

Frank Field asks if the department will contact a sample group of those who may have received the wrong assessment "to see if justice was done".

The minister promises to write to the committee on this subject.

Select Committee
Parliament

Conservative Heidi Allen argues that the contractors are "not capable of delivering".

Janice Smethurst replies that problems are often "traced back to new recruits".

"Then they are not training them properly," interjects Heidi Allen.

"Sometimes people don't always get it right," replies Ms Smethurst.

House of Commons
Parliament

There's plenty on in the Commons today. First, it's questions to the Northern Ireland ministers, ahead of PMQs at noon.

We'll then see a Ten Minute Rule Bill from Joan Ryan, about the immigration detention of victims of torture.

After that, MPs will turn to the final day's committee stage deliberation of the EU Withdrawal Bill. Expect a late night with plenty of votes.

There'll also be coverage here of Theresa May's appearance at the Liaison Committee, where she'll be questioned by the chairs of the Commons select committees.

Select Committee
Parliament

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Conservative Alex Burghart says the committee was "struck" by the fact that neither of the contractors, Atos and Capita, had met their target that "no more than 3% of assessment reports should be deemed unacceptable".

When will the target be met? asks Frank Field.

"I haven't got a crystal ball," says Director for Contracted Health and Emplopyment Services at the DWP Janice Smethurst but adds that "the standards are achievable."

Frank Field suggests that she is "terrified" to say that contractors have to meet their targets because there would be no organisations willing to replace them.

The House of Lords has been debating plans for a big cut in the number of peers. The latest attempt at Lords reform won backing from across the parties. But, as Shelley Phelps reports, what happens next depends on the government. You can hear more from Today in Parliament at 11pm on BBC Radio 4.

Select Committee
Parliament

"I hate filling in forms," says Conservative Alex Burghart. "This is a form like no other."

Specifically he notes that the applications for disability benefits asks for "an enormous" amount of information that the system must already have.

He asks why the government can't auto-fill parts of the form in order to reduce the paperwork.

Sarah Newton says the government is looking at how to better share data.

Select Committee
Parliament

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The witnesses now change and Minister for Disabled People Sarah Newton takes a seat - accompanied by two members of staff from the Department of Work and Pensions.

Conservative Andrew Bowie asks why a quarter people were unsatisfied with the PIP process.

There has been lot of progress since that survey was taken, says Sarah Newton and adds that she is determined to improve the claimant's experience.

Select Committee
Parliament

Image source, HoC

Responding to a question on the complexity of the application process Paul Gray says that the assessments can be "quite difficult to get your head round".

Committee chair Frank Field suggests that the committee should apply for the benefits to test the system. He challenges the cabinet to do the same.

Paul Gray adds that the given the "sheer scale of the operation" of moving people on to PIP it would be better to ensure the current system is improved rather than saying "let's scrap it and start again".

Select Committee
Parliament

Image source, HoC

SNP MP Chris Stephens asks what immediate changes should be made to PIP and ESA assessments.

Paul Gray says greater weight should be given to evidence from carers and family members.

He tells MPs that currently that sort of evidence was "unduly discounted".

He argues that carers have a better knowledge of an applicant's needs compared to the "very poor view" of doctors.

Select Committee
Parliament

Personal Independence Payments (PIPs) are a benefit for those incurring extra costs due to illness or disability.

PIP replaced Disability Living Allowance in 2013 and pays up to £139.75 per week.

In his latest review of PIP assessments, Paul Gray says progress on implementing changes was "slower" than hoped.

Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) is for people unable to work due to illness or disability.

ESA will gradually becoming part of the Universal Credit benefit which is replacing a number of working age benefits.

Select Committee
Parliament

This morning the Work and Pensions Committee are taking evidence on Personal Independent Payments (PIP) and Employment Support Allowance (ESA).

The witnesses are:

• Paul Gray CB, Leader of the Independent Reviews of PIP and Chair of the Social Security Advisory Committee, Department for Work and Pensions
• Dr Paul Litchfield OBE, Leader of the 2013 and 2014 Independent Reviews of the ESA Work Capability Assessment
• Sarah Newton MP, Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work, Department for Work and Pensions
• Janice Smethurst, Director for Contracted Health and Employment Services Directorate, Department for Work and Pensions
• James Wolfe, Director for Disability Employment and Support, Department for Work and Pensions

It's been an unusual day in the Lords, with the House holding an early sitting in order to accommodate the number of peers wishing to take part in a debate on the Burns report on reducing the size of the House of Lords, external.

Many peers expressed support for the recommendations in the report, including on the government and opposition front benches.

The report suggests reducing the number of peers to 600 and introducing fixed terms of 15 years for new peers.

But concerns have been raised about the lack of proposals for hereditary peers, as well as the number of Bishops' seats if reforms take place.

Some peers argued that reducing the numbers will do little to address what they say is an underlying lack of education in the public about what the Lords do.

House of Lords
Parliament

Image source, HoL

Liberal Democrat the Earl of Glasgow says he is concerned about the proposal for the Lords to shadow the Commons in party sizes based on the most recent election result.

"Bullying whips should be the sole preserve of the Commons," he says.

He says he would prefer to see over 50% of the Lords as Crossbenchers.

He proposes that in the future, the House of Lords Appointments Commission should be responsible for balancing the house in terms of representing the whole of Britain in terms of backgrounds, with party politics taking second place.

House of Commons
Parliament

MPs reject the amendment 311 votes to 271.

That concludes today's debate of the Finance Bill.

And that is where we leave our coverage of the House of Commons.

MPs will be debating a terrorism order which seeks to ban certain extremist groups. You can continue watching the House of Commons by clicking on the video link above.