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Universal credit: Labour secures emergency debate on rollout Universal credit: Labour secures emergency debate on rollout
(about 17 hours later)
Speaker John Bercow has approved a Labour request for an emergency debate on the rollout of universal credit. Labour and rebel Tory MPs will step up pressure on the government later with an emergency debate on pausing the rollout of universal credit.
Last week the Commons backed an advisory Labour motion calling for the controversial welfare changes to be put on hold by 299 votes to nil. Tory MPs were ordered to abstain when MPs voted on a Labour motion on the controversial benefit last week.
Labour says ministers are trying to ignore the non-binding vote and carry on regardless. It handed Labour a symbolic victory in the non-binding vote.
The Commons Speaker previously urged ministers to "respect" the House and set out their thinking on the issue. But the lack of a ministerial response to the result led to accusations the government was ignoring Parliament and carrying on regardless.
Tuesday's debate, which will last three hours, came about following an application in the Commons by shadow work and pensions secretary Debbie Abrahams. The government is not bound by law to abide by the result of votes on opposition motions - but backbench MPs made it clear they expected a minister to explain what they intended to do.
Ministers have maintained that the next phase in the expansion of universal credit, which rolls six benefits into one, will not be paused despite concerns many recipients are waiting more than six weeks to get paid. Veteran Conservative MP Sir Edward Leigh said "The road to tyranny is paved with executives ignoring Parliaments."
They insist that anyone struggling to make ends meet and pay bills can receive bridging payments within five days with same-day financial support for those in the most need. Now Commons Speaker John Bercow has agreed to a Labour request to another debate on the issue.
Labour's shadow work and pensions secretary Debbie Abrahams who applied for the debate, said last week had seen a "decisive vote on a motion to pause universal credit rollout".
She said it was only the second such government defeat on an opposition motion in 40 years, with no response as yet from ministers.
The last time the government lost such a motion it had made a statement within three-and-a-half hours, she added.
Waiting time
Ms Abrahams said: "All previous governments have recognised that the failure to carry the House against an opposition motion is a serious rebuke to the government's policy on an issue, and has been treated accordingly.
"This is even more important when the House has spoken on an issue that could dramatically affect the lives of up to seven million people, and they are the people who will be subject to the flawed universal credit programme."
Mr Bercow said the debate would end with a vote on a motion that the House "has considered" the matter raised by Ms Abrahams.
The government is under pressure from more than a dozen Conservative MPs to pause the rollout of universal credit to fix problems with it, amid reports some families are being forced to wait more than six weeks for payments.
Downing Street is reported to be looking at reducing the waiting time from six weeks to a month - but the Department for Work and Pensions insists no changes will will be made.
The department says anyone struggling to make ends meet and pay bills can receive bridging payments within five days with same-day financial support for those in the most need.