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| Universal credit: Labour attacks minister's absence from debate | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Labour has attacked the work and pensions secretary for failing to attend an emergency debate on universal credit. | |
| Employment minister Damian Hinds has stepped in for David Gauke. | |
| Mr Gauke's Labour shadow Debbie Abrahams told MPs she had not received a "satisfactory response" from his office to explain his absence. | |
| Labour were granted the emergency debate after the government was accused of ignoring a vote last week. | |
| Tory MPs were ordered to abstain when MPs voted on a Labour motion on Wednesday calling for a pause to the roll-out of universal credit. | |
| It handed Labour a symbolic victory in the non-binding vote. | It handed Labour a symbolic victory in the non-binding vote. |
| But the lack of a ministerial response to the result led to accusations the government was ignoring Parliament and carrying on regardless. | But the lack of a ministerial response to the result led to accusations the government was ignoring Parliament and carrying on regardless. |
| 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. | 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. |
| Veteran Conservative MP Sir Edward Leigh said "The road to tyranny is paved with executives ignoring Parliaments." | Veteran Conservative MP Sir Edward Leigh said "The road to tyranny is paved with executives ignoring Parliaments." |
| Now Commons Speaker John Bercow has agreed to a Labour request to another debate on the issue. | 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". | 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. | 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. | The last time the government lost such a motion it had made a statement within three-and-a-half hours, she added. |
| Waiting time | 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. | 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." | "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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. |