My Lords, I thank everybody who contributed to this debate. I particularly thank all the fathers who contributed; they made it very much an issue for fathers and brought their personal experience to it. That was very important, and I value it.

The noble Baroness, Lady Penn, pushed and pushed on...

My Lords, I thank everybody who contributed to this debate. I particularly thank all the fathers who contributed; they made it very much an issue for fathers and brought their personal experience to it. That was very important, and I value it.

The noble Baroness, Lady Penn, pushed and pushed on...

My Lords, I rise to support Amendment 135, to which I have added my name. It is a pleasure to follow the noble Baroness, Lady Smith, especially given that she spoke from lived experience, which I think is really important.

I recently attended a policy breakfast about support for working carers,...

My Lords, I rise to support Amendment 135, to which I have added my name. It is a pleasure to follow the noble Baroness, Lady Smith, especially given that she spoke from lived experience, which I think is really important.

I recently attended a policy breakfast about support for working carers,...

I quite take my noble friend’s point, but we were not saying how it should be paid; we were asking for an acknowledgement of the principle that it should be paid and leaving it up to the Government to then review the details of how it should be paid. It...

I quite take my noble friend’s point, but we were not saying how it should be paid; we were asking for an acknowledgement of the principle that it should be paid and leaving it up to the Government to then review the details of how it should be paid. It...

My Lords, the message I get from anti-poverty, children’s and women’s organisations in response to the Budget is one of weary disappointment. They are weary because here is yet another Budget that fails to put first the interests of those for whom they speak, and there is disappointment because, as...

My Lords, the message I get from anti-poverty, children’s and women’s organisations in response to the Budget is one of weary disappointment. They are weary because here is yet another Budget that fails to put first the interests of those for whom they speak, and there is disappointment because, as...

I asked a number of questions about migration to UC. Perhaps the Minister could write about that as well.

I asked a number of questions about migration to UC. Perhaps the Minister could write about that as well.

My Lords, I congratulate the committee on a first-class report and commend its then chair for having championed some of its recommendations, even today, notably concerning the withdrawal of the £20 uplift. The departmental response was, though, depressing, with what the then chair described in a letter to the Secretary...

My Lords, I congratulate the committee on a first-class report and commend its then chair for having championed some of its recommendations, even today, notably concerning the withdrawal of the £20 uplift. The departmental response was, though, depressing, with what the then chair described in a letter to the Secretary...

Could I ask the Minister about take-up estimates?

Could I ask the Minister about take-up estimates?

I am sorry to interrupt, and I am sorry that I missed the beginning of the Minister’s statement. Before we move on to the

more general question about spending, I do not think he has addressed my noble friend’s point. Given that paid work is supposed to be the best...

I am sorry to interrupt, and I am sorry that I missed the beginning of the Minister’s statement. Before we move on to the

more general question about spending, I do not think he has addressed my noble friend’s point. Given that paid work is supposed to be the best...

My Lords, I welcome the concessions in response to SSAC, and I think we owe SSAC and all the organisations that gave evidence to it a big debt. SSAC recommended

that before the department starts the migration process it should undertake what it called a “rigorous and transparent assessment” including,

“how...

My Lords, I welcome the concessions in response to SSAC, and I think we owe SSAC and all the organisations that gave evidence to it a big debt. SSAC recommended

that before the department starts the migration process it should undertake what it called a “rigorous and transparent assessment” including,

“how...

My Lords, I am grateful for the opportunity to debate this important issue and to pay tribute once again to my noble friend Baroness Hollis—Patricia—whose forensic analysis and passion held the Government to account so effectively, particularly in their treatment of disadvantaged women. Women are disproportionately affected by the cuts...

My Lords, I am grateful for the opportunity to debate this important issue and to pay tribute once again to my noble friend Baroness Hollis—Patricia—whose forensic analysis and passion held the Government to account so effectively, particularly in their treatment of disadvantaged women. Women are disproportionately affected by the cuts...

To ask Her Majesty's Government how they will estimate the earnings of self-employed people for the purposes of calculating entitlement to free school meals.

To ask Her Majesty's Government how they will estimate the earnings of self-employed people for the purposes of calculating entitlement to free school meals.

My Lords, I am very pleased to follow the noble Lord, Lord Freud, because it fits well with what I want to say—but first I pay tribute to my noble friend Lord Bassam for his powerful introduction.

The Government have prayed in aid the report of the Social Security Advisory Committee...

My Lords, I am very pleased to follow the noble Lord, Lord Freud, because it fits well with what I want to say—but first I pay tribute to my noble friend Lord Bassam for his powerful introduction.

The Government have prayed in aid the report of the Social Security Advisory Committee...

What will happen with self-employed people and those on zero-hours contracts? I could not find that in the document.

What will happen with self-employed people and those on zero-hours contracts? I could not find that in the document.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their response to the gender analysis undertaken by the Women’s Budget Group of the proposed national insurance changes relating to the self-employed, published on 20 March in their report Gender impact assessment of the Spring Budget 2017.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their response to the gender analysis undertaken by the Women’s Budget Group of the proposed national insurance changes relating to the self-employed, published on 20 March in their report Gender impact assessment of the Spring Budget 2017.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government (1) how many, and (2) what proportion, of those affected by the cuts to tax credits due to take effect in 2016 are self-employed.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government (1) how many, and (2) what proportion, of those affected by the cuts to tax credits due to take effect in 2016 are self-employed.

My Lords, I want to make a very brief point. However, it is a positive point, after having been rather critical of the Universal Credit Regulations.

During our discussions on the Bill, I raised on a number of occasions my concern that there had been a suggestion that the payment of...

My Lords, I want to make a very brief point. However, it is a positive point, after having been rather critical of the Universal Credit Regulations.

During our discussions on the Bill, I raised on a number of occasions my concern that there had been a suggestion that the payment of...

My Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Eden, said that he is not an expert but sometimes it is the non-expert who puts his finger on the key points, as the noble Lord did. I apologise to noble Lords in advance for the length of my speech but there are a...

My Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Eden, said that he is not an expert but sometimes it is the non-expert who puts his finger on the key points, as the noble Lord did. I apologise to noble Lords in advance for the length of my speech but there are a...

We are very pleased to hear that. Can the noble Lord tell us what definition of domestic violence the Government have in mind? They are consulting at present on the question of domestic violence and I wonder what the implications are for this provision.

We are very pleased to hear that. Can the noble Lord tell us what definition of domestic violence the Government have in mind? They are consulting at present on the question of domestic violence and I wonder what the implications are for this provision.

I am sorry to interrupt the Minister, but is he saying that the department is unable to measure compliance with work-seeking requirements? If that is the case, surely the whole basis of the sanction regime falls apart?

I am sorry to interrupt the Minister, but is he saying that the department is unable to measure compliance with work-seeking requirements? If that is the case, surely the whole basis of the sanction regime falls apart?

My Lords, I shall speak briefly in support of the amendment moved by the noble Lord, Lord Best, from a slightly different perspective, and repeat what I said in Grand Committee. In Grand Committee, I congratulated the Government on their research, Perceptions on Welfare Reform and Universal Credit, which sounded...

My Lords, I shall speak briefly in support of the amendment moved by the noble Lord, Lord Best, from a slightly different perspective, and repeat what I said in Grand Committee. In Grand Committee, I congratulated the Government on their research, Perceptions on Welfare Reform and Universal Credit, which sounded...