Speeches by Darling.

“I think you have given that impression when responding to me and colleagues in the Chamber.”

“But all throughout this narrative, it has been suggested that PIP is an out-of-work benefit, but it is an in-work benefit.”

“Again, PIP is not to do with whether you can work or not.”

“That is what really worries me. It is the whole of this—”

“Thank you very much for attending today. It was just last November that you were with us. Reflecting on benefits for people with long-term health issues and disabilities, you talked about “genuine engagement” and not being led by cuts. In March, the papers published that, without consultation, there would be the highes…”

“Yes, but you are avoiding it. Why have you not published the child poverty strategy?”

“But can you explain why you have not published the child poverty strategy so far?”

“So the child poverty strategy is not going to have any impact—it does not matter. Can you explain the delay? You had planned to do it earlier this year; now it is going to be the autumn, and knowing the Government that could be December. Childhood is a really short period of time. We are letting our children in poverty…”

“But can you please explain why the slippage happened?”

“Will the Minister give way?”

“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Edward, and I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Tunbridge Wells (Mike Martin) on securing this debate. Although Torbay is not in the south-east, I am sure that a lot of our SEND issues are reflected there. A recent Ofsted report on our SEND provision ident…”

“Can the Minister provide reassurance on how she is holding health services to account? They can be part of the solution, if they play their part.”

“Children are 20% of our population in the United Kingdom but 100% of our future, and it is shocking that almost a third of those children are growing up in poverty. That is why the Liberal Democrats believe the two-child limit should be lifted, as well as the benefit cap. There are 4.5 million children living in povert…”

“I really welcome the fact that disabled groups are going to be meaningfully engaged, according to the Minister’s proposal, and I look forward to seeing the full details of that, but how will carers’ groups be engaged as well? I would welcome some assurance on that.”

“Colleagues have described the events surrounding this Bill as “chaotic” and “shambolic”, and they were right to do so. Sadly, by failing to consult on key elements, the Government were setting up the Bill to fail. Moreover, the Government’s impact assessment is, I fear, somewhat misleading, because it bakes in cuts tha…”

“Just one large storm could sever the rail network at Dawlish, so will the Secretary of State commit to stage 5 of Network Rail’s resilience programme? In my constituency there is a need for a railway station at Edginswell, which would equally unlock regeneration. I would welcome the Secretary of State’s comments.”

“As the Liberal Democrat spokesperson, I will not disappoint the Minister: I assure him that broadly agree with an awful lot in the Bill. However, as we touched on in our meeting earlier today, there are some areas where we have concerns that are similar to those expressed by the shadow Minister, the hon. Member for Wyr…”

“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Turner. I congratulate the hon. Member for South Dorset (Lloyd Hatton) on obtaining this extremely important debate. We have heard quality information from colleagues around the Chamber on how this matter needs to be tackled for the common good of the United Kingdom…”

“The Access to Work system has been here for years, and it continues to be broken. The Government could easily fix it, but they are choosing not to roll up their sleeves and engage in sorting it out now. Constituents have told me that they have almost lost their jobs because of what is going on here and now. We also nee…”

“I am happy to give way.”