The BBC reported that he believes the government will be required to provide some form of reparation to the Waspi women. He stated:
The ombudsman expects that the DWP will reject this.
In my opinion, they will consistently fail to maintain that stance.
During an election year, it is unlikely that parliament will pass a decision to take no action. Therefore, I believe we will reach a form of inadequate retribution, potentially in the range of £1,000 to £3,000 as suggested by the ombudsman. (Refer to 11:19 AM.)
If the government has an ombudsman in parliament who thoroughly examines this matter for several years, they should be willing to accept it instead of rejecting it.
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Gething states that his newly assembled team will respond to the needs of the upcoming generation by striving to build a more robust, equitable, and environmentally friendly Wales.
The Department of Work and Pensions has released a report on family resources.
Here is the chart.
The report indicates that…
The percentage of households with enough food decreased from 92% in 2019 to 90% in 2022 to 2023, a decrease of two points. This marks the lowest percentage since food security was included in the FRS in 2019 to 2020. In previous surveys, the percentage of food-secure households has remained relatively consistent.
Although there was a decrease in household food security during this survey period, most households still have adequate food access, with 83% considered to have high household food security and 7% having marginal household food security. Food-insecure households make up a smaller percentage, with 5% experiencing low household food security and 5% experiencing very low household food security.
Geographic variations were observed in terms of household food security. Northern Ireland had the highest level of food security (86% classified as high, 5% as marginal), whereas Scotland had the lowest level of food security (82% classified as high, 6% as marginal).
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At 5:03pm, it is unlikely that the Liberal Democrats will hold a position in the government at Westminster following the election. The potential financial burden of providing compensation for Waspi could cause significant difficulties for any chancellor. Both the current government and the Labour party have not yet promised to provide compensation.
The new poverty data released today featured two indicators commonly utilized by statisticians to gauge inequality. According to both measures, poverty has marginally increased in the past year, spanning from 2021-2022 to 2022-2023.
The Gini coefficient is a way to quantify inequality, with values ranging from 0% to 100%. A value of 0% represents equal distribution of resources, while 100% indicates one individual possessing everything. The data for income inequality shows a minor increase using both the pre- and post-housing expense measures.
The Department of Work and Pensions reported that the Gini coefficient has remained “fairly consistent” since 2011.
A different way to gauge income disparity is through the 90:10 ratio. This indicator showcases the difference between the average earnings of the top 20% and the bottom 20% (specifically the proportion of the higher versus the lower). A larger ratio indicates a wider income gap. The trend has been increasing, whether housing costs are accounted for or not, although the numbers are lower compared to 2019-20.
According to BBC, it is believed that the government will need to provide compensation to the Waspi women. The statement was made by a source who said: “The government will likely have to offer some form of compensation.”
The ombudsman predicts that the DWP will decline this request.
In my opinion, they will never maintain that stance.
During an election year, the parliament is unlikely to take no action. My prediction is that we will see some sort of approximate justice, probably falling within the range of £1,000 to £3,000 suggested by the ombudsman (refer to 11:19 am notification).
If the ombudsman spends a significant amount of time examining this matter, the government should acknowledge and accept it instead of rejecting it.
10.39am, 12.56pm and 1.27pm), but the Department for Work and Pensions has been able to extract some positive findings.
In 2010, there were 1.1 million less individuals living in poverty (after accounting for housing costs) compared to current numbers. This includes 100,000 children, 200,000 senior citizens, and 700,000 adults of working age.
This statistic may seem less impressive, but it’s important to note that it is based on the absolute poverty measure, which was considered relative poverty in 2010. As the economy grows, this measure should decline over time, which is why it is the government’s preferred measure according to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (see 1.27pm for more information).
According to the DWP, there has been a 100,000 decrease in the number of households with a disabled individual living in absolute poverty, accounting for housing expenses, within the last year.
In regards to the current statistic, the secretary of work and pensions, Mel Stride, noted:
The past few years have been difficult due to the effects of Covid and the conflict in Ukraine, which have caused inflation and increased the cost of living. That’s why we implemented the largest cost of living program in Europe, averaging £3,800 per household, to alleviate these pressures. This unprecedented aid has also prevented 1.3 million individuals from falling into poverty in 2022/23.
The measures we took to decrease inflation by over 50% have enabled us to implement tax reductions averaging £900 per annum – providing hardworking families with additional funds. Additionally, we are implementing the largest increase in the national living wage to date, allowing more individuals to attain long-term financial stability through employment.
In his Political Currency podcast, Osborne, along with former shadow chancellor Ed Balls, stated:
Today, I would state: “I will inform you of the date for the upcoming general election.” This puts an end to all the uncertainty surrounding the possibility of early elections. It also means that we won’t spend the entire summer wondering if it will be held in October or November.
Rishi Sunak’s potential bonus of a surprise in late October, mid November, or early December is overshadowed by the constant speculation surrounding it.
Balls inquired about the potential elimination of leadership rumors, to which Osborne responded:
It appears likely that revisiting the Fixed-term Parliament Act is on the agenda. As someone who was involved in its creation, I recall how the Tories were eager to repeal it. However, if the Act had remained in place, it would have benefited the Tory party greatly. Rishi Sunak could have confidently announced a fixed date for the next general election, perhaps in January 2025. By doing so, the party would have quelled any speculation and avoided a leadership contest, regaining control of the situation.
A document regarding Benjamin “Beau” Dade, who advocated for the deportation of large numbers of people and the elimination of “the foreign plague”, led to Reform UK announcing that he will no longer be a candidate for their party in South Swindon. According to a spokesperson for the party, they took action as soon as they were made aware of the situation.
Yesterday, Reform UK removed their candidate in Rutland and Stamford for expressing racist views on X.
At 12:13pm, a reader inquires:
Is it possible for the Tories to choose a new mayoral candidate in Manchester before the election?
Yes, nominations are not yet open.
“Rwanda to check
According to PA Media, Rwanda will review their bill prior to Easter. PA states: “Rwanda will examine…”
Last night, the House of Lords handed the government seven setbacks on its bill regarding the safety of Rwanda, specifically in regards to asylum and immigration. These defeats included a proposal to give jurisdiction back to the court system in cases involving deportation to Rwanda.
Colleagues have mentioned that the government’s original plan was for Members of Parliament to address the Lords’ amendments at the beginning of next week. This would have provided enough time for the “ping pong” procedure, where the bill goes back and forth between the Commons and the Lords until both sides come to an agreement, to be completed before the Easter break.
The government has announced that the bill will not be discussed again until the Commons reconvenes on Monday, April 15th, following the Easter holiday.
Today, in the House of Lords, Lord Forsyth of Drumlean, a former cabinet minister in the Conservative party, posed the question: “Has the minister read the articles in The Times, Telegraph, and other papers, which suggest that this House has caused an unnecessary delay in passing the Rwanda bill, leaving people vulnerable to the dangers of the Channel?”
Can he mention that this house was ready to send the legislation back to the House of Commons before Easter and the delay in passing it is not the fault of this house? This house is simply fulfilling its duty by asking the Commons to reconsider, and should not be blamed for the delay in the legislation.
Peers echoed their vocal support throughout the house, shouting “hear hear”.
Lord Sharpe of Epsom, the Home Office minister, confirmed that he has reviewed the reports in question and relayed this information before they were published in the newspapers.
When Rishi Sunak announced plans for the Rwanda bill last year, as a response to a supreme court ruling saying Rwanda was not a safe country, he described it as “emergency legislation”.
During the No 10 press conference this morning, the Prime Minister’s spokesperson hesitated to use the same terminology. Rather, they referred to it as a measure for addressing a “migration emergency.”
Emergency legislation refers to bills that are quickly passed through parliament. Government officials are aware that, after some back and forth negotiations with the House of Lords, the bills will be approved. It would have been possible for the government to plan these discussions earlier so that the process could be finished before Easter.
Ministers have refused to explain why they are delaying. But the new timetable means the bill will get royal assent about two weeks before the local elections, and the first flight to Rwanda may leave in the weeks after the local elections, when likely Tory losses mean Rishi Sunak will be in need of as much “good news” as he can get.
Source: theguardian.com
