7. 3. Business Statement and Announcement

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:11 pm on 1 November 2016.

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Photo of Jane Hutt Jane Hutt Labour 4:11, 1 November 2016

We should indeed be very worried, and it's very unfortunate that Iain Duncan Smith brought into implementation—some of which, of course, we're talking about today—many changes and cuts in terms of welfare reform that are having a directly adverse impact on families. On the point of universal credit and how it's being rolled out in Wales, it’s only been rolled out to new single jobseeker claimants in Wales so far—I mean, that's with the exception of new claims from couples and families in Shotton. But, let's just look at what has been anticipated, not just by the Centre of Social Justice: cuts to work allowances in universal credit are estimated by the Institute for Fiscal Studies to affect around 3 million families in Great Britain who will lose just over £1,000 a year on average. And, of course, those families are the ones—many of whom we represent—who are turning to those food banks that are in every community in Wales.