Oral evidence transcripts

Work Child Poverty Taskforce (Non-inquiry session)

Witnesses The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), The Resolution Foundation, Professor David Taylor-Robinson (Chair in Health Inequalities, Professor of Public Health and Policy at The University of Liverpool), and Dr Katriona O'Sullivan (Professor of Psychology, Director for the Centre for Excellence and Inclusive Higher Education at Maynooth University)

Work Child Poverty Taskforce (Non-inquiry session)

Witnesses Baroness Longfield (Executive Chair and Founder of the Centre for Young Lives and Children's Commissioner from March 2015 to February 2021 at Member of the House of Lords), Lord Blunkett (former Secretary of State for Education and Employment and former Secretary of State for Work and Pensions at Member of the House of Lords), and Naomi Eisenstadt CB (Chair at NHS Northamptonshire Integrated Care Board, former director of Sure Start and the Social Exclusion taskforce and non-executive director at Department of Health and Social Care)

Work Pension Schemes Bill (Non-inquiry session)

Witnesses Rachel Croft (Chair at Association of Professional Pension Trustees), Chris Curry (Director at Pensions Policy Institute), Yvonne Braun (Director of Policy, Long-Term Savings, Health and Protection at ABI), Joe Dabrowski (Deputy Director at Pension and Lifetime Savings Association), Jesse Griffiths (CEO at Finance Innovation Lab), William Wright (Managing Director at New Financial), and Jackie Wells (Independent Pensions Researcher)

Inquiry Pensioner Poverty: challenges and mitigations

Witnesses Rhian Bowen-Davies, Older People's Commissioner for Wales, Victoria Lloyd (Chief Executive at Age Cymru), and Faye Patton (Head of Policy and Insights at Care and Repair Cymru)

Inquiry Get Britain Working: Pathways to Work

Witnesses Dr Lucy Foulkes (Academic Psychologist at Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford), David Finch (Assistant Director, Healthy Lives Directorate at Health Foundation), Professor Ben Barr (Professor in Applied Public Health Research at University of Liverpool), David Berry (Work and Skills Lead at Manchester City Council), Jonathan Andrew (Head of Public Affairs at Rethink Mental Illness), James Taylor (Executive Director at Scope), Mikey Erhardt (Campaigns and Policy Officer at Disability Rights UK), and Ellen Clifford (Disability Rights Campaigner at Disabled People Against Cuts)

Inquiry Pensioner Poverty: challenges and mitigations

Witnesses Dr Ruth Law (Honorary Secretary and Honorary Secretary at The British Geriatrics Society), David Finch (Assistant Director of the Healthy Lives Team at The Health Foundation), Toby North (Head of Public Affairs at Marie Curie), Professor Sir Michael Marmot (Director at UCL Institute of Health Equity), and Dr David Attwood (GP Partner at Pathfields Medical Group)

Inquiry Get Britain Working: Reforming Jobcentres

Witnesses Abdi Mohamed (Head of Policy, Campaigns and Public Affairs at Scope), Balbir Kaur Chatrik (Director of Policy and Communications at Centrepoint), Sam Reid (Research Manager at Migrant Help), Liz Sewell (Director at Belina Grow), Andrew McGregor (Careers Forum Chair at UNISON), Martin Cavanagh (PCS President at PCS), and Angela Grant (PCS DWP President at PCS)

Inquiry Get Britain Working: Pathways to Work

Witnesses Professor Ben Geiger (Professor in Social Science and Health at King’s College London), Tom Pollard (Head of Social Policy at New Economics Foundation), Jean-André Prager (Senior Fellow at Policy Exchange), Ruth Curtice (Chief Executive at Resolution Foundation), Iain Porter (Senior Policy Adviser at Joseph Rowntree Foundation), Ruth Patrick, and Angela Matthews (Director of Public Policy and Research at Business Disability Forum)

Inquiry Pensioner Poverty: challenges and mitigations

Witnesses Lauren McKechnie (Chief Executive at Age UK Bolton), Paul McGarry (Head at Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s Ageing Hub), Jo Rowlands (Head of Financial Inclusion at Leeds City Council), Trish Martin (Advice Services Manager at Southway Housing), Jo Volpe (Chief Executive at Leeds Older People’s Forum), Sue Forster (Welfare Benefits Co-ordinator at Citizens Advice Liverpool), and Idowu Khadijat Morafa (Founder and Director at Across Ummah CIC)

Inquiry Get Britain Working: Reforming Jobcentres

Witnesses Andy Burnham (Mayor of Greater Manchester at Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA))

Inquiry Pensioner Poverty: challenges and mitigations

Witnesses Dr Juliet Stone (Research Fellow at Centre for Research in Social Policy, Loughborough University), Dr Kingsley Purdam (Lecturer, Social Statistics at Manchester University), Professor Matt Padley (Co-Director of the Centre for Research in Social Policy at Loughborough University), Daphne Hall (Co-Chair at National Association of Welfare Rights Advisers (NAWRA)), Gareth Morgan (CEO at Ferret Information Systems), and Gary Vaux (Head of Money Advice at Hertfordshire County Council)

Inquiry Get Britain Working: Reforming Jobcentres

Witnesses Professor Peter Robertson (Professor at Edinburgh Napier University), Becci Newton (Director of Public Policy Research at Institute for Employment Studies), Jane Gratton (Deputy Director, Public Policy at British Chambers of Commerce), Saira Hussain (Employment Policy Champion at Federation of Small Businesses), Ramesh Moher (Director at New Challenge), and Elizabeth Taylor (Chief Executive at Employment Related Services Association (ERSA))

Work Pensions Dashboard (Non-inquiry session)

Witnesses Kim Gubler (Chair at Pensions Administration Standards Association), Brian Byrnes (Head of Personal Finance at Moneybox), Richard Smith (Volunteer Independent Chair at Pensions Dashboard Operators Coalition), Maurice Titley (Commercial Director (Data and Dashboards) at Lumera), Sarah Pritchard (Executive Director of Supervision, Policy and Competition at Financial Conduct Authority), Nike Trost (Head of Asset Management and Pensions Policy at Financial Conduct Authority), David Walmsley (Director of Trusteeship, Administration and DB Supervision at The Pensions Regulator), Lucy Stone (Business Lead, Pensions Dashboards at The Pensions Regulator), Oliver Morley (Chief Executive Officer at Money and Pensions Service), Iain Patterson (Senior Responsible Owner at Pensions Dashboards Programme), and Kim Webb (Programme Director at Pensions Dashboard Programme)

Inquiry Pensioner Poverty: challenges and mitigations

Witnesses Alistair Smyth (Director of Policy and Research at National Housing Federation), Fabian Chessell (Central Government Lead at Policy in Practice), Deven Ghelani (Director and Founder at Policy in Practice), and Councillor David Fothergill (Chair of Community and Well-being panel at Local Government Association)

Inquiry Safeguarding vulnerable claimants

Witnesses Sir Stephen Timms MP (Minister for Social Security and Disability at Department for Work and Pensions), Elizabeth Fairburn (Customer Experience Director at Department for Work and Pensions), Dr Gail Allsopp (Chief Medical Advisor at Department for Work and Pensions), and Neil Couling (Director General, Fraud, Disability and Health and Senior Responsible Owner Universal Credit at Department for Work and Pensions)

Work Health and Safety Executive (Non-inquiry session)

Witnesses Sarah Albon (Chief Executive at Health and Safety Executive), Sarah Newton (Chair at Health and Safety Executive), and Jane Lassey (Director of Regulation at Health and Safety Executive)

Work DWP’s Annual Report and Accounts 2023-24 (Non-inquiry session)

Witnesses Neil Couling (Director General, Fraud, Disability and Health, and Senior Reporting Officer for Universal Credit at Department for Work and Pensions), Sir Peter Schofield (Permanent Secretary at Department for Work and Pensions), and Catherine Vaughan (Director General, Finance at Department for Work and Pensions)

Inquiry Pensioner Poverty: challenges and mitigations

Witnesses Dr Suzy Morrissey (Deputy Director at Pensions Policy Institute), Sue Ferns (Senior Deputy General Secretary at Prospect), Sasjkia Otto (Senior Researcher at Fabian Society), Dr Daniella Jenkins (Policy Advisor at Women's Budget Group, and Senior Lecturer at University of Bristol), Angela Madden (Chair at The WASPI Campaign), Debbie de Spon (Communications Director at The WASPI Campaign), and Karl Banister (Director of Operations, Legal and Clinical, and Deputy Ombudsman at Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO))

Inquiry Safeguarding vulnerable claimants

Witnesses Sophie Francis-Cansfield (Head of Policy at Women’s Aid), Minesh Patel (Associate Director of Policy and Influencing at Mind), Tim Nicholls (Assistant Director of Policy, Research and Strategy at National Autistic Society), Carri Swann (Welfare Rights Adviser at Child Poverty Action Group), Dr Gail Allsopp (Chief Medical Adviser at Department for Work and Pensions), and Dr Antonia Dietmann (Chief Psychologist and Head of Profession for Occupational Psychology at Department for Work and Pensions)

Inquiry Pensioner Poverty: challenges and mitigations

Witnesses Carl Emmerson (Deputy Director at Institute for Fiscal Studies), Peter Matejic (Chief Analyst, Insight and Policy at Joseph Rowntree Foundation), Carole Easton (CEO at Centre for Aging Better), Daniella Silcock, Independent Research Consultant, Caroline Abrahams (Charity Director at Age UK), Morgan Vine (Director of Policy and Influencing at Independent Age), Adam Stachura (Associate Director of Policy, Communications and External Affairs at Age Scotland), and Jonathan Safir (National Administration and Information Manager at National Pensioners Convention)