DWP Minister Esther McVey Employment Minsiter: grilling by the Select Committee over Sanctions pt1

Current DWP Minister Esther McVey receiving a grilling from the Select Committee of MPs chaired by Dame Anne Begg. A comical performance; McVey's rambling did not answer one question put to her, she didn't know figures asked of her, and denied evidence of DWP staff being harassed into sanctions targets

Impact questions were repeatedly asked of the Minister from as early as the first 5mins of the review
no evidence was offered of any success. I have included aproximate timings of comments throughout this video- so specific comments and questions can be followed in context.

DWP Punitive Sanctions

DWP Sanctions are described as punitive in this committee. by both Dame Anne Begg Chair of the Work and pensions Committee.
13:00-No research has been undertaken on the effects on Sanction on claimants own ability to survive

Advisors had made it clear that there was a culture of targeting the vulnerable with sanctions. This is shown in this cjss article.

15:50 -No support is really offered to sanctioned claimants.
17:11 mins-Sharon Gilmore indicates that many step back from the job search to deal with the finances. She felt that the claimants were treated like naughty children

DWP Communications

Some claimants often only found out that they had been sanctioned through checking their bank accounts.
The committee continues to question as to how the Sanctions are being reviewed and how the success is being checked and there is clear indication of avoidance of the issue. No evidence of defence is provided by the department

22:00 - No evaluation or review  is planned of the Sanction system
35:00- Esther McVey states you cannot have a Welfare Benefit system without a punitive Sanction based system based on International evidence
37-38 Esther answers a question from Teresa Pearce indicating that although there is a Destination survey her department is unclear as to how many have gone into work due to sanctions and how many have just changed benefits.

Welfare benefit witheld

41:00- Debbie Abrahams asks about the money withheld from claimants. rising from 2010-2011 at 45 million to 60 million in 2011-12. esther indicates that Stephen Timms requst for further information has been turned down as the stats aren't accurate as they do not include Hardship benefits. This has led to the statisticians decision not to reveal more information.

Universal Credit

Debbie's constituency includes Oldham that has seen the introduction of Universal Credit in recent times.
43:00- Debbie indicates that  £275 million has been witheld. A minute later Debbie refers Esther to Universal Credit conditionality. The Sanction issues related to in work sanctions on low pay.
Esther then indicates that there will be conditionality on the Universal Credit payments including
Requirements to reach a certain Threshold of income -£11.000 -Promotion, training etc....A random control pilot....