Part of Work and Pensions – in the House of Commons at on 18 March 2024.
Mel Stride
The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
May I join the House in saying happy birthday to the Minister for Employment, my hon. Friend Jo Churchill? It should be a national holiday as far as I am concerned—perhaps that is an idea for a private Member’s Bill, or something similar.
I am pleased that, since the last questions, we have published our review into autism employment, and I place on record my thanks to my right hon. and learned Friend Sir Robert Buckland who did such excellent work in bringing that useful report forward.
Looking forward from April, we will see benefits generally rising by 6.7%, the state pension by 8.5%, the national living wage by around 10%, and the next tranche of the household support fund being brought forward. As I have already set out, our plan is working. It means more employment, historically low unemployment and an economic inactivity rate below countries such as the United States, France and Italy.
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
