Ian Byrne MP demands that plans to cut Universal Credit are reversed

On Wednesday, 2nd December during a House of Commons Urgent Question on Arcadia and Debenhams, I raised my concerns about the Government's plans to cut Universal Credit.

Youth unemployment and Universal Credit claims have gone up by over 100% in Liverpool West Derby, and now there are more job losses with the collapse of Debenhams and Arcadia.

It is immoral that the Government want to cut Universal Credit by £20 a week plunging more families into poverty.

I told the Minister for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Paul Scully MP, that "the job losses resulting from what is happening at Arcadia and Debenhams are on top of a series of devastating job losses across the North-West. Vacancies are scarce and people have few places left to turn."

I asked the Minister if the Government will now commit to cancelling their heartless plan to cut Universal Credit, which will take £20 a week from struggling families in Liverpool West Derby.