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The man in charge of Universal Credit seems to be more concerned with eating cake in celebration of the scheme than he does in sorting out its many problems.

Critics have accused Neil Couling of insensitivity in tweeting pictures of cakes celebrating Universal Credit while some claimants on the scheme are starving because of the bungled rollout.

Quizzed today by MPs on the scheme Mr Couling admitted he was “concerned” by claims of eviction threats and had written to the National Housing Federation to remind them people should not be turfed out during the six-week wait.

Earlier this evening a vote called by Labour to "pause and fix" the rollout of the scheme which won 299 votes to 0 after the Tories were whipped to abstain on the issue.

The new payment, which combines six benefits in one, has been beset by problems including forcing debt-ridden families to wait six weeks for cash - leaving them at risk of eviction.

Mr Couling, who is the Director General of Universal Credit, has been marking the expansion of the scheme to each new area by indulging his sweet tooth.

When it reached Hove in the south east he tweeted a picture of a two-tiered cake with white icing and blue lettering spelling out Universal Credit along the side and UC on the top.

He said: "In Hove, one of the jobcentres that is part of the expansion of Universal Credit, that begins today."

It was the same when he visited a Job Centre in East London.

"The cake theme persists with UC rollout. Poplar turning their hand to the baking. I brought some back for the team."

And here he is in Fulham, West London:

There was also an impressive blue and white cake to celebrate the launch of the scheme back in November 2015.

Although no one would begrudge workers a slice of cake celebrating the rollout, which has been marred by problems in such a lavish way seems more than a little insensitive.

This is especially true when delays to the scheme have left some families without money for up to ten weeks making putting even basic food on the table a challenge - never mind a fancy celebration cake.