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MPs were debating Universal Credit after the government abstained on a motion to 'pause and fix' the rollout of the scheme last week.

Work and Pensions Secretary David Gauke, who has ultimate responsibility for the bungled benefit shake-up, failed to appear at today's debate, sending deputy Damian Hinds in his place.

Mr Hinds said the "general commentary" from last week's motion had been heard, adding: "I've also taken away a number of points that were raised for action.

"There were some individual cases and also policy and process matters. These included how we can improve arrangements for direct rent payments, our approach in cases of domestic abuse, process for housing benefit debt recovery.

Mr Hinds said staffing levels are increasing to complement the roll-out of UC.

He added the Government's gradual approach means it can "continually adjust and evolve" the programme.

But Labour's Debbie Abrahams said she was "disappointed" that the secretary of state had not turned up.

She said: “I always welcome the minister to his place, but I would like to ask why the Secretary of State isn’t here to answer.

“Obviously I understand that emergencies do happen, but I haven’t had any satisfactory response from his office when I rang earlier, and apparently Downing Street are none the wiser either.”

She was one of many MPs who spoke passionately about the effects of the policy on her constituents.

Seema Malhotra warned people were being evicted because of the policy

(Image: Parliament TV)

The MP for Feltham and Heston said she was surprised about the Tories' lack of denial about the seriousness of the situation.

She spoke out about her constituents who were suffering raising the case of a mum of three who has been forced to sleep on her cousin's floor because she had been evicted due to not paying her rent because of Universal Credit delays.

Ms Malhotra said: "This isn't about us versus the government, this is about real people, our constituents suffering."

Carolyn Harris said she anticipated 'mayhem' when Universal Credit hits Swansea

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She said: "During the summer holidays I became aware of the empty shelves in my local food bank. These shelves are empty because mothers couldn't afford to feed their children. They were relying on free school meals."

The Swansea East MP set up a lunch club to help those children. She anticipated that she and her team might feed 500 children over a ten day period but they ended up providing meals to 6,638.

She asked: "How on earth are constituents going to cope at Christmas? With less money coming in and even greater demand for money going out."

Ms Harris pleaded: "Will the government please open your eyes look at the situation you are creating?" The passionate Welsh MP asked ministers to put the rollout on hold until the problems with the benefit are ironed out.

Angela Eagle warned her constituents will be forced to go to food banks for Christmas

(Image: Parliament TV)

Labour former minister Angela Eagle said a pause in UC was "urgent".

She added: "In Wallasey the roll-out will begin halfway through November, six weeks later it's Christmas.

"The (Department for Work and Pensions) will not be open on Christmas Day, which means many of my constituents will have to wait until the new year for any assistance, which is why our local food bank is looking to collect 15 tonnes of extra food to deal with the demand."

She urged the Government to listen to Parliament and take action to "alleviate this obviously avoidable hardship".

Jack Dromey hits out at Tories' demonisation of benefit claimants

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The MP for Birmingham, Erdington warned "disaster looms for tens of thousands of Birmingham citizens" who face moving on to Universal Credit on 13 December.

Mr Dromey hit out at the Tories for demonising those who are forced to rely on benefits to survive.

He told the heart breaking story of his consituent Angela who has two disabled sons and who was attacked while out with her son in his motorized wheelchair. He said things changed for the mum after George Osborne's speech about "shirkers and strivers".

Mr Dromey said ministers had learnt nothing from mistakes of the past.

Laura Smith says six-week wait is a penny pinching exercise

Last week she shared her experience of benefit delay as a single parent while working as a teacher.

She said that the House has heard some horror stories - but they weren’t stories.

The six week wait is forcing people into further debt. Said her constituency of Crewe is already one of the most indebted places in the country with almost 4,000 children in poverty.

Ms Smith said the six week wait “is nothing more than a penny pinching exercise” said she couldn’t be expected to explain to her constituents that “the government six week wait is there to teach them how to better manage their finances”.

She also questioned the government's stock defence about getting more people into work asking: “What type of work is that? Secure work? Work that pays a real living wage? We all know what lies behind those unemployment figures, poverty pay and precarious work."