Minister denies she has ‘one foot out the door’ as MPs criticise failure to answer questions

Work and pensions secretary Therese Coffey says suggestions she may quit are ‘ridiculous’

The work and pensions secretary has denied that she has “one foot out of the door” as MPs critised her failure to answer questions about the work of her department.

During an evidence session with the Work and Pensions Committee, Therese Coffey was questioned by Labour MP Neil Coyle about a “rumour” that she was preparing to resign.

The minister hit back by calling suggestions she was considering quitting “ridiculous”, adding that she could bring up “other stuff that happened downstairs”.

The terse exchange came as MPs in the committee became increasingly frustrated at her lack of answers to their questions about how she was helping people to “keep their heads above water” amid the rise in living costs.

She was accused of being “secretive” after failing to give clear answers on when reports about food banks and benefit sanctions that the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) had promised to publish would be made public.

SNP MP Chris Stephens raised the fact that the DWP committed 18 months ago to placing a copy of its evidence-based systematic reviews of food bank use, adding: “We’ve waited patiently. Where is that report?”

Ms Coffey responded: “I’ll have to go back and check. I know there was something we started to do but stopped because of Covid […]Defra leads of food poverty, food insecurity.”

Labour MP Neil Coyle later asked the minister why the department had decided not to publish an evaluation of the effectiveness of benefit sanctions, which it previously promised would be published in late Spring 2019.

“Some internal analysis has been done. I don’t know what the next plans are with that,” Ms Coffey responded.

Earlier in the evidence session, the minister was asked by Labour MP Debbie Abrahams what assessment had been undertaken on the impact of the estimated 3.1 per cent increase on the additional costs already faced by disabled people, to which Ms Coffey responded: “Off top of my head I can’t remember if an assessment was published.”

Towards the end of the session, Labour MP Neil Coyle said: “There’s a pattern her isn’t there - with the disabled people research, the food banks research - there are commitments to publish and then the department turns really secretive.

“Why is this? What is being hidden? Why is this approached being adopted?”

”The minister replied: “Internal analysis will help with policy formation. That’s often known as a private area as we consider different policies”, to which Mr Coyle said: “Most people don’t think policy formation is a secret.”

The Labour MP went on to say: “There was a rumour the secretary of state was going to resign. Is that the reason you can’t answer any questions today because you’ve got one foot out the door?”

Ms Coffey responded: “Don’t be ridiculous Neil. If you want to bring up gossip, I can bring up other stuff that happened downstairs. I don’t think that’s appropriate for this select committee. Thank you.”

“I can discuss that stuff any time,” Mr Coyle said in response.