At the Fabian thinktank conference last week, I had an “in conversation” session with Stephen Timms, the minister who probably knows more and cares more about social security than any other MP. As financial secretary to the Treasury, he took the Child Poverty Act through parliament in 2010. In opposition, he chaired the work and pensions committee scrutinising the Tory years. Now as minister for social security and disability, he chairs two crucial reviews, one on personal independence payments (Pip) for disability and one on universal credit.