To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent assessment he has made of the effect on single parent households of housing and council tax benefit rules that result in a reduction of benefit when (a) eligibility for tax credits is established and (b) a student maintenance...

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent assessment he has made of the effect on single parent households of housing and council tax benefit rules that result in a reduction of benefit when (a) eligibility for tax credits is established and (b) a student maintenance...

I have told my hon. Friend and others by way of answers to parliamentary questions that there are emerging data on that. It is still early days. We are looking at the data and will present our findings in the fullness of time. If the performance is not appropriate, we...

I have told my hon. Friend and others by way of answers to parliamentary questions that there are emerging data on that. It is still early days. We are looking at the data and will present our findings in the fullness of time. If the performance is not appropriate, we...

Increasingly there is such an assessment. I have gone on record saying that we may need to, and should, do more to assess people's roles, especially given the downturn, from the time when they originally present. I said clearly in the previous debate that the woman who interviewed me who...

Increasingly there is such an assessment. I have gone on record saying that we may need to, and should, do more to assess people's roles, especially given the downturn, from the time when they originally present. I said clearly in the previous debate that the woman who interviewed me who...

The point that my hon. Friend misses slightly is that I think that the disparity between the amounts for different age groups should prevail. There is, of course, a perfectly legitimate wider argument to be had about the level of benefits, the relation to wage levels and the minimum wage,...

The point that my hon. Friend misses slightly is that I think that the disparity between the amounts for different age groups should prevail. There is, of course, a perfectly legitimate wider argument to be had about the level of benefits, the relation to wage levels and the minimum wage,...

I am not telling my hon. Friend that I have spoken to Scottish Ministers since our Committee finished, but I repeat that there is no commitment from that Government to legislate, and from their perspective, apparently, no more money and no further investment are needed. I do not see why...

I am not telling my hon. Friend that I have spoken to Scottish Ministers since our Committee finished, but I repeat that there is no commitment from that Government to legislate, and from their perspective, apparently, no more money and no further investment are needed. I do not see why...

I will, because the hon. Gentleman did at least speak once in Committee, for which we are grateful.

I will, because the hon. Gentleman did at least speak once in Committee, for which we are grateful.

As devolution is dear to my heart, I fully accept that you do things differently, but we would rather like you to do it. That is the point. I am sorry about the "you", Mr. Deputy Speaker. We would rather like broad agreement across all devolved Administrations that child care...

As devolution is dear to my heart, I fully accept that you do things differently, but we would rather like you to do it. That is the point. I am sorry about the "you", Mr. Deputy Speaker. We would rather like broad agreement across all devolved Administrations that child care...

For the reasons that my hon. Friend the Member for Regent's Park and Kensington, North suggested. There may well be significant barriers, in terms of child care provision, for someone with a child considerably older than three, six or seven, and the personalised and tailored support package will take full...

For the reasons that my hon. Friend the Member for Regent's Park and Kensington, North suggested. There may well be significant barriers, in terms of child care provision, for someone with a child considerably older than three, six or seven, and the personalised and tailored support package will take full...

I certainly was not suggesting that my hon. Friend was the least bit complacent. All that I am suggesting is that if many—not all—of the amendments considered tonight prevailed, they would be the alternative that the hon. Members who tabled them would have to offer many unemployed people. Those hon....

I certainly was not suggesting that my hon. Friend was the least bit complacent. All that I am suggesting is that if many—not all—of the amendments considered tonight prevailed, they would be the alternative that the hon. Members who tabled them would have to offer many unemployed people. Those hon....

Let me start by agreeing with the first comments made by my hon. Friend the Member for Walsall, North (Mr. Winnick) and some of the tenor of the debate. The emphasis of the Bill is not that those who have the misfortune to find themselves unemployed are feckless, workshy or...

Let me start by agreeing with the first comments made by my hon. Friend the Member for Walsall, North (Mr. Winnick) and some of the tenor of the debate. The emphasis of the Bill is not that those who have the misfortune to find themselves unemployed are feckless, workshy or...

I agree that that is the starting point. That is the starting premise behind the Green Paper, the White Paper, the work that Freud and Gregg have done, and the work by many social welfare organisations and think-tanks across the political spectrum. That is right and proper. The wider starting...

I agree that that is the starting point. That is the starting premise behind the Green Paper, the White Paper, the work that Freud and Gregg have done, and the work by many social welfare organisations and think-tanks across the political spectrum. That is right and proper. The wider starting...

Yes, and as I understand it, that position prevails. As my hon. Friend the Member for Bradford, North (Mr. Rooney) said, whether the period is five or 25 years does not matter; the person concerned can languish on benefits, and the state or public policy has no role at all....

Yes, and as I understand it, that position prevails. As my hon. Friend the Member for Bradford, North (Mr. Rooney) said, whether the period is five or 25 years does not matter; the person concerned can languish on benefits, and the state or public policy has no role at all....

I, too, think that this has been a very interesting debate, in which colleagues who were here made extensive and experienced contributions. There were just two contributions from the Conservative Back Benches, and they were both very useful and thoughtful—

I, too, think that this has been a very interesting debate, in which colleagues who were here made extensive and experienced contributions. There were just two contributions from the Conservative Back Benches, and they were both very useful and thoughtful—

I will not, for the moment. If the right hon. Member for Maidenhead brings less petty politicking to these very serious matters, as she at least implies that she will, that is hugely welcome. If she brings a degree of clarity where, up to now, there has been real intellectual...

I will not, for the moment. If the right hon. Member for Maidenhead brings less petty politicking to these very serious matters, as she at least implies that she will, that is hugely welcome. If she brings a degree of clarity where, up to now, there has been real intellectual...

The hon. Gentleman needs to understand that a televisual contraption has been invented that allows people who are not in the Chamber to watch the debate. We heard some old flannel from the Scottish National party—I am not sure whether it was a Front-Bench or Back-Bench contribution, but then neither...

The hon. Gentleman needs to understand that a televisual contraption has been invented that allows people who are not in the Chamber to watch the debate. We heard some old flannel from the Scottish National party—I am not sure whether it was a Front-Bench or Back-Bench contribution, but then neither...

There were two, I think the hon. Gentleman will find, but if he wants stretch the point and include interventions, I suppose that there were slightly more. We had absolutely no Back-Bench contributions from the Liberal Democrats, which is really quite sad.

There were two, I think the hon. Gentleman will find, but if he wants stretch the point and include interventions, I suppose that there were slightly more. We had absolutely no Back-Bench contributions from the Liberal Democrats, which is really quite sad.

No, it isn't, actually. Scrutiny is about looking in a balanced way at both the sticks and the carrots—at the whole sanctions regime, all the conditionality, and all our existing and future reforms outwith the Bill. It is about that, rather than about simply asking, ““What happens if a drug...

No, it isn't, actually. Scrutiny is about looking in a balanced way at both the sticks and the carrots—at the whole sanctions regime, all the conditionality, and all our existing and future reforms outwith the Bill. It is about that, rather than about simply asking, ““What happens if a drug...

Welfare Reform Bill. Second reading debate. Agreed to on question. Programme motion on proceedings in Committee, on Report, Third reading and any other proceedings agreed to on question. Queen's recommendation signified. Money resolution agreed to on question.

Welfare Reform Bill. Second reading debate. Agreed to on question. Programme motion on proceedings in Committee, on Report, Third reading and any other proceedings agreed to on question. Queen's recommendation signified. Money resolution agreed to on question.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the answer of 16 July 2008, Official Report, columns 474-5W, how many and what proportion of his Department's 8,950 customer-facing staff have received specific training on the changes to the eligibility rules for income support which came...

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the answer of 16 July 2008, Official Report, columns 474-5W, how many and what proportion of his Department's 8,950 customer-facing staff have received specific training on the changes to the eligibility rules for income support which came...

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what procedures he has put in place to ensure Jobcentre Plus considers individual circumstances on a case by case basis, with particular reference to cases of lone parents seeking special consideration under the Social Security (Lone Parents and Miscellaneous Amendments)...

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what procedures he has put in place to ensure Jobcentre Plus considers individual circumstances on a case by case basis, with particular reference to cases of lone parents seeking special consideration under the Social Security (Lone Parents and Miscellaneous Amendments)...