Skip to main content

Business question from Roger Gale (Conservative) in the House of Commons on Thursday, 5 February 2009. It occurred during Business statement on Business of the House.


Business of the House

In light of the right hon. and learned Lady's earlier remarks, may I place on record my self-sacrificial willingness to step forward and serve as a Minister in the Lords, if the appropriate arrangements can be made—but under the next Government, not this one? Mr. Speaker, you were in the Chair on Monday when my right hon. Friend the Member for West Dorset (Mr. Letwin) and I put questions to successive Ministers from the Department for Work and Pensions. There were two Ministers, and two completely contradictory answers were given. Some 1,700 ex-pat UK citizens, all of them by implication disabled, are waiting for payment of disability and related benefits. The matter is to be determined by the European Court of Justice, and the Government have been sitting on the problem for months. Given the confusion caused on Monday, will the Leader of the House ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to come to the Dispatch Box to make a statement, so that we know what the position actually is?


Secondary information

Type
Proceeding contribution
Reference
487 c984;487 c982 
Session
2008-09
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
Subjects
Disability Overseas residence Social security benefits
Link
View this Proceeding contribution on www.publications.parliament.uk