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Welfare Reform and Incapacity Benefit

No; I will not give way again. I have answered the hon. Gentleman’s point. What we had in February this year was a five-year plan. Despite its rather Stalinist title, it gave us some indication of how the Government wish to split incapacity benefit in two: one benefit more appropriate for those who will never work, and other benefit to become a pathway back into the world of work. We did not agree with all the substance in the February paper, but it was at least reasonably specific and somewhat detailed. So imagine our surprise when, on 7 October this year, we went back to what are called the ““Principles of Welfare Reform””. Remarkably, in eight months, the Government have gone from fairly specific proposals to very general principles. The world was rather surprised that the new policy on welfare reform was summed up in various phrases. That document says:"““We will create a new relationship between the individual, the family and the wider community.””" It continues:"““The Government will tackle dysfunctional behaviour head-on, and use the wider strength of neighbourliness and community to provide support through a range of interventions.””" What support? What interventions? We have got beyond principles; we want to know what the Government are going to do. Of course the reason why the Government are now taking refuge in vacuous and general phrases is that No. 10 has vetoed the specific proposals that the Government announced back in February. Another factor in all this, of course, is the purported discontent among Labour Back Benchers, but what we need from the Government now are some answers. We want to know how the Government want to put those principles into action. Will they still pursue the split in incapacity benefit in the way that they set out back in February? We also want to know what has happened to the promised review of housing benefit. That has not been mentioned in the debate, but in the Queen’s Speech, Her Majesty read out the following sentence:"““My Government will introduce legislation to reform support for housing costs.””" Will the Minister for Employment and Welfare Reform tell us when she responds to the debate how that is progressing? Her Majesty may not want to know the answer, but the House does.