Proceeding contribution from Michael Meacher (Labour) in the House of Commons on Tuesday, 24 January 2006. It occurred during Ministerial statement on Welfare Reform Green Paper.
Welfare Reform Green Paper
Does my right hon. Friend recognise that there are considerable differences between north and south? The percentage of working-age adults claiming incapacity benefit, for example, in Merseyside, south Wales and the north-east is six to 10 times higher than in the south-east. We all know that the previous Conservative Government shifted probably over 1 million people off unemployment benefit on to incapacity benefit to get the unemployment figures down. Does that not suggest that we cannot solve this problem purely by getting tough on incapacity benefit? It can be solved only in conjunction with a much tougher regional industrial strategy to increase employment opportunities in areas of persistent high unemployment.
Secondary information
- Type
- Proceeding contribution
- Reference
- 441 c1318
- Session
- 2005-06
- Chamber / Committee
- House of Commons chamber
- Subjects
- Disability Disability living allowance Benefits rules Housing benefit Employment Eligibility Health and safety Incapacity benefit Mental illness Pilot schemes Older workers Lone parents Social security benefits Visual impairment Working conditions Reform
- Link
- View this Proceeding contribution on www.publications.parliament.uk
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