Proceeding contribution from Clive Efford (Labour) in the House of Commons on Wednesday, 10 December 2008. It occurred during Ministerial statement on Welfare Reform.
Welfare Reform
Further to the question raised by my hon. Friend the Member for Midlothian (Mr. Hamilton), will Secretary of State tell us what will be done to change the culture among some of the people in his Department? A constituent of mine, a bricklayer, suffered a hernia and had to undergo an operation. He contracted an infection and, while he was waiting for his fourth operation, he was told that he had not scored enough points on his incapacity benefit form. He had an open wound in his stomach, yet he was told that he was fit for work and that he should go on to jobseeker's allowance. That decision was callous and wrong, and it was not overturned on appeal. If we are going to deal with such people in the way that my hon. Friend has suggested, we need to deal with them as people and not through forms and box ticking. Will the Secretary of State assure the House that, where such a culture exists in his Department, it will be changed?
Secondary information
- Type
- Proceeding contribution
- Reference
- 485 c555
- Session
- 2008-09
- Chamber / Committee
- House of Commons chamber
- Subjects
- Disability Children Benefits rules Employment Drugs Private sector Employment schemes Incapacity benefit Maintenance Misuse Lone parents Social security benefits Social security Voluntary organisations Registration of births, deaths, marriages and civil partnerships Personalised Conditionality and Support Review Access to work programme Employment and support allowance Welfare to Work Review
- Link
- View this Proceeding contribution on www.publications.parliament.uk
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