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Welfare Reform Bill

In that case, I look forward to this letter. I particularly look forward to the list of statutory duties and whether it will put flesh on that moral duty to provide a safety net that the Secretary of State talked about. I am not aware that local authorities have that statutory duty, but I look forward to seeing it when the Minister’s little list appears. I acknowledge the fact that the Minister has accepted the spirit of the amendment on ring-fencing with his very strong statement about what must not happen. I look forward to the outcome of this reflective process and I hope that it will go some way—all the way, actually—to meeting the Committee’s concerns. We have had a very strong statement from the noble Lord, Lord Kirkwood, about his bottom line on this, which I am sure is ringing in the Minister’s ears, much more than anything I have said would ring in his ears. On that basis, I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment 86ZZZB withdrawn. Amendments 86ZZZC to 86ZZZF not moved. Clause 69 agreed. Schedule 8 : Social fund discretionary payments: consequential amendments Schedule 8 : Social fund discretionary payments: consequential amendments Schedule 8 agreed. Clause 70 : Purposes of discretionary payments Clause 70 : Purposes of discretionary payments Clause 70 agreed. Clause 71 : Determination of amount or value of budgeting loan Clause 71 : Determination of amount or value of budgeting loan Clause 71 agreed. Clause 72 : External provider social loans and community care grants Clause 72 : External provider social loans and community care grants Clause 72 agreed. Clause 73 : State pension credit: carers Clause 73 : State pension credit: carers Clause 73 agreed. Clause 74 : State pension credit: capital limit Clause 74 : State pension credit: capital limit