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Proceeding contribution from Lord Kirkwood of Kirkhope (Liberal Democrat) in the House of Lords on Monday, 28 November 2011. It occurred during Debate on bill and Committee proceeding on Welfare Reform Bill.


Welfare Reform Bill

I do not know whether I am more frightened now than I was previously. I accept that there is a capacity issue, but I am looking for the comfort that I have heard in the past that significant matters will reach our desks as legislators faster. None of us can keep up with the flow of things. If you are just a guerrilla opposition Member, which I used to be, the default position was to table negative prayers against everything. The Minister has to be careful that we do not get back to that safety default position where you could just give the Minister of the day a bit of a kicking at the Dispatch Box and go home. Sometimes you might hit lucky on something that the Government did not want you to know about, but that is not where we want to be. I absolutely accept that the Minister in particular has been transparent to a fault. You can see straight through him on things that are coming down the track. It is impossible to read it all, but I worry that he will struggle if these regulations come in in wodges and packages immediately after Royal Assent. I do not want people like me to be put into the position where I think, ““Well, safety first. Let us just pre-against it anyway””. That would not be sensible. I would like the SSAC to say, ““Of this batch, if you want to concentrate on anything, this is what you should concentrate on””. That would be massively reassuring to me. I would go home at the weekend thinking that I was earning whatever it is that we get to come here. Obviously, I will withdraw this amendment, but I hope that the Minister will reflect on that point. This is a probing amendment. I understand capacity issues and the importance of him using his expertise within the Government to get to a better place. I will read the record and try not to worry more than I did before I tabled the amendment. I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment 113AA withdrawn. Clause 130 agreed. Sitting suspended. Clause 131 : Supporting maintenance agreements Amendment 113B Clause 131 : Supporting maintenance agreements Amendment 113B Moved by


Secondary information

Type
Proceeding contribution
Reference
733 c38-9GC 
Session
2010-12
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords Grand Committee
Subjects
Children Disclosure of information Appeals Benefits rules Deductions Arrears Child Support Agency Fraud Fees and charges ICT Domestic abuse Exemptions Overpayments Mental illness Maintenance Parents Negligence Social security benefits Social Security Advisory Committee Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission Universal credit Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission
Legislation
Welfare Reform Bill 2010-12
Link
View this Proceeding contribution on www.publications.parliament.uk