Well, I shall respond, if I am so invited. I shall respond to one point. The noble Baroness has misunderstood the expression "financial sanctions", but there are other sanctions to be made, so her whole argument against my position falls down.

Well, I shall respond, if I am so invited. I shall respond to one point. The noble Baroness has misunderstood the expression "financial sanctions", but there are other sanctions to be made, so her whole argument against my position falls down.

That the House do not insist on its Amendment 2, to which the Commons have disagreed, and do agree with the Commons in their Amendment 2A in lieu and their consequential Amendment 2B— 2A: Page 12, line 45, at end insert the following new Clause:- "Parliamentary procedure: regulations imposing work-related...

That the House do not insist on its Amendment 2, to which the Commons have disagreed, and do agree with the Commons in their Amendment 2A in lieu and their consequential Amendment 2B— 2A: Page 12, line 45, at end insert the following new Clause:- "Parliamentary procedure: regulations imposing work-related...

My Lords, we know that there are ways of making a point when somebody wants to. We note that the noble Lord did not take the opportunity to do that. There will be other opportunities to explore that situation. The noble Lord, Lord Freud, prayed in aid John Grogan and...

My Lords, we know that there are ways of making a point when somebody wants to. We note that the noble Lord did not take the opportunity to do that. There will be other opportunities to explore that situation. The noble Lord, Lord Freud, prayed in aid John Grogan and...

My Lords, my surprise, in view of what the noble Lord, Lord Freud, has said, is that he has not pressed his amendment again. Will he explain to his e-mail recipients why he has not done so, because I do not believe that the Bill would have been lost? During...

My Lords, my surprise, in view of what the noble Lord, Lord Freud, has said, is that he has not pressed his amendment again. Will he explain to his e-mail recipients why he has not done so, because I do not believe that the Bill would have been lost? During...

I do not think that the position of the noble Lord, Lord Freud, is being lost in this; the decision has been postponed. He might be upset about that but he may find himself in a position to do something about it in the not-too-distant future. After all, as my...

I do not think that the position of the noble Lord, Lord Freud, is being lost in this; the decision has been postponed. He might be upset about that but he may find himself in a position to do something about it in the not-too-distant future. After all, as my...

My Lords, I thank all noble Lords who have contributed to this discussion. The noble Lord, Lord Kirkwood, is right to analyse what is proposed for the sanctions regime for work-related activity: it flows that it will be broadly consistent with the Gregg model. The Secretary of State’s letter to...

My Lords, I thank all noble Lords who have contributed to this discussion. The noble Lord, Lord Kirkwood, is right to analyse what is proposed for the sanctions regime for work-related activity: it flows that it will be broadly consistent with the Gregg model. The Secretary of State’s letter to...

My Lords, I remind both the Minister and the noble Baroness, Lady Hollis, that, in a debate of this sort, leave can only be given to speak again on a material point in my noble friend’s speech. He did not mention childcare tax credits at all.

My Lords, I remind both the Minister and the noble Baroness, Lady Hollis, that, in a debate of this sort, leave can only be given to speak again on a material point in my noble friend’s speech. He did not mention childcare tax credits at all.

Welfare Reform Bill. Lords consideration of Commons amendments. Lords amendment 2 not insisted on and Commons amendment 2A in lieu and consequential amendment 2B agreed to.

Welfare Reform Bill. Lords consideration of Commons amendments. Lords amendment 2 not insisted on and Commons amendment 2A in lieu and consequential amendment 2B agreed to.

My Lords—

My Lords—

I am sure that the noble Baroness, Lady Hollis, knows that my noble friend cannot stand up again at this stage in the Bill’s proceedings.

I am sure that the noble Baroness, Lady Hollis, knows that my noble friend cannot stand up again at this stage in the Bill’s proceedings.

I wanted the noble Lord to stand up before I sat down, which I shall if he wishes to speak. Therefore, he has plenty of—how shall I put it?—formal opportunity to respond to the question that I put to him. I note that he does not.

I wanted the noble Lord to stand up before I sat down, which I shall if he wishes to speak. Therefore, he has plenty of—how shall I put it?—formal opportunity to respond to the question that I put to him. I note that he does not.

The noble Lord either does not know, does not care or refuses to make the commitment that would really matter to lone parents, should there be a change of Administration.

The noble Lord either does not know, does not care or refuses to make the commitment that would really matter to lone parents, should there be a change of Administration.

My Lords, it is with some surprise that I see this amendment in lieu has come back from another place because the arguments have been firmly on the side of the original Lords amendment. John Grogan MP—a Member on the government Benches in another place—said: ""This proposal is mean-spirited. It...

My Lords, it is with some surprise that I see this amendment in lieu has come back from another place because the arguments have been firmly on the side of the original Lords amendment. John Grogan MP—a Member on the government Benches in another place—said: ""This proposal is mean-spirited. It...

I take exception to any suggestion that the views of the government Bench are part of a political game. The noble Lord, Lord Freud, is a fairly late entrant to the discussions on lone parents. Members on the Liberal Democrat and Labour Benches have fought the corner of lone-parent poverty...

I take exception to any suggestion that the views of the government Bench are part of a political game. The noble Lord, Lord Freud, is a fairly late entrant to the discussions on lone parents. Members on the Liberal Democrat and Labour Benches have fought the corner of lone-parent poverty...

My Lords, during the Commons’ consideration of Lords amendments in the other place, honourable Members accepted all the amendments made in your Lordships’ House with the exception of Amendment 2. This amendment would have placed a requirement in primary legislation that financial sanctions should not be imposed on a single...

My Lords, during the Commons’ consideration of Lords amendments in the other place, honourable Members accepted all the amendments made in your Lordships’ House with the exception of Amendment 2. This amendment would have placed a requirement in primary legislation that financial sanctions should not be imposed on a single...

Welfare Reform Bill. Programme motion (No. 2) on proceedings on consideration of Lords amendments and any subsequent stages. Agreed to on question. Consideration of Lords amendments. Lords amendment 2 disagreed to on division (286 votes to 236). Commons amendments (a) and (b) in lieu agreed to on question. Lords amendments 1, and 3 to 102 agreed to, with Commons privileges waived in respect of Lords amendments 11, 12, 19 to 21, 23, 25, 30, 31, 38, 44 and 48.

Welfare Reform Bill. Programme motion (No. 2) on proceedings on consideration of Lords amendments and any subsequent stages. Agreed to on question. Consideration of Lords amendments. Lords amendment 2 disagreed to on division (286 votes to 236). Commons amendments (a) and (b) in lieu agreed to on question. Lords amendments...

The phrase, "the best route out of poverty is work", concerns me a little, first because it is not always a route out of poverty. There is a second reason however: according to the Government's logic, that route could take us right down to age zero. Surely for some families,...

The phrase, "the best route out of poverty is work", concerns me a little, first because it is not always a route out of poverty. There is a second reason however: according to the Government's logic, that route could take us right down to age zero. Surely for some families,...

The Minister mentioned child poverty immediately before he took that intervention. Does he accept that the fact that a parent has gone into work does not automatically mean that the child is not in poverty any more?

The Minister mentioned child poverty immediately before he took that intervention. Does he accept that the fact that a parent has gone into work does not automatically mean that the child is not in poverty any more?

I agree; nobody doubts the potential of these schemes if they are taken up by willing volunteers. In many such cases, they are very successful, but there is a world of difference between a scheme that someone enters into willingly and enthusiastically, and one that people are coerced into entering....

I agree; nobody doubts the potential of these schemes if they are taken up by willing volunteers. In many such cases, they are very successful, but there is a world of difference between a scheme that someone enters into willingly and enthusiastically, and one that people are coerced into entering....

Does the hon. Gentleman agree that work is the best route out of poverty? If he does, why can he not see that, given that the length of time spent out of the labour market determines how easy it is to get back into it, we should start to encourage...

Does the hon. Gentleman agree that work is the best route out of poverty? If he does, why can he not see that, given that the length of time spent out of the labour market determines how easy it is to get back into it, we should start to encourage...