My Lords, as we are only too aware, the Welfare Reform Bill arrives with us at a time of deepening recession when many disabled people fear losing their jobs and their homes. On top of labour market discrimination, educational inequalities and media hostility, the 2.8 million claimants of incapacity benefit...

My Lords, as we are only too aware, the Welfare Reform Bill arrives with us at a time of deepening recession when many disabled people fear losing their jobs and their homes. On top of labour market discrimination, educational inequalities and media hostility, the 2.8 million claimants of incapacity benefit...

My Lords, the noble Baroness, Lady Campbell, has been authorised to allow me to complete her speech to accommodate her breathing difficulties. I am very much aware that the Government’s intention is to join up social care with other funding streams, but good intentions are not enough. It is far...

My Lords, the noble Baroness, Lady Campbell, has been authorised to allow me to complete her speech to accommodate her breathing difficulties. I am very much aware that the Government’s intention is to join up social care with other funding streams, but good intentions are not enough. It is far...

My Lords, no one disputes that work is the main route out of poverty for most people. In recent years, much effort has been focused on the long-term unemployed, to get these hard cases—who may have experienced several generations of unemployment and have few, if any, role models of people...

My Lords, no one disputes that work is the main route out of poverty for most people. In recent years, much effort has been focused on the long-term unemployed, to get these hard cases—who may have experienced several generations of unemployment and have few, if any, role models of people...

My Lords, I support the Bill, as it is evident that the welfare system in this country is in urgent need of reform. Nevertheless, the Bill can be further strengthened during its passage through this House to ensure that we are as brave as we need to be in placing...

My Lords, I support the Bill, as it is evident that the welfare system in this country is in urgent need of reform. Nevertheless, the Bill can be further strengthened during its passage through this House to ensure that we are as brave as we need to be in placing...

My Lords, the Department for Work and Pensions website tells us that this Bill, ""proposes to reform the welfare and benefit system to improve support and incentives for people to move from benefits into work and contains measures to increase personal responsibility within the welfare system"." These are aims that...

My Lords, the Department for Work and Pensions website tells us that this Bill, ""proposes to reform the welfare and benefit system to improve support and incentives for people to move from benefits into work and contains measures to increase personal responsibility within the welfare system"." These are aims that...

My Lords, the Bill has long been promised by the Government. Perhaps it is just as well that we have not been holding our breath. As always, any proposal for change sets off a flurry of concerns that there will be losers as much as winners. Many of those who...

My Lords, the Bill has long been promised by the Government. Perhaps it is just as well that we have not been holding our breath. As always, any proposal for change sets off a flurry of concerns that there will be losers as much as winners. Many of those who...

My Lords, I thank the Minister for giving way. Following up the end of this discussion of the points raised by me and the noble Lord, Lord Watson of Invergowrie, are the Government keeping a watching eye on the differences that might occur between administering these questions in England and...

My Lords, I thank the Minister for giving way. Following up the end of this discussion of the points raised by me and the noble Lord, Lord Watson of Invergowrie, are the Government keeping a watching eye on the differences that might occur between administering these questions in England and...

My Lords, it is a pleasure to follow the noble Baroness, Lady Kennedy of The Shaws. She made the most of her shortened contribution, but it was concise, powerful and very relevant. We have had a good debate. All of the points that were advanced to me as matters of...

My Lords, it is a pleasure to follow the noble Baroness, Lady Kennedy of The Shaws. She made the most of her shortened contribution, but it was concise, powerful and very relevant. We have had a good debate. All of the points that were advanced to me as matters of...

My Lords, my noble friend is right to say that once the youngest child reaches the age of seven the lone parent would move out of the progression-to-work category into the work-ready category and that therefore the full range of the requirements for jobseekers would apply. That would certainly include...

My Lords, my noble friend is right to say that once the youngest child reaches the age of seven the lone parent would move out of the progression-to-work category into the work-ready category and that therefore the full range of the requirements for jobseekers would apply. That would certainly include...

My Lords, perhaps my noble friend will come to this before he leaves the point about transport, in which case I apologise. He made it clear that this was negotiable during the progression to work. I understand that; it is entirely sensible. What happens when the child is seven and...

My Lords, perhaps my noble friend will come to this before he leaves the point about transport, in which case I apologise. He made it clear that this was negotiable during the progression to work. I understand that; it is entirely sensible. What happens when the child is seven and...

My Lords, I thank all noble Lords who have spoken in this debate. I am grateful for their excellent and informed contributions. The noble Lord, Lord Taylor, said that I should be pleased with the tenor of the debate, as I am, but it is right to say that the...

My Lords, I thank all noble Lords who have spoken in this debate. I am grateful for their excellent and informed contributions. The noble Lord, Lord Taylor, said that I should be pleased with the tenor of the debate, as I am, but it is right to say that the...

My Lords, it is always a great pleasure to follow the noble Lord, Lord Kirkwood, as even with his jaundiced eye he spots smoke and mirrors. Second Reading debates are usually interesting. The runners and riders walk the course prior to hurdling in Committee, and the mood of the House...

My Lords, it is always a great pleasure to follow the noble Lord, Lord Kirkwood, as even with his jaundiced eye he spots smoke and mirrors. Second Reading debates are usually interesting. The runners and riders walk the course prior to hurdling in Committee, and the mood of the House...

My Lords, I am certainly happy to take that away and explore what flexibility there is at the moment. Perhaps we need to focus on the two situations; namely, those who are in the work-ready group who will be expected to be available and looking for work, and those in...

My Lords, I am certainly happy to take that away and explore what flexibility there is at the moment. Perhaps we need to focus on the two situations; namely, those who are in the work-ready group who will be expected to be available and looking for work, and those in...

That the Bill be read a second time.

That the Bill be read a second time.

My Lords, before I start my remarks on the Bill, I congratulate the usual channels on the decision not to break into this debate by taking the Statement on swine flu. I hope that all speakers agree that that will lead to a much better and more fluent debate. The...

My Lords, before I start my remarks on the Bill, I congratulate the usual channels on the decision not to break into this debate by taking the Statement on swine flu. I hope that all speakers agree that that will lead to a much better and more fluent debate. The...

My Lords, unemployment is set to rise to more than 3 million by next year, with some forecasting civic unrest and rising crime. Those who have redundancy packages are finding that they are meaner than they thought and that jobseeker’s allowance is a paltry £60.50 a week. In July, 600,000...

My Lords, unemployment is set to rise to more than 3 million by next year, with some forecasting civic unrest and rising crime. Those who have redundancy packages are finding that they are meaner than they thought and that jobseeker’s allowance is a paltry £60.50 a week. In July, 600,000...

Yes, my Lords, indeed we are, on a whole range of provisions. I remember that when we dealt with the child maintenance Bill, rather than the Welfare Reform Bill, the noble Lord, Lord Kirkwood, in particular was diligent in ensuring that we were well aware of the differences in the...

Yes, my Lords, indeed we are, on a whole range of provisions. I remember that when we dealt with the child maintenance Bill, rather than the Welfare Reform Bill, the noble Lord, Lord Kirkwood, in particular was diligent in ensuring that we were well aware of the differences in the...

My Lords, the Bill continues to replace income support with jobseeker’s allowance, but introduces progression to work where children are between the ages of three and seven, if I have understood it correctly. JSA is a man’s benefit: it supports him between full-time jobs; it assumes a sharp divide between...

My Lords, the Bill continues to replace income support with jobseeker’s allowance, but introduces progression to work where children are between the ages of three and seven, if I have understood it correctly. JSA is a man’s benefit: it supports him between full-time jobs; it assumes a sharp divide between...

My Lords, last summer, the Government published the Green Paper, No One Written Off: Reforming Welfare to Reward Responsibility. Following consultation, the White Paper, Raising Expectations and Increasing Support, set out proposals further to reform the welfare system to ensure that nobody is left behind and to ensure that we...

My Lords, last summer, the Government published the Green Paper, No One Written Off: Reforming Welfare to Reward Responsibility. Following consultation, the White Paper, Raising Expectations and Increasing Support, set out proposals further to reform the welfare system to ensure that nobody is left behind and to ensure that we...