House of Commons

Session 2005-06 Publications on the internet Bill Home Page

Notices of Amendments

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given on

Friday 20th October 2006

For other Amendment(s) see the following page(s) of Supplement to Votes:
1637-1669

Standing Committee A

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Welfare Reform Bill

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Danny Alexander
Mr David Laws

257

Clause 27, page 19, line 15, at end insert ‘and those categories of tenants to whom it applies’.

Danny Alexander
Mr David Laws

258

Clause 27, page 19, line 15, at end insert—

‘( ) The Appropriate Maximum Housing Benefit may not vary according to the age of the claimant.’.

Danny Alexander
Mr David Laws

259

Clause 33, page 28, leave out lines 21 to 23.

Danny Alexander
Mr David Laws

260

Clause 17, page 15, line 2, at end add—

‘(4) The circumstances which may be prescribed in section 17(3)(b) should include, but need not be restricted to, the person’s mental or physical condition.’.

Danny Alexander
Mr David Laws

261

Clause 10, page 9, line 17, at end add—

‘(9) A health care professional will not be approved by the Secretary of State unless he has undertaken such training in disabilities and health conditions as the Secretary of State may by regulation prescribe.’.

Non-dependent deductions

Danny Alexander
Mr David Laws

NC8

To move the following Clause:—

‘(1) The Secretary of State shall make regulations such that the non-dependent deduction for—

(a) housing benefit;

(b) council tax benefit; and

(c) Local Housing Allowance

shall be nil where the non-dependent is—

(i) in non-remunerative work, or

(ii) has a gross income from remunerative work of under £101.00 per week.’.

Possession action for rent arrears involving housing benefit

Danny Alexander
Mr David Laws

NC9

To move the following Clause:—

‘(1) Section 7 (orders for possession) of the Housing Act 1988 (c. 50) is amended as follows.

(2) In subsection (3), for “subsections (5A) and (6)” substitute “subsections (5A), (6) and (6A)”.

(3) In subsection (4), for “subsections (5A) and (6)” substitute “subsections (5A), (6) and (6A)”.

(4) After subsection (6), insert—

“(6A) If the court is satisfied—

(a) that Ground 8 in Part I of Schedule 2 to this Act is established; and

(b) that rent is in arrears as mentioned in that Ground as a consequence of a delay or failure in the payment of relevant housing benefit, it shall not make an order for possession unless it considers it reasonable to do so.”.

(5) At end insert—

“(8) In subsection (6A) above—

(a) “relevant housing benefit” means—

(i) any rent allowance or rent rebate to which the tenant was entitled in respect of the rent under the Housing Benefit Regulations 2006 (S.I. 2006/213); or

(ii) any payment on account of any such entitlement awarded under Regulation 93 of those Regulations;

(b) references to delay or failure in the payment of relevant housing benefit do not include such delay or failure so far as referrable to any wilful act or omission of the tenant.”.’.

Circumstances in which a person is treated as occupying a dwelling as his home

Danny Alexander
Mr David Laws

NC10

To move the following Clause:—

‘(1) This section applies where a person is moving from a dwelling at which he qualifies for payment of Housing Benefit to another dwelling at which he will qualify for payment of Housing Benefit.

(2) Regulations may make provisions that such a person may be treated as occupying both dwellings as his home and be eligible for Housing Benefit in respect of both homes for a period not exceeding four weeks if he could not reasonably have avoided rental liability in respect of the two dwellings.

(3) Regulations under subsection (2) may allow for Housing Benefit to be paid in respect of both dwellings for a period exceeding four weeks where the applicant is awaiting the outcome of an application under Part III of the Social Security Act (1988) for a social fund payment to meet a need arising out of the move or in connection with setting up the home in the dwelling.’.

Interim payment of rent allowance on account

Danny Alexander
Mr David Laws

NC11

To move the following Clause:—

‘Where a relevant local authority has not determined a claim for rent allowance within 14 days of receipt of that claim, in such circumstances as the Secretary of State may by regulation define, the authority shall make a payment on account of rent allowance.’.

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Prepared: 23 October 2006