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Report Stage Proceedings: 9th January 2007              

60

 

Welfare Reform Bill, continued

 
 

Mr Andrew Love

 

Danny Alexander

 

Mr David Laws

 

Kelvin Hopkins

 

Mr Gordon Marsden

 

Mr Andrew Dismore

 

Dr Brian Iddon

 

Mrs Madeleine Moon

 

Andrew Stunell

 

Mr Elfyn Llwyd

 

Chris McCafferty

 

Emily Thornberry

 

Clive Efford

 

Mr Marsha Singh

 

Dr Doug Naysmith

 

Ms Sally Keeble

 

Jim Cousins

 

Jeff Ennis

 

Helen Goodman

 

Richard Burden

 

John McDonnell

 

Withdrawn  48

 

Page  20,  line  16  [Clause  29],  at end insert—

 

‘( )    

The AMHB shall vary only for those aged under 21.’.

 

Danny Alexander

 

Mr David Laws

 

John McDonnell

 

Negatived on division  5

 

Page  20,  line  33  [Clause  29],  at end insert—

 

‘( )    

The Appropriate Maximum Housing Benefit may not vary according to the age

 

of the claimant.’.

 


 

Mr Terry Rooney

 

Kelvin Hopkins

 

Roger Berry

 

Ms Karen Buck

 

John McDonnell

 

Not called  67

 

Page  22,  line  9  [Clause  30],  leave out ‘five years’ and insert ‘twelve months’.

 

Mr Terry Rooney

 

Mr David Ruffley

 

Mr Jeremy Hunt

 

Kelvin Hopkins

 

Roger Berry

 

Ms Karen Buck

 

John McDonnell

 

Not selected  68

 

Page  22,  line  18  [Clause  30],  leave out ‘or may provide’ and insert ‘appropriate’.

 

Mr Terry Rooney

 

Kelvin Hopkins

 

Roger Berry

 

Ms Karen Buck

 

John McDonnell

 

Not selected  69

 

Page  22,  line  27  [Clause  30],  at end insert—


 
 

Report Stage Proceedings: 9th January 2007              

61

 

Welfare Reform Bill, continued

 
 

‘(12)    

The former occupier may request an independent review of the specified actions

 

contained in the written notice prescribed by the local authority under subsection

 

(11).’.

 

Mr Terry Rooney

 

Kelvin Hopkins

 

Roger Berry

 

Ms Karen Buck

 

John McDonnell

 

Not selected  66

 

Page  22,  line  37  [Clause  30],  at end insert—

 

‘( )    

regulations reducing the rate of benefit must specify that the amount of

 

housing benefit payable in respect of any week in Phase C of the

 

restriction period shall not be reduced by a sum in excess of 50 per cent.

 

of the amount of housing benefit to which the former occupier is entitled

 

in that week,

 

( )    

regulations reducing the rate of benefit for a former occupier who is a

 

“person in hardship” must specify that the amount of housing benefit

 

payable in respect of any week during the restriction period shall not be

 

reduced by a sum in excess of 10 per cent of the amount of housing

 

benefit to which the former occupier is entitled in that week.’.

 


 

Mr Secretary Hutton

 

Agreed to  12

 

Page  29,  line  36  [Clause  35],  at end insert—

 

‘( )    

A person who receives information by virtue of subsection (1) must not disclose

 

the information to any person unless the disclosure is made—

 

(a)    

for a purpose mentioned in that subsection (including disclosure to

 

another rent officer in connection with any function he has under section

 

122 of the Housing Act 1996 relating to housing benefit),

 

(b)    

in accordance with any other enactment, or

 

(c)    

in accordance with the order of a court.’.

 

Mr Terry Rooney

 

Mr David Ruffley

 

Mr Jeremy Hunt

 

Jim Cousins

 

John Penrose

 

Richard Burden

 

Mr Elfyn Llwyd

 

John McDonnell

 

Not called  70

 

Page  29,  line  39  [Clause  35],  at end insert—

 

‘(4)    

In respect of determining the local housing allowance, the rent officer upon

 

request, shall make available within a reasonable period the evidence and data

 

used to calculate the local housing allowance.

 

(5)    

In determining the broad rental market area or areas in relation to a local

 

authority, the rent officer, upon request, shall make available within a reasonable

 

period the evidence and data used to determine the broad rental market area or

 

areas.


 
 

Report Stage Proceedings: 9th January 2007              

62

 

Welfare Reform Bill, continued

 
 

(6)    

In determining the broad rental market area or areas, the rent officer shall consult

 

with the relevant local authority or authorities on the boundaries and extent of that

 

area or areas.

 

(7)    

Consultation undertaken under subsection (6) shall be in accordance with such

 

requirements as may be specified in regulations made by the Secretary of State.

 

(8)    

In this section “broad rental market area” means an area—

 

(a)    

comprising two or more distinct areas of residential accommodation,

 

each distinct area of residential accommodation adjoining at least one

 

other in the area;

 

(b)    

within which a person could reasonably be expected to live having regard

 

to facilities and services for the purposes of health, education, recreation,

 

personal banking and shopping, taking account of the distance of travel,

 

by public and private transport, to and from facilities and services of the

 

same type and similar standard; and

 

(c)    

containing residential premises of a variety of types, and including such

 

premises held on a variety of tenancies.’.

 


 

Mr Terry Rooney

 

Jim Cousins

 

John McDonnell

 

Not selected  65

 

Page  30,  line  11  [Clause  36],  at end insert—

 

‘(2A)    

Regulations made under subsection (2) above shall provide for—

 

(a)    

a requirement for the authority administering the benefit to establish

 

arrangements to provide free money management advice for any person

 

who seeks such advice and is entitled to housing benefit and receiving

 

direct payments of that benefit,

 

(b)    

a requirement for the authority to take steps pro-actively to identify

 

claimants who are unlikely to have sufficient money management skills

 

for accepting direct payment of housing benefit; and to make

 

arrangements for the payments of benefit to be made direct to the

 

landlord in such circumstances,

 

(c)    

the authority shall take steps necessary to determine the claimant is not a

 

person at risk,

 

(d)    

for the purposes of paragraph (c) a claimant will be a “person at risk” if

 

they—

 

(i)    

have learning disabilities,

 

(ii)    

suffer a medical condition that seriously impairs their ability to

 

manage on a day to day basis,

 

(iii)    

are illiterate or unable to speak English,

 

(iv)    

have an addiction to drugs, alcohol or gambling,

 

(v)    

are fleeing domestic violence,

 

(vi)    

are a care leaver, or

 

(vii)    

are someone who has recently left prison.’.

 

Bill read the third time, and passed.

 


 
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