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Public Bill Committee: 24 February 2009                  

76

 

Welfare Reform Bill, continued

 
 

Paul Rowen

 

110

 

Parliamentary Star    

Schedule  3,  page  70,  line  20,  leave out paragraph (3).

 

Paul Rowen

 

111

 

Parliamentary Star    

Schedule  3,  page  72,  line  17,  at end insert—

 

‘(5A)    

For the purposes of paragraph 5 a person may not be required to attend for either

 

residential or non-residential treatment institution if—

 

(a)    

such treatment would amount to a requirement to comply with a

 

particular form of treatment, or

 

(b)    

such treatment would amount to a requirement to comply with a

 

particular belief system, philosophy or religion, or

 

(c)    

they have not given their informed consent.’.

 

Paul Rowen

 

112

 

Parliamentary Star    

Schedule  3,  page  74,  line  25,  at end insert—

 

‘( )    

An income based jobseeker’s allowance will be payable in these circumstances

 

if, in the opinion of a suitably qualified person, there is no good reason to believe

 

that enforcement of a benefit sanction would worsen or prolong the person’s drug

 

problem.’.

 

Paul Rowen

 

113

 

Parliamentary Star    

Schedule  3,  page  75,  line  22,  at end insert—

 

‘(3A)    

The report must include information concerning the number of—

 

(a)    

people subject to investigation and assessment,

 

(b)    

claimants identified as dependent on drugs through investigation and

 

assessment,

 

(c)    

complaints about and successful appeals against decisions reached

 

through this process,

 

(d)    

claimants subject to sanctions for failing to comply with the processes for

 

investigation and assessment,

 

(e)    

claimants required to comply with a rehabilitation plan and the forms of

 

treatment they have been required to comply with,

 

(f)    

complaints about and successful appeals against the conditions set out in

 

rehabilitation plans,

 

(g)    

claimaints subject to sanctions for failing to comply with a rehabilitation

 

plan,

 

(h)    

claimaints who receive full jobseekers allowance despite being subject to

 

sanctions in circumstances such as hardship, and

 

(i)    

claimants who were not sanctioned because a suitably qualified person

 

judged that such sanctions would worsen or prolong their drug problem.

 

(3B)    

The report must further provide details concerning—

 

(a)    

the impact of any sanctions imposed, and particularly their impact on

 

children and families,

 

(b)    

treatment outcomes for persons required to comply with rehabilitation

 

plans, and

 

(c)    

training and employment outcomes for persons required to comply with

 

rehabilitation plans.’.


 
 

Public Bill Committee: 24 February 2009                  

77

 

Welfare Reform Bill, continued

 
 

Mr James Clappison

 

Mr Mark Harper

 

Mr John Baron

 

77

 

Schedule  3,  page  81,  line  39,  after ‘requirement’, insert ‘which must include the

 

person’s health at the time of the failure to comply.’.

 

Paul Rowen

 

54

 

Page  68,  line  21,  leave out Schedule 3.

 


 

Paul Rowen

 

56

 

Clause  12,  page  16,  line  43,  leave out subsection (b).

 


 

Mr James Clappison

 

Mr Mark Harper

 

Mr John Baron

 

16

 

Clause  13,  page  17,  line  38,  leave out paragraph (b).

 

Paul Rowen

 

55

 

Clause  13,  page  17,  line  38,  at end insert ‘and

 

(c)    

in respect of any sums charged as interest on the loans.’.

 

Mr James Clappison

 

Mr Mark Harper

 

Mr John Baron

 

17

 

Clause  13,  page  18,  line  38,  at end insert ‘which shall include the number and value

 

of the loans made by each lender, the total amount of interest paid to the lender in respect

 

of them and the total value of loans repaid.’.

 

Mr James Plaskitt

 

66

 

Clause  13,  page  18,  line  40,  at end insert—

 

‘140ZD 

  Individual social fund accounts

 

(1)    

The Secretary of State may establish a system of individual social fund accounts

 

for qualifying persons.

 

(2)    

The Secretary of State may designate external providers to provide financial

 

advice to holders of individual social fund accounts.

 

(3)    

Individual social fund accounts shall be used to provide budgeting loans from the

 

social fund.


 
 

Public Bill Committee: 24 February 2009                  

78

 

Welfare Reform Bill, continued

 
 

(4)    

An individual social fund account which meets the requirements of the Saving

 

Gateway Accounts Act 2009 may be designated as a Saving Gateway account.

 

(5)    

The Secretary of State may prescribe the conditions under which a designated

 

external provider may advance funds to the Secretary of State for the provision of

 

social fund budgeting loans.

 

(6)    

A designated external provider may make a qualifying loan to an eligible person

 

from that person’s individual social fund account.

 

(7)    

The Secretary of State may prescribe conditions under which deductions may be

 

made from an eligible person’s relevant benefits for the repayment of the amount

 

of the qualifying loan to the individual social fund account of the eligible person

 

and to recover the allowable costs of the external provider.

 

(8)    

The Secretary of State may make regulations—

 

(a)    

to establish a system of individual social fund accounts and to set out

 

criteria for qualifying persons under subsection (1),

 

(b)    

to specify criteria for the designation of external providers under

 

subsection (2),

 

(c)    

to prescribe the conditions under subsection (5), and

 

(d)    

to prescribe conditions under which deductions may be made from an

 

eligible person’s relevant benefits for the repayment of the amount of the

 

qualifying loan under subsection (7).’.

 


 

Paul Rowen

 

42

 

Page  19,  line  22,  leave out Clause 14.

 


 

Mr James Clappison

 

Mr Mark Harper

 

Mr John Baron

 

18

 

Clause  16,  page  21,  line  7,  at end add—

 

‘(8)    

 

(a)    

the Secretary of State shall prepare an Annual report on the operation of

 

the arrangements relating to the community care grants and shall include

 

in that report details of the number and value of the community care

 

grants awarded,

 

(b)    

a copy of every such report shall be laid before each House of

 

Parliament.’.

 


 

Mr James Clappison

 

Mr Mark Harper

 

Mr John Baron

 

19

 

Clause  19,  page  25,  line  18,  at end insert—


 
 

Public Bill Committee: 24 February 2009                  

79

 

Welfare Reform Bill, continued

 
 

‘(10A)    

A statutory instrument containing regulations made by the Secretary of State

 

under subsections (6), (7), (8), (9) or (10) shall not be made unless a draft of the

 

instrument has been laid before Parliament and approved by a resolution of each

 

House.’.

 

Paul Rowen

 

63

 

Clause  19,  page  25,  line  41,  at end insert—

 

‘(14)    

Sanctionable benefits shall be returned to the claimant with compensation where

 

the benefit offence is attributable to a mistake made by the Secretary of State or

 

anyone acting under his authority as provided in paragraphs (1) to (11) above’.

 

Tony McNulty

 

94

 

Clause  19,  page  23,  line  45,  leave out ‘in England and Wales or Northern Ireland,’.

 

Member’s explanatory statement

 

This amendment ensures that the loss of benefit provisions in new section 6B of the Social Security

 

Fraud Act 2001 apply where a person in Scotland is cautioned for a benefit offence. As currently

 

drafted, they apply to cautions in England and Wales or Northern Ireland, but not in Scotland.

 

Tony McNulty

 

95

 

Clause  19,  page  26,  line  46,  after ‘sentenced)’ insert ‘or in the case mentioned in

 

paragraph (b)(ii) the date of the order for absolute discharge’.

 

Member’s explanatory statement

 

This amendment is consequential upon amendment 96.

 

Tony McNulty

 

96

 

Clause  19,  page  26,  line  47,  leave out from second ‘to’ to end of line 49 and

 

insert—

 

‘(i)    

a conviction in relation to which the court makes an order for

 

absolute or conditional discharge or a court in Scotland makes a

 

probation order,

 

(ii)    

an order for absolute discharge made by a court of summary

 

jurisdiction in Scotland under section 246(3) of the Criminal

 

Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 without proceeding to a

 

conviction, and

 

(iii)    

’.

 

Member’s explanatory statement

 

This amendment ensures that new section 6B of the 2001 Act applies where a person is convicted

 

of a benefit offence, but the court makes an order for absolute discharge. See also amendment 97.

 


 

Tony McNulty

 

97

 

Schedule  4,  page  84,  line  15,  at end insert—

 

    ‘( )  

In subsection (9)—

 

(a)    

in paragraph (a), after “sentenced)” insert “or in the case mentioned in

 

paragraph (b)(ii) the date of the order for absolute discharge”, and


 
 

Public Bill Committee: 24 February 2009                  

80

 

Welfare Reform Bill, continued

 
 

(b)    

for paragraph (b) substitute—

 

“(b)    

references to a conviction include references to—

 

(i)    

a conviction in relation to which the court

 

makes an order for absolute or conditional

 

discharge or a court in Scotland makes a

 

probation order,

 

(ii)    

an order for absolute discharge made by a

 

court of summary jurisdiction in Scotland

 

under section 246(3) of the Criminal

 

Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 without

 

proceeding to a conviction, and

 

(iii)    

a conviction in Northern Ireland.”.’.

 

Member’s explanatory statement

 

This amends section 7 of the Social Security Fraud Act 2001 so as to ensure that its provisions

 

apply where a person is convicted of a benefit offence, but the court makes an order for absolute

 

discharge. See also amendments 95 and 96.

 

Tony McNulty

 

98

 

Schedule  4,  page  86,  line  35,  leave out ‘6B(7)’ and insert ‘6B(6)’.

 

Member’s explanatory statement

 

This amendment ensures that the affirmative Parliamentary procedure applies to the regulation-

 

making power in new section 6B(6) of the Social Security Fraud Act 2001 (inserted by clause 19).

 

The existing reference to new section 6B(7) is incorrect.

 


 

Paul Rowen

 

60

 

Clause  21,  page  30,  line  16,  after ‘credit’, insert ‘and Carer Addition.’.

 

Paul Rowen

 

61

 

Clause  21,  page  30,  line  18,  after ‘credit’, insert ‘and Carer Addition.’.

 

Mr James Clappison

 

Mr Mark Harper

 

Mr John Baron

 

20

 

Clause  21,  page  31,  line  10,  at end add—

 

‘(3A)    

Within six months of the expiry of the specified period referred to in subsection

 

(1), the Secretary of State shall lay before each House of Parliament a report on

 

the operation of the state pension credit pilot schemes established under these

 

provisions.’.

 


 

Paul Rowen

 

67

 

Clause  23,  page  33,  line  3,  at end insert—


 
 

Public Bill Committee: 24 February 2009                  

81

 

Welfare Reform Bill, continued

 
 

‘(d)    

shall specify the level of training required to meet the needs of claimants

 

with mental and/or physical disabilities,

 

(e)    

shall specify the level of training required to meet the needs of claimants

 

with caring responsibilities,

 

(f)    

shall specify the level of training required to meet the needs of claimants

 

with drug dependency and alcohol issues,

 

(g)    

shall specify the level of training required to meet the needs of claimants

 

who are lone parents with dependant children, and

 

(h)    

shall specify the level of training required to meet the needs of claimants

 

who are lone parents and have been victims of domestic violence.’.

 

Mr James Clappison

 

Mr Mark Harper

 

Mr John Baron

 

21

 

Clause  23,  page  33,  line  11,  leave out paragraph (a).

 


 

Paul Rowen

 

87

 

Clause  24,  page  34,  line  28,  after ‘cause’, insert ‘(which shall include situations

 

where the failure was caused by a long-term or fluctuating mental health problem)’.

 


 

Paul Rowen

 

64

 

Clause  26,  page  36,  line  14,  at end insert—

 

‘(5)    

In section 23A(3) of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992 (c.

 

4) for paragraph (c) substitute—

 

“(c)    

unpaid care for a grandchild aged under 12 or an ill, frail or

 

disabled family member, friend or partner for 20 hours per week

 

or more.”’.

 


 

Mr James Clappison

 

Mr Mark Harper

 

Mr John Baron

 

23

 

Clause  28,  page  36,  line  37,  leave out ‘aged 18 or over’.

 

Paul Rowen

 

71

 

Clause  28,  page  36,  line  41,  at end insert—


 
 

Public Bill Committee: 24 February 2009                  

82

 

Welfare Reform Bill, continued

 
 

‘(1)    

When P is exercising his rights under this Part the relevant authority shall be

 

subject to a duty to cooperate with P.’.

 


 

Mr James Clappison

 

Mr Mark Harper

 

Mr John Baron

 

Paul Rowen

 

24

 

Clause  29,  page  37,  line  14,  at end insert—

 

‘(h)    

the provision of care services and community care for P.’.

 

Mr James Clappison

 

Mr Mark Harper

 

Mr John Baron

 

25

 

Clause  29,  page  37,  line  20,  leave out subsections (5) and (6).

 

Paul Rowen

 

70

 

Clause  29,  page  37,  line  20,  after ‘services’, insert ‘, unless such exclusion would

 

prevent P from achieving the matters set out in subsection (2)’.

 

Paul Rowen

 

49

 

Clause  29,  page  37,  line  21,  leave out subsection (a).

 


 

Mr James Clappison

 

Mr Mark Harper

 

Mr John Baron

 

79

 

Clause  31,  page  38,  line  21,  at end insert ‘including, in particular, making

 

arrangements with voluntary organisations to provide disabled persons with assistance in

 

connection with direct payments.’.

 

Mr James Clappison

 

Mr Mark Harper

 

Mr John Baron

 

Paul Rowen

 

26

 

Clause  31,  page  38,  line  23,  after ‘person’, insert ‘, including a person with a

 

disability caused by mental health problems,’.

 

Mr James Clappison

 

Mr Mark Harper

 

Mr John Baron

 

27

 

Clause  31,  page  38,  line  23,  leave out ‘in prescribed circumstances’.


 
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