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Welfare Reform Bill, continued

“disabled employee” means an employee who has a disability, as defined in

section 1(1) of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (c. 50);

“employment retention assessment” means an assessment undertaken of a

disabled employee by a healthcare professional for the purposes of

recommending to his employer measures that could assist the disabled

person to remain in work, or, if that person is on sick leave, measures to

provide for a return to work.

“health care professional” has the same meaning as in the Welfare Reform

Act 2007.”.

(3)	In section 236(3), after “80G,”, insert “80J(1)”.’.

Passporting of Jobseeker’s Allowance

Paul Rowen

NC13

To move the following Clause:—

‘(1)	The Jobseekers Act 1995 (c.18) is amended as follows.

(2)	After section 27 insert—

“27A	Passporting of Jobseeker’s Allowance

(1)	Regulations under this section may make provision for or in connection

with allowing Jobseeker’s Allowance to be passported to employers of

individuals who have been on Jobseeker’s Allowance for at least 18

months prior to their employment.

(2)	Claimants to whom these regulations apply must be in receipt of the

national minimum wage.

(3)	Regulations under this section may, in particular, make provision for

contracts of public works whereby employers will receive claimants’

passported benefits should they take into employment under such

schemes claimants that have been in receipt of Jobseeker’s Allowance for

at least 18 months.

(4)	The award of public works contracts may be rendered conditional upon a

minimum percentage of Jobseeker’s Allowance claimants being taken on

by the employer concerned.

(5)	Regulations may further make provision for Jobseeker’s Allowance to be

passported to employers planning to make skilled or semi-skilled

workers redundant.

(6)	Regulations under this section may only apply to employees who would

be entitled to Jobseeker’s Allowance if no longer in employment.

(7)	The passported benefits must be used to either—

(a)	retrain the worker concerned, or

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Welfare Reform Bill, continued

(b)	permit retraining and employment as part of a reskilling package

agreed between the employer and employee.”.’.

Order of the House [27 January 2009]

That the following provisions shall apply to the Welfare Reform Bill:

Committal

1.	The Bill shall be committed to a Public Bill Committee.

Proceedings in Public Bill Committee

2.	Proceedings in the Public Bill Committee shall (so far as not previously

concluded) be brought to a conclusion on Tuesday 3 March 2009.

3.	The Public Bill Committee shall have leave to sit twice on the first day on

which it meets.

Consideration and Third Reading

4.	Proceedings on consideration shall (so far as not previously concluded) be

brought to a conclusion one hour before the moment of interruption on the

day on which those proceedings are commenced.

5.	Proceedings on Third Reading shall (so far as not previously concluded) be

brought to a conclusion at the moment of interruption on that day.

6.	Standing Order No. 83B (Programming committees) shall not apply to

proceedings on consideration and Third Reading.

Other proceedings

7.	Any other proceedings on the Bill (including any proceedings on

consideration of Lords Amendments or on any further messages from the

Lords) may be programmed.

Order of the Committee [10 February 2009]

That—

(1)	the Committee shall (in addition to its first meeting at 10.30 am on Tuesday

10 February) meet—

(a)	at 4.00 pm on Tuesday 10 February;

(b)	at 9.00 am on Thursday 12 February;

(c)	at 10.30 am and 4.00 pm on Tuesday 24 February;

(d)	at 9.00 am and 1.00 pm on Thursday 26 February;

(e)	at 10.30 am and 4.00 pm on Tuesday 3 March;

(2)	the Committee shall hear oral evidence in accordance with the following

Table—      

Public Bill Committee: 26 February 2009

113

Welfare Reform Bill, continued

    TABLE

	Date	Time	Witness
	Tuesday 10 February	Until no later than	The Royal Association
		12.15 pm	for Disability and
			Rehabilitation (RADAR)
			and Oldham
			Metropolitan Borough
			Council
	Tuesday 10 February	Until no later than	Drugscope
		1.00 pm
	Tuesday 10 February	Until no later than	Barnardo’s, the Child
		5.30 pm	Poverty Action Group
			and Gingerbread
	Tuesday 10 February	Until no later than	Professor Paul Gregg
		6.20 pm	(Bristol University)
	Thursday 12 February	Until no later than	Department for Work and
		10.25 am	Pensions

(3)	proceedings on consideration of the Bill in Committee shall be taken in the

following order: Clauses 1 to 3; Schedule 1; Clauses 4 to 7; Schedule 2;

Clauses 8 and 9; Schedule 3; Clauses 10 to 19; Schedule 4; Clauses 20 to 40;

Schedule 5; Clauses 41 to 44; Schedule 6; Clauses 45 and 46; Schedule 7;

Clauses 47 to 50; new Clauses; new Schedules; remaining proceedings on the

Bill;

(4)	the proceedings shall (so far as not previously concluded) be brought to a

conclusion at 7.00 pm on Tuesday 3 March.

NOTICES WITHDRAWN

The following Notices have been withdrawn:

Passported benefits

Paul Rowen

NC10

To move the following Clause:—

‘(1)	The Jobseekers Act 1995 (c. 18) is amended as follows.

(2)	After section 27 insert—

“27A	Passporting of Jobseekers Allowance

(1)	Regulations under this section may make provision for or in connection

with allowing Jobseekers Allowance to be passported to employers of

individuals who have been on Jobseekers Allowance for 18 months prior

to their employment.

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Welfare Reform Bill, continued

(2)	Claimants to whom regulations under section (1) apply must be in receipt

of the national minimum wage.

(3)	Regulations under subsection (1) may, in particular, make provision for

contracts of public works whereby employers will receive claimants’

passported benefits should they take into employment under such

schemes claimants that have been in receipt of Jobseekers Allowance for

at least 18 months.

(4)	The award of public works contracts may be rendered conditional upon a

minimum percentage of Jobseekers Allowance claimants being taken on

by the employer concerned.

(5)	Regulations may further make provision for Jobseekers Allowance to be

passported to employers planning to make skilled or semi-skilled

workers redundant.

(6)	Regulations under subsection (5) may only apply to employees who

would be entitled to Jobseekers Allowance if no longer in employment.

(7)	The passported benefits under subsection (5) must be used either—

(a)	to retrain the worker concerned, or—

(b)	to enable the worker to continue in employment at a reduced

capacity.”.’.

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Revised 26 February 2009