House of Commons Public Bill Committee Proceedings

House of Commons

Session 2008 - 09
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Other Bills before Parliament

Public Bill Committee Proceedings: 24 February 2009
12

Welfare Reform Bill, continued

(ii)
are required to conduct interviews under this part of the Act.’.

Paul Rowen

Not selected  110

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

Paul Rowen

Not selected  111

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

Not selected  112

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

Not selected  113

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

Public Bill Committee Proceedings: 24 February 2009
13

Welfare Reform Bill, continued

(c)
training and employment outcomes for persons required to comply with

rehabilitation plans.’.

Mr James Clappison

Mr Mark Harper

Mr John Baron

Not called  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

Not selected  54

Page  68,  line  21,  leave out Schedule 3.

Schedule Agreed to.

Clauses 10 and 11 Agreed to.

Paul Rowen

Negatived on division  56

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

Clause Agreed to.

Mr James Clappison

Mr Mark Harper

Mr John Baron

Withdrawn  16

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

Paul Rowen

Not called  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

Not moved  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

Withdrawn  66

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

Public Bill Committee Proceedings: 24 February 2009
14

Welfare Reform Bill, continued

‘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.

(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).’.

Clause Agreed to.

Paul Rowen

Not selected  42

Page  19,  line  22,  leave out Clause 14.

Clause Agreed to.

Clause 15 Agreed to.

Mr James Clappison

Mr Mark Harper

Mr John Baron

Not moved  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,

Public Bill Committee Proceedings: 24 February 2009
15

Welfare Reform Bill, continued

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

Parliament.’.

Clause Agreed to.

Clauses 17 and 18 Agreed to.

[Adjourned until Thursday at 9.00 am.