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Public Bill Committee: 10 May 2011                     

183

 

Welfare Reform Bill, continued

 
 

(a)    

evidence of the physical condition of the claimant and his or her state of

 

health;

 

(b)    

evidence of the psychological state of health of the claimant;

 

(c)    

evidence relating to the means and income of the claimant;

 

(d)    

evidence relating to the accommodation occupied by the claimant and the

 

effect that the imposition of a sanction or penalty may have on the right

 

to occupy such accommodation;

 

(e)    

the family circumstances of the claimant and the impact that it may have

 

on other family members and dependants;

 

(f)    

evidence of the impact that a sanction or penalty may have on the ability

 

of the claimant to fulfil obligations to third parties including those

 

relating to the fulfilment of benefit entitlement conditions.

 

(2)    

Before deciding whether to impose a sanction or penalty and shall only do so

 

where, having considered all the relevant circumstances, it is reasonable to do so.

 

(3)    

Regarding evidence as to means the Secretary of State must consider—

 

(a)    

the income of the claimant;

 

(b)    

the capital of the claimant;

 

(c)    

the expenditure of the claimant.

 

(4)    

In order to facilitate the enquiry into the matters set out in subsection (1) the

 

Secretary of State or authority may—

 

(a)    

arrange for a medical examination of the claimant;

 

(b)    

obtain information from any agency holding relevant information on the

 

income and resources of the claimant;

 

(c)    

receive evidence from any other person or persons with a knowledge of

 

the cicumstances of the claimant.

 

(5)    

A person who is subject to a penalty may appeal to a Tribunal (Lower Tier)

 

against the imposition of such a penalty.’.

 


 

Sums to be deducted in calculating recoverable overpayments

 

Mr Liam Byrne

 

Stephen Timms

 

Ms Karen Buck

 

Margaret Curran

 

NC2

 

To move the following Clause:—

 

‘In calculating the amount of a recoverable overpayment, there shall be deducted

 

any amount of universal credit which should have been payable during the

 

overpayment period on the basis of the claim as presented, or on the basis of the

 

claim had any misrepresentation or non-disclosure been remedied before the

 

decision.’.

 



 
 

Public Bill Committee: 10 May 2011                     

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Welfare Reform Bill, continued

 
 

Procedure for regulation-making powers

 

Mr Liam Byrne

 

Stephen Timms

 

Ms Karen Buck

 

Margaret Curran

 

NC3

 

To move the following Clause:—

 

‘In section 26 of the Welfare Reform Act 2007, in subsection (1), at end insert:

 

“(e)    

regulations made under sections 11D and 11J.”.’.

 


 

Sure Start Maternity Grant for Multiples

 

Tom Greatrex

 

Anas Sawar

 

NC4

 

To move the following Clause:—

 

‘Regulations shall make provision for the payment of a Sure Start Maternity

 

Grant of £500 for each first born baby and in the case of subsequent multiple

 

births, a single payment will be made of £500 for twins, £1,000 for triplets and

 

£1,500 for higher multiples.’.

 


 

Citizen financial safety protection payment fund

 

Stella Creasy

 

Kate Green

 

NC5

 

To move the following Clause:—

 

‘(1)    

The Government shall make provision for a fund to support the provision of

 

citizen financial safety protection payments to prevent immediate personal

 

destitution and to be administered through the offices of the Department for Work

 

and Pensions. These payments will enable financial support to be given within

 

thirty days to applicants in the following circumstances—

 

(a)    

to ease exceptional circumstances for individuals and families which

 

may lead to homelessness or household financial insolvency,

 

(b)    

to support pensioners in receipt of financial assistance from public

 

authorities, young people who are about to leave care or recent care

 

leavers, and those with children under the age of 16, to manage personal

 

transitions in lifestyle,

 

(c)    

to meet other needs in accordance with directions given or guidance

 

issued by the Secretary of State.

 

(2)    

Guidance will be laid before parliament to determine who would be able to apply

 

for a citizen financial safety protection payment and the circumstances under


 
 

Public Bill Committee: 10 May 2011                     

185

 

Welfare Reform Bill, continued

 
 

which it can be claimed and funded. This guidance will take in the following

 

factors—

 

(a)    

the ability of the applicant to prevent destitution for them or their

 

dependants without access to such funds,

 

(b)    

ease of access to alternative affordable sources of credit for the applicant

 

within the locality,

 

(c)    

the length of time taken by local administering authorities to process

 

claims for alternative means of support, and

 

(d)    

measures for adjudication of claims made by the Department for Work

 

and Pensions against local administering authorities for the total cost of

 

provision of citizen financial safety protection payments in the absence

 

of provision of appropriate support by such authorities.

 

(3)    

The power to make a payment out of the citizen protection fund such as is

 

mentioned in subsection (1) above may be exercised by making a payment to a

 

third party with a view to the third party providing, or arranging for the provision

 

of, goods or services for the applicant.

 

(4)    

In this section “prescribed” means specified in or determined in accordance with

 

regulation.’.

 


 

Social Fund review

 

Stella Creasy

 

Kate Green

 

NC6

 

To move the following Clause:—

 

‘The Government will lay before parliament annually a review of the impact of

 

the abolition of a nationally administered social fund which will cover the

 

following topics—

 

(1)    

The level of applications received by each local area for assistance.

 

(2)    

The nature and amount of applications and awards made by each administering

 

authority.

 

(3)    

The cost of administration of the scheme by each administering authority.

 

(4)    

The criteria used by every administering authority for making awards and all of

 

the guidance they issue to their staff (and their proxies’ staff).

 

(5)    

Information as to the status of each applicant and their household whether

 

successful or not.’.

 



 
 

Public Bill Committee: 10 May 2011                     

186

 

Welfare Reform Bill, continued

 
 

Advice on financial assistance

 

Stella Creasy

 

Kate Green

 

NC7

 

To move the following Clause:—

 

‘The Government will require all those working with applicants for welfare

 

provision who are publicly funded to ensure their clients are informed about the

 

existence of publicly provided financial assistance and where relevant locally

 

available sources of alternative affordable credit provision. This information

 

must be provided in a format which is accessible to the applicant.’.

 


 

Limitation Act 1980

 

Kate Green

 

NC8

 

To move the following Clause:—

 

‘The Limitation Act 1980 applies as enacted to the recovery of the social security

 

payments as with all other sums that may be recoverable from a person.’.

 

 

Order of the House [9 march 2011]

 

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 24 May 2011.

 

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.


 
 

Public Bill Committee: 10 May 2011                     

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Welfare Reform Bill, continued

 
 

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 [22 March 2011], AS AMENDED [31 MARCH

 

2011]

 

That—

 

(1)  

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

 

22 March) meet—

 

(a)  

at 4.00 pm on Tuesday 22 March;

 

(b)  

at 9.00 am and 1.00 pm on Thursday 24 March;

 

(c)  

at 10.30 am and 4.00 pm on Tuesday 29 March;

 

(d)  

at 9.00 am and 1.00 pm on Thursday 31 March;

 

(e)  

at 9.00 am and 1.30 pm on Tuesday 5 April;

 

(f)  

at 10.30 am and 4.00 pm on Tuesday 26 April;

 

(g)  

at 9.00 am and 1.00 pm on Thursday 28 April;

 

(h)  

at 10.30 am and 4.00 pm on Tuesday 3 May;

 

(i)  

at 10.30 am and 4.00 pm on Tuesday 10 May;

 

(j)  

at 9.00 am and 1.00 pm on Thursday 12 May;

 

(k)  

at 10.30 am and 4.00 pm on Tuesday 17 May;

 

(l)  

at 9.00 am and 1.00 pm on Thursday 19 May;

 

(m)  

at 10.30 am and 4.00 pm on Tuesday 24 May;

 

(2)  

the Committee shall hear oral evidence in accordance with the following

 

Table:

 

TABLE

 

Date

Time

Witness

 
 

Tuesday 22 March

Until no later than

Policy Exchange; Centre for

 
  

12 noon

Social Justice; Institute for

 
   

Fiscal Studies; Professor Roy

 
   

Sainsbury (University of

 
   

York); Reform

 
 

Tuesday 22 March

Until no later than

Joseph Rowntree Foundation;

 
  

1.00 pm

Centre for Economic and

 
   

Social Inclusion; Oxfam;

 
   

Personal Independence

 
   

Payment Objective

 
   

Assessment Development

 
   

Group (and Equality 2025);

 
   

Mind

 
 

Tuesday 22 March

Until no later than

Anne Spaight, former Chair of

 
  

4.45 pm

Disability Living Allowance

 
   

Advisory Board; Essex

 
   

Coalition of Disabled People

 
 

Tuesday 22 March

Until no later than

People First; National Centre

 
  

5.15 pm

for Independent Living

 
 

Tuesday 22 March

Until no later than

MacMillan; Scope;

 
  

6.15 pm

Community Links; TUC

 
 

Tuesday 22 March

Until no later than

Low Incomes Tax Reform

 
  

6.45 pm

Group; Citizen’s Advice

 
   

Bureau

 
 

Thursday 24 March

Until no later than

Social Security Advisory

 
  

9.30 am

Committee

 
 

Thursday 24 March

Until no later than

Carers UK

 
  

9.50 am

  
 

Thursday 24 March

Until no later than

Professor Paul Gregg (Bristol

 
  

10.10 am

University)

 
 

Thursday 24 March

Until no later than

Child Poverty Action Group;

 
  

2.00 pm

Gingerbread; Fatherhood

 
   

Institute; Working Families

 
 

Thursday 24 March

Until no later than

Women’s Budget Group;

 
  

2.45 pm

Centre for Separated Families;

 
   

Family Action

 
 

Thursday 24 March

Until no later than

Local Government

 
  

3.15 pm

Association; London Councils

 
 

Thursday 24 March

Until no later than

Shelter; National Housing

 
  

4.15 pm

Federation; National

 
   

Landlords Association; Crisis

 
 

Thursday 24 March

Until no later than

Department for Work and

 
  

5.00 pm

Pensions

 

 
 

Public Bill Committee: 10 May 2011                     

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Welfare Reform Bill, continued

 
 

(3)  

proceedings on consideration of the Bill in Committee shall be taken in the

 

following order; Clauses 1 to 31; Schedule 1; Clause 32; Schedule 2; Clauses

 

33 and 34; Schedule 3; Clause 35; Schedule 4; Clause 36; Schedule 5; Clause

 

37; Schedule 6; Clauses 38 to 48; Schedule 7; Clauses 49 to 69; Schedule 8;

 

Clauses 70 to 88; Schedule 9; Clauses 89 and 90; Schedule 10; Clauses 91 to

 

99; Schedule 11; Clause 100; Schedule 12; Clauses 101 to 133; Schedule 13;

 

Clauses 134 to 137; 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 24 May.

 


 
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