Housing Benefit (Loss of Benefit) (Pilot Scheme) Regulations 2007

I understand that point. It might help if I expand a little on what we will be looking at during and following the piloting. We will be seeking to establish whether local authorities feel it is a useful tool; whether the sanction is an effective incentive to take up rehabilitation; what resources are needed to set up and run it; its impact on anti-social behaviour; the impact on landlords; the effect on rent arrears; how it can best be operated; the impact on housing and homelessness; the impact on charities and voluntary bodies; and the profile of those sanctioned. As I said earlier, the evaluation will be independent and carried out by experts in the field. I accept that that will be an important part of the pilot. Households that have been evicted have clearly reached crisis point. Previous interventions have not resulted in the household obtaining the support it requires. If we do nothing we will be failing those households and the communities in which they live. As I have said, it is not the intention to sanction widely; the sanction is targeted at the most problematic households that have refused offers of help. It will provide local authorities with an additional tool to encourage households to address their behaviour. We strongly believe that the welfare state should combine rights with responsibilities, and the right to benefit can only come with a responsibility to behave with respect for others. This proposal strikes the right balance. On Question, Motion agreed to.