Saving Gateway Accounts Bill

I thank the Minister for the way in which he responded to the amendments, and for his suggestion that an amendment will be tabled in the other place to include those in receipt of carer’s allowance, which demonstrates the Government’s ability to listen to proposals made in Committee. I am pleased that the girl guides of South Thanet did not detain the hon. Member for South Thanet (Dr. Ladyman) for much longer; otherwise he might have missed hearing about that concession. I am sure that a girl guides badge is winging its way to the hon. Gentleman for being punctual and timely in his appearances, both in and outside the Chamber. I am pleased that the Minister put it on record that clause 1(3)(b) covers the circumstances that we debated in Committee. It was not clear what circumstances the subsection applied to, so it is useful that he made it clear that it applies to a situation in which people cease to be eligible for qualifying benefits between the times at which the notices are sent out. On amendments 3 and 4, the Minister helpfully set out the scale of the challenge that we face. He said that 8 million people will be eligible by virtue of qualifying for the benefits in question, but that there were 4.3 million people with incomes of less than £11,000 for a single person or £16,000 for a couple—