Welfare Reform Bill

I beg to move, That the Bill be now read the Third time. I thank Members from all parts of the House for the scrutiny that they have given the Bill as it has gone through its Commons stages. Genuine concerns have been raised on all sides, and it is a better Bill as a consequence of that scrutiny. I thank the members of the Select Committee, who did such a good job of scrutinising the Bill, as well as the Chairman of the Select Committee, my hon. Friend the Member for Bradford, North (Mr. Rooney). It is important that I thank in particular my hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow, North-West (John Robertson), who has done exactly what a Labour MP should do. [Interruption.] He is rushing to his seat. His amendment on the disability living allowance for blind people encapsulates the principle of the Bill, which is about more help for people who need it most. We believe that disabled people should have exactly the same rights in life as anybody else. I thank not only my hon. Friend, but the coalition that made this possible, including the Royal National Institute of Blind People and the hon. Member for Bournemouth, West (Sir John Butterfill); we should recognise that he played an important part. I also thank in particular my right hon. Friends the Members for Stirling (Mrs. McGuire) and for Sheffield, Brightside (Mr. Blunkett) and my hon. Friends the Members for Aberdeen, South (Miss Begg) and for Kingswood (Roger Berry). They have argued long and hard for the measure, which is not only right but has commanded support on both sides of the House. I say that—it was, however, hard to tell from the speech made by the hon. Member for Forest of Dean (Mr. Harper) what the Conservative party's position was. When there are spending decisions to be taken about millionaires, its view is clear. However, when it came to working out what it thought about giving extra help to people who are disabled and blind, it had to wait for a Labour Government to show the way. Frankly, that will be noticed not just by blind people but by anybody who cares about social justice in this country.