Welfare Reform Bill

My Lords, I am grateful to the Minister for seeking to answer that question. What really concerns us is that eight weeks in insufficient for dealing with someone who has left home because of domestic violence. The evidence is that there has usually been a long history before a woman takes the step of leaving home, particularly when she has children, and that the children often are in need of the security of the mother’s presence. Therefore, we suggest that there should be at least three months and we would ask the Government to consider that. Perhaps the Minister will take that away with him.